Page 295 - The Story of My Lif

she could think of, she took it to her mother, who was sewing in the hall, and

read it to her. It was amusing to see her hold it before her eyes and spell the
sentences out on her fingers, just as I had done. Afterward she tried to read it to
Belle (the dog) and Mildred. Mrs. Keller and I watched the nursery comedy from
the door. Belle was sleepy, and Mildred inattentive. Helen looked very serious,
and, once or twice, when Mildred tried to take the letter, she put her hand away
impatiently. Finally Belle got up, shook herself, and was about to walk away,
when Helen caught her by the neck and forced her to lie down again. In the
meantime Mildred had got the letter and crept away with it. Helen felt on the
floor for it, but not finding it there, she evidently suspected Mildred; for she
made the little sound which is her “baby call.” Then she got up and stood very
still, as if listening with her feet for Mildred’s “thump, thump.” When she had
located the sound, she went quickly toward the little culprit and found her
chewing the precious letter! This was too much for Helen. She snatched the
letter and slapped the little hands soundly. Mrs. Keller took the baby in her arms,
and when we had succeeded in pacifying her, I asked Helen, “What did you do
to baby?” She looked troubled, and hesitated a moment before answering. Then

she said: “Wrong girl did eat letter. Helen did slap very wrong girl.” I told her
that Mildred was very small, and didn’t know that it was wrong to put the letter
in her mouth.

“I did tell baby, no, no, much (many) times,” was Helen’s reply.

I said, “Mildred doesn’t understand your fingers, and we must be very gentle
with her.”

She shook her head.

“Baby—not think. Helen will give baby pretty letter,” and with that she ran
upstairs and brought down a neatly folded sheet of braille, on which she had
written some words, and gave it to Mildred, saying, “Baby can eat all words.”