The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-03-21
ARMLEsS GIRL IS
WONDER-WORKER
Sews With Her Feet, Draws Pictures
With Them, Takes Photographs
and Makes Furniture.
BY DOROTHY DALE.


does one good To know Miss kittie
smith To talk with her is an inspir-
alton. To see how she has overcome
terrible physical affection makes
imagined troubles seem very silly. To
know what wonderful things this
young woman can do under a great
handicap makes one wonder at the
stupidity OF persons in normal condt
ton who fail to make use OF their
natural powers.
Kittie Smith has no arms. When
she was little girl living In Chicago
she fell upon red hot stove. and the
surgeons at the hospital cut of bo'n
her arms at the shoulders.
III you would know what this means,
try TO live an hour without use OF your
arms. To the 9year-old Kittie.
motherless and with father baby sister
and two little brothers 10 housekeep
for, IL was q terrible blow. The neigh
Dor women all said that the girl might
better have died than be so afflicted.
But Kittie has lived and she is pros
pering by her own efforts-she is now
a .self-supporting girl OF 20. and this
IS her story.
Her Remarkable Story.
Kittle has learned 10 use her feet
20 do the things that hands were In
tended 10 do. and almost weird are her
powers How completely she has
overcome her misfortune is best told
by herself She said
Il can't say | handle things. but
can say that I foot them.
Yes. | can sew. See those center
pieces which embroidered all myself.
Just a moment and | will show you
how quickly | can thread a needle.
and In a twinkling her needle was
threaded and the thread knotted The.
needle was threaded with her toes and
the knot made with her teeth.
NOW do you wish TO see my work
shop in the basement? We went there
and | saw pretty Kittie work at her
bench, which she built herself.
This Is my favorite pastlme." she
said. Il love 10 hammer and saw and
make things out OF wood. can saw a
board perfectly straight. and almost
as fast with my feet as any carpenter
could with his hands"
She picked up her saw with her
right foot. and. while steadyng II with
the toes OF her left foot. deity demon
strated how easily IL was done Var,-
JUS iOOiS were sNdlltltu ONNl TIC WI
bench, and several book racks which
Miss Smith had just finished were
lined up waiting for their coat OF var
nish, which she will also apply herself.
one OF her greatest desires is TO some
day own a complete set OF tools.
Teaches Crippled Boys.
Center tables, tabourets and book
shelves are listed among the various
articles OF furniture made by Miss
Smith. Besides doing this work her
self. which is her business, she Is
teaching some small crippled boys %
use a scroll saw.
Pen and ink sketchlng is another
accomplishment. She holds her pen
between the hrst and second toes OF
her right foot and can copy any picture
that may be given 10 her. A camera IL
numbered among her most treasured
possessions. and she has made many
fine pictures. She not alone manipu-
lates her camera but also does all her
developing and printing.
While showing her bool, OF photo
graphs. the telephone rang. Sitting
down In front OF the instrument kittia
calmly slipped her right foot out or
her shoe and lifting the receiver of
the hook with her toes proceeded to
answer the call.
mo one understands the old adage,
Where there's a will there's way,
better than L. said smiling Kittie. y
do not find tasks too hard TO under
take or too tedious TO finish. IAhave
never had a lesson in drawing or
stretching, and what can do is from
constant practice. When | write /
sharpen my pencil, opening and clos
ing my knife myself wash my
face, brush my teeth, take my bath,
and can comb my hair when II is not
too tangled. | also use scissors TO cut
ull paper, cloth or material with which
work. sweep and dust, mop and
scrub, and even blacken stoves
am often asked whether | enjoy life
AS am very busy do, of course"
Fund Is Raised for Her.
This wonderful young woman was
born In Chicago in 1882. Her parents
were very poor After her affliction
the Children's Home society OF Illinois
became interested In her case and
through the efforts OF DR.. Frank NJ.
Gregg OF that society n "Kittie Smith"
fund was raised for the purpose Of
educating the child. Thus she was
taught 10 sew with her feet. The girls
father died a few weeks after the
tragedy.
The next eight years OF her life were
spent in Poynette. Wis, where she at
tended high school, all expenses being
paid out OF the fund. Having gradu
ated, Miss Smith was of age and the
fund exhausted BY exhibiting her
work and selling her drawings and
needlework and other things she man.
aged 10 exc out an existence.
Kittie caused the foundation OF a
home and school for crippled children.
To At herself 10 act in an official ca
pacity in such institution she attended
the Taylor university at Upland, Ind
A comfortable cottage was rented
hnrn with only 5000 the schnnl WAS