New-York tribune., 1898-01-16
SHE is DEAF, DUMB AND BLIND.
A TEN-YEAR-OLD GIRL WHO NEARLY EQUALS
THE SKILL OF HELEN KELLAR-
From The Galveston News.

THE SKILL OF HELEN KELLAR
From The Galveston News.
Mrs. w. w. Rice is a widow living at the little
village OF Wyatt in Ellis County, Tex. Her
youngest child is little Ruby, just past her tenth
birthday anniversary In the fall Of 1881, when
Ruby was a little tot two years old, that fear
full plague, cerebro-spinal meningitis with the
spotted fever accompaniment became epidemic
in the neighborhood Of the Rice family. Her
father two brothers and herself were stricken
down, the father and one of the sons soon dying
with it, Little Ruby fingered between LIE ana
death for five weeks, when she began slow
recovery. At the end Of three months she could
sit up, and from that time on she had to learn
anew to walk Just she had learned In her
babyhood Her Illness left her totally blind
and deaf. and she has never since been able to
articulate.
In spite Of her great misfortune, Ruby Is a
bright intelligent and pretty child. When THE
News" representatives called Ruby and another
little girl seated the floor before the
fire. eating pecans. Although unable to see or
hear she, by some means, seemed TO know hat
a stranger was in the house. and began at once
to find him. Having located 1.-The News man,
she grasped his hand in welcome, then reaching
out for her brother and sister drew their hands
to his indicating that they should shake hands
with the stranger
Some Of Ruby's performances are indeed re-
markable. While The News" man was present
her sister handed her a needle and spool OF
thread. The child put both the end OF the
thread and the eye Of the needle in her month.
and. taking them out again. quickly passed the
thread through the needles eye. She seemed
to locate the eye of the needle with her tongue.
As in the case with most blind persons. Ruby s
sense Of touch is remarkably acute. Her fingers
are soft and slender. with a peculiar velvety
feeling, and they serve for her eye as well as
fingers.
Her sense Of smell is very keen. Ruby seems
to be as fond OF dolls the average little girl,
and displays wonderful skill In cutting out and
making dresses. aprons. capes, ETC. for her
mimic babies She has habit Of inspecting the
trimming and style OF cut OF the dresses Of lady
visitors, and she shows great ingenuity in so
cutting and trimming her dolls wardrobe.
Her sewing is not confined to her fingers by
any means She is equally expert with the
sewing machine, and is very fond Of operating it.
Ruby's accomplishments do not stop at plain
sewing After cutting and sewing her dolls
clothes she also cuts and works the buttonhoes
and sews on the buttons. She is. for the most
part self-taught in these manipuations. She
keeps her clothes in her own trunk, and does
not allow amy else to nut anything In IT,
Not long ago her sister put some aprons in
Ruby's trunk but they were soon discovered by
the little miss and were Summarily cast upon
the floor Ruby, while affectionate and amiable
in disposition, is by no means devoid Of temper
Besides her doll, she has cat. OF which she
is quite fond and she also loves to play with
chickens Not long since she got up In the night
when all the rest Of the family were sound
asleep went to the fowhOuse where she found
4 hen that was desrous OF sitting. Ruby pro-
cured a box. in which she fixed up nest Of
straw and. gathering up all the eggs she could
find some three or four dozen, she set the hen
up in business. placing the box upon the sew
ing machine, where her mother found it next
morning.
She sometimes goes into the fowlhous"-al-
ways at highland catches chickens which she
puts into coop Next day, after amusing her
self with them while, she turns them out.
The chickens do not seem to be afraid OF her.
A. may be supposed. little Ruby is very much
humorcd and az far as possible she is allowed
10 do just as she pieases and amuse herself as
suits her best.