New Britain herald., 1919-05-31

little souvenir and I still have quite number of pieces of shrapnel i'll my chest and legs which cause me no ILL tic annoyance at times.
 Tn September. 1917, an operation was necessary to remove some of the shrapnel from my chest and three weeks later another operation result ed in the removal of portions ot rloS and still more pieces of foreign mat ter.
 At Brighton where I was sent to one of St. Dunstan's annexes l soon found myself getting fit and it was during my convalescence that Sir Ar thur arranged for me to take lessons in elocution which ena bles me to earn my own livelihood.
 My work is most interesting and consists of speaking on the work of St. Dunstan's and the National Inst1- tute for the Blind. It will surprise you, l know, when I tell you that l1a addition to this I control and organ ize the lantern slide departnn ent which is the advertising medium of the N. I, B. and St. Dunstan's.
 Tn conclusion permit me to ex-
  given up the idea of ever doing any thing when I feel sure there is so much for you to do
 Yours sincerely.
 ALAN M. NICHOLS"
 Tn his dictated letter Nichols as- sured his American fellow cripple: "When you are fit and we'll and able to run about you will find there is rfi y,1~ Fo When I first became like ths" he continued, II could not sec anything that was likely to interest me on this earth. I was inclined to think I was the most unfortunate person on earth. In short I was often contem- plating method of quitting this life. At that time I never drea amed of the possibilities of a pair of artificial hands and I can assure you that I now surprise everybody, but the one I surprise most is myself.
 '1 can take off my hat carry walking stick and attache case and feed myself with spoon and fork. I have a specially made cigarette case similar in appearance to metal match box which fits in my waist coat pocket, I can take this from my pocket and help myself to a cigarette. I have not yet accomplished the feat of striking a match but this is over- come by having what we call on this side spills. strips of paper a, foot in length There are hundred and one little things I can do such as using my handkerchief and this includes taking it from my pocket"
 Encoura ging the American to write his own letters, Nichols said that he used an ordinary typewriter with a metal case over the keyboard having holes imm ediately above each key. The case resembles four steps and in the middle of each step is a rip ito let me know when l am central. At tached to my hand I have key or striker which resembles a small ham, mer. It takes me about half an hour for one sheet of fooscap double spacing but of course this will inn prove by practice
 "Nichols advised the naimed American to carry a soldier-like ap- pearance and to swing his arms, walk in the center of the sidewalk and avoid lanpposts but not to carry a cane. Swedish drill, swimming and dancing were advised for recreation. When playing dominoes," Nichols added, II use my nose to feel although this has the tendency to give one the appearance of chronic sufferer from indigestion or a slave to the bottle"
 Telling of his amusing experiences in travelling, Nichols wrote, "I take considerable satisfaction in the fact that I am able to deceive 99 per cent of the people I meet.
 II am wearing a pair of artificial hands which are quite useful,'' Nichols went on. ''They are made of alumi- mum and I can wear them all day without the least fatigue or discom- fort. They are of French manufac- ture and so made that however ten der the stunps may be it does not in- terfere with the wearer's comfort. The movement of the hands is ob- tained by shoulder movement. The hands in appearance are perfectly natural; in ia ct the public would not think there was anything the matter with me. I once addressed a meeting without any of the audience knowing I was wearing artificial hands"
 Nichols concluded by saying that depression had been a frequent visitor to him and that he found thinking of himself was dangerous