The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-02-08
HAS But ONE SENSE
By Touch Alone, Matte More
house Goes Through Life
AND YET SHE is HAPPY
She Makes Fine Lace and Can
Read the Bible.

yet she has learned to do almost as muc
| as the average person who is blessed wit
all the faculties. She is neither idle no
sad. She has a. Bible, which she read
every day. She has hymns, in the Brazil
system, copied for her by Mrs. Mccain
bridge, which she sings in her own heart
! She knitS lace of the most beautiful pat
tern. She makes her own clothes an,
makes them nicely. She crochets AM
knits stockings, when she can get orders
and tries to earn money for her simpl.
| needs. She nurses the founndling bab1
| at the almshouse with all mothers
tenderness. In her leisure moments she
| composes hymns, which she writes dow1
in Braie.
She is the cheeriest soul in the aims
house.
Blind Matte and were students at tn.
New York Institute Mrs. McCambridgt
wrote. There we learned to know ant
love each other. She was always Sc
cheerful, so full of life and energy, 50 in.
dependent and yet SO dependent. She had
not a friend. Her relatives thought hel
nuisance and Stunned her. She was
hungry Tor human companionship,f for just
little love
There is one unfortunate like Matte
Miss Keller, you know-who has made
herself famous, but she has had lavish
care and training Matte had none OF
these. am her only friend. Everything
she knows she has taught herself. She
has never had any chance
Mrs. McCambr1dge lives at 80 Austin
street, Newark She is young, quite good
looking and intelligent. Her father and
mother were deaf mutes. Her home is
as neat as constant care can make it, for
she is annexcellent housekeeper. In the
window are cacti of many varieties
They are like me- she explained.
''They try to express themselves and
take on queer shapes. but no one quite
understands them. They are queer
flowers. but not like other fowes''
THERE'S aJtypewriter in one corner of
the pretty parlor,, which Mrs. Mccain
bridge uses exbertly. She has also a ko-
dak and takes interest in amateur pho
Biography. She reads much and Is fond of
fancy work. She translates letters be-
tween the blind and their friends who
SSSAt So at NO1Doi d IcttcT, LOT she Is
ambitious and anxious to make money.
There are two other members of the
household, both dumb. They are Klon-
dixie, a big black cat, and Curly, the whit
est of boys.
Curly is her constant companion, she
has taught him the deaf and dumb signs.
When the door-beli rings Curly pulls at
her dress, because he understands that
she cannot hear
He has learned to watch her hands and
read her motions accurately. If she spells
to him that he can go out with her he
jumps around IN delight. If her hands
say you must stay at home" he lies
down crestfallen.
How did teach him." repeated Mrs
McCambridge, why, I don't know. He
just seemed to pick it up. Maybe it's ma
ture to him. But he does understand me-
There can be no doubt of that"
mo one knows what a comfort a
friend Is" Mrs. McCambridge explained
Because people that aren't like us have
so many they take love for granted But
We are shut out from love. There is so
much we want to say and we can't; so
much we want to do and we can't. We
feel-and that is all. When Matte gets
started talking to me you can't stop her.
She is just running over with the things
that she has had to keep shut up In her
own heart. I understand the loneliness
and know how TO sympathize That is
why we are such friends.
She taught me the Braile system of
raised letters for the blind. It is a kind
of shorthand. eince one or two dots often
mean a long word
81 took 1t up as an accomplishment and
because I knew could help Matte.
want to write the Old Testament in Braie
for her"
At the almshouse, a model OF neatness
and comfort. Blind Matte welcomed the
World reporter eagerly. It was a break
IN the monotony OF her life.
She has not always been IS she IS now.
II is a strange case she Is now thirty
three and since she was seven wears old
she has been IN this pidabie condition.
II know Just how everything looks
she declared with vehement gestures. II
remember so well. I think every day bow
beautiful the world Is, And recall the
SKY Ile IEe91, TIE uOWeISs the "a @sS %
those I used 70 love. Oh II Is a blessed
thing 70 have seen once. I used 20 20
cossting on my sled down hill. when the
ground was white with snow and there
wasn't any grass or leaves. can remsm-
Der that. too. It was such nan,
81 saw myself In the class IN those days
a little thing with pink cheeks ard blue
eyes. I know Just how I looked. Then
nv brother died was very fond OF him
One day I waut down in The cellar and I
thought saw him standing there before
ma He said,
6 'MattiA. where IS raUa~
Il was 50 frightened I stood stfll. and
al AZ once saw a bright white light Il
dszzIed me, aad I fell DOM Ike vas
dead waz-alrpost- for when awoke
was n a world Of darkness ard silence-
seemed. Oh. 50 sa- away from every hu-
Ezan creature And Il has BEEN DIRK ard
still a1wnvs ssnce.
AZ h-st was very lonely. Then / go
ssed 20 Il. a7d Mary cz-as - ne Pave
nsve- besr io-esv ssr-e Il Is - Eoo5
- have frseaa. IN so--y fe- par7ae
vsho ha~e7't oze. Do xs- tsrsG7 Wsy,
10, Tn atvzvs bcxy. b-1t Ike Tia. I
have 50 nAay pleasant things - do every