The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08

Florence January 7.-(Special.)-Helen Keller. the famous blind and deaf girl, whose achievements are the wonder of the civilized world, is at the home or her mother in this city, where she came for a complete rest of several months. In a pretty cottage, surrounded by blue grass lawn and handsome oak trees, fin sight of the State Normal college, she will renew the home ties which were ln- terrupted fifteen years ago when she commenced acquiring, under the guidance of Miss Sullivan, the wonderful amount of knowledge she possesses.
 Miss Keller arrived the week before Christmas, accompanied by Miss Vllla Curren, to spend the first Christmas in twelve years with her mother. her sister Mildred and her little brother Philips. Florence was very gay during the hoii- days. and for the first time she ex- rhauged the habits of a student and hard worker for those of a society butterfly. I'D to this time she had never danced except with girls at school, and great was her delight when. the night atfer Christmas, she attended her first real hall and danced like the other girls. Miss Keller is a graceful dancer, and as she o,ided around the room, keeping perlecI lime to the music, it was hard to realize .bat to her all was darkness and silence ard that her movements were not in- snred by the strains of the orchestra.
 She was especially interested Tn the german given by the 'Rosebuds' the set to which her young sister belongs, and
 +I.o 1a31Si 1 favors.
 Dr;ss Keller like so many famous per .ons has A pronounced antipathy to newspaper reporters. TT they ever re- reat what you tell them," she said, but tb,s they seem unable to do.' With many humorous little expressions she re- neated an experience she had last summer with A reporter, while she was at her home in Rentham, Mass. She received n telegram from a friend In Boston stat .rr that a reporter for certain New yorl, paper was en route to hentham to Interview her. Before he arrived she and Mice Sullivan went into hiding at the home of a neighbor, where they stayed two days until the unwelcome visitor had anpe Meanwhile he was told whenever be called at her home that she was away. and when he took train Tor New Work Miss Keller cOngc3tuldtsu HtfSeiA tbat the privacy of her home, something dear to the hearts of even the great ,,aon1e of the earth had been preserved. Imagine her surprise wben, a few days 1afer. there appeared in one Of the New work dailies a whole page devoted to sunposed interview with herself, accom- nonied by photographs of her house, her horse and her entire household in a boat. Rut what amused her most was the pie ture of her horse. In real life the ami mal's tail was bobbed off short English fashion. while the enterprising reporter rave him cordal aDpendage which swept the ground.
 Another story which caused her much annoyance was published in Europe as well as America. This modern Munchau- sen represented Miss Keller as an artist and an expert bicycle rider, two things absolutely impossible to the blind Such stories may pass muster in the United States, where, as Barnum says, the peo- pIe like to be humbugged. but Europeans iare not nearly so credulous and Miss Kellar felt like she had been put in an unenyiabe position. The Queen of Sweden ,read the article and commissioned sub feet who is the principal of a school, for fhe blind to call on Miss Keller.
 But while she shuns the ubiquitous newspaper reporter. Miss Keller is al- uavs accessible to her friends and noth- ing gives her more pleasure than to meet those whom she knew in her early days ,Tser marvellous memory Is frequently demonstrated by remarks she makes