The age-herald., 1901-03-26
HELEN KELLAR.

From the Louisville Courier-Journal
 Every one has heard of Helen Kellar of Alabama, the remarkable deaf mute, who is also blind. She has, notwithstanding these deficiencies, shown such extraordi- nary mental powers that she has ac- qured a thorough education, embracing nearly every branch of human knowledge, and Is the master of many languages. For some time we have heard nothing of her. She Is now in Radcliffe, Cam bridge, England, studying for a degree But her intellectual qualities are not her only gifts. In gentleness, patience, cheer fitness and sympathy with the afflicted, as well as in her love for the beautiful in nature, she exhibits traits of character which seem to have been refined and in- tensified rather than dulled by her ex- clusion from the ordinary sources of en- joyment which others possess.
 These qualities have been strikingly H. lustrated by a recent incident. In Cal houn County, Mississippi, as recounted by correspondent of the New Orleans Picayune lived little Maud Scott, G. year-od child. who was taken to the State Deaf and Dumb Asylum for educa- ton. She also has been deaf, dumb and blind from infancy, but during her sev- eral months stay here has shown very great aptitude for receiving instruction. The superintendent of the asylum wrote to Helen Kellar of his bright little charge and she at once had her sympathies en- listed for the little Mississippi girl Her reply Is so tender and beautiful. so full of evident gratitude for the means of enjoyment through her own education, and of desire to contribute from her ex- perience to the happiness of another la boring under the same misfortunes that no one can read 1t without emotion. What rebuke 1t should be 10 those who pos sess all of Gods blessings and yet are discontented and ungrateful She says:
 ''I cannot express all that feel for her understand perfectly how utterly her sweet. loving child soul Is cut off from everything that is desirable in life; for although l was not as helpless as you say little Maud Is, my life. like hers, was sort of strange, dreamless sleep. But love will open her prison doors, as 1t did mine. I know well the pleasure she feels when she is out of doors, and I think if you take her to nature for her first object lessons she will learn more than if you try to teach her from books It was a long time before my teacher tried to give me regular instruction We simply lived out of doors, and learned the names of flowers and trees and anil mals. I got so I knew the cows and horses and calves quite intimately. Those were happy days for me, and I am quite sure Maud will find unspeakable Joy in Gods world-garden. Her exquisite little hands must be taught to take the place of her lost senses. Of course 1t is the first step that counts in education as in everything else; but when she discovers the secret of language all of her other lessons will be easy. Language Is the key to all knowledge. Not until I had discovered that everything had a name, every idea an expression. did really be- gin to live. When Maud grasps this wonderful idea the greatest of your prob lems will be solved and her education will go on smoothly and rapidly"