Page 146 - The Story of My Lif

Some bells are musical and others are unmusical. Some are very tiny and some

are very large. I saw a very large bell at Wellesley. It came from Japan. Bells are
used for many purposes.

They tell us when breakfast is ready, when to go to school, when it is time for

church, and when there is a fire. They tell people when to go to work, and when
to go home and rest. The engine-bell tells the passengers that they are coming to
a station, and it tells the people to keep out of the way. Sometimes very terrible
accidents happen, and many people are burned and drowned and injured. The
other day I broke my doll’s head off; but that was not a dreadful accident,
because dolls do not live and feel, like people. My little pigeons are well, and so
is my little bird. I would like to have some clay. Teacher says it is time for me to
study now. Goodbye.

With much love, and many kisses,

HELEN A. KELLER.

TO DR. EDWARD EVERETT HALE

Tuscumbia, Alabama, February 21st, 1889.

My dear Mr. Hale,

I am very much afraid that you are thinking in your mind that little Helen has
forgotten all about you and her dear cousins.

But I think you will be delighted to receive this letter because then you will
know that I of[ten] think about you and I love you dearly for you are my dear
cousin. I have been at home a great many weeks now. It made me feel very sad
to leave Boston and I missed all of my friends greatly, but of course I was glad to
get back to my lovely home once more. My darling little sister is growing very
fast. Sometimes she tries to spell very short words on her small [fingers] but she
is too young to remember hard words. When she is older I will teach her many
things if she is patient and obedient. My teacher says, if children learn to be
patient and gentle while they are little, that when they grow to be young ladies