The Washington times., 1895-06-25
hears WITH HER FINGERS
Wonderful Faculty Of Helen kel-
Ter, a Deaf and Blind Girl.
ONLY FIFTEEN YEARS OF AGE
She Puts Her Dainty Digits Across
Her Questtoner's Lips and Ii Is
Acquired the Art in Eight Months.
Keen Witted and Humorlst.

! The only deaf and blind person in the
world who can hear the English language
by placing her finger tips on the lips of the
| speaker was iii this city yesterday as the
guest of Miss Mary L. Barton, at No 947
| T street north west
This phenomenon is Helen Keller of
Tuscumbia Ala. She was accompanied by
her goycrness. Miss A. IL Sullivan. both be-
| ing en- route for her home wherethcre viii be
surprise to delight a mother heart when
the little girl. who is only fifteen years OF
age, will be able to receive the words OF
atfectiOnate greeting direct from the lips
! OF her mother
Quite an interesting talk with this lonely
little girl was had by The Times yesterday
afternoon, through the kindness OF Miss Bar
! ton and Miss Sullivan.
Helen Keller told her own story. 1t can
| be said of her that her only impcrfeCtiOnS
are her hearing and eyeSight. She is eX-
| trcmely, wonderfully intelligent.
| She has blue eyes that are wide open,
pretty teeth, brown hair, face OF strong
and regular lines, and talks like canary
bird.
LEARNED TO READ.
She was taken in charge by Miss sullivan
eight years ago, learned to read by the
| fingers on her own fingers, and in this time
has become acquainted with the contents
OF the best books and looks always on the
bright side OF things
Besides this she is keen witted and a hu-
morist. She keeps one in Il good humor
all the time by her quaint and original con-
versatiou.
You take her dainty little fingers in yOur
hand, place the tips of them across your
lips, and ask her a question, and it is sell
dom necessary 10 repeat a word She an
swers you Us quickly and as brightly as il
herbeaTing wa as acute as that Of an caves
uropper at a keyhole.
III this way she told all about herself.
She was asked if Sue had learned yet TO
distinguish music from other sounds.
ION. no, a." she said Not with my ears,
but | do with my soul"
She puts her hands on the piano and gets
an idea or harmony and melody. Quite
recently her little pet dog was killed. She
was offered pay for it, bat declined. and. in
stead, got the money and devoted il to the
education Of little blind boy in PIttsburg.
One OF her best cherished recullections Of
New York is talk she had With Mark
Twain.
He made me laugh" she said, It'll
cried. think he has the most appropriate
nom de plume i'll the world, don't you think
( SOP
SHE TURNED QUEsTIONER.
She wanted TO know in what department
| of the paper TIE Times man was working.
"Oh, Just now, am in the woman's de-
partnent," said The Times.
We'll, you won't succeed" said the
| little girl, because a man VIII never be
| able to do a womans work"
Then she sailed in 10 ask questions about
! the Nreporter's familiarity with her pet
women's literature, when Miss Sullivan
| interviewed to say that she was being inter
| viewed and was not the interviewer
! Il don't care" she said, its my turn
now and l want my answers. Turn about
is fair play"
! The fact IS, ,sheha dthe man who wa doing
| wonlan's work in a corner, out of which he
got as best he could.
The exhibition OF this art was stranger
/ than fiction. Helen Keller has been study
/ ing he art only yninemOnthsa and dCanCOnverse
| as 1uently as desirable. Her parents are
/ well off. but il VIII take more than money
/ to give value To the miracle performed by
1 Miss Sullivan. who is herself a charming
/ woman, refined cultivated and insep-
! arabic from her interesting charge.