Page 385 - The Story of My Lif

Now Helen, in her letter of February, 1890 (quoted above), alludes to this story
of Miss Canby’s as a dream “WHICH I HAD A LONG TIME AGO WHEN I
WAS A VERY LITTLE CHILD.” Surely, a year and a half would appear “a long

time ago” to a little girl like Helen; we therefore have reason to believe that the
stories must have been read to her at least as early as the summer of 1888.

HELEN KELLER’S OWN STATEMENT

(The following entry made by Helen in her diary speaks for itself.)

‘1892. January 30. This morning I took a bath, and when teacher came upstairs
to comb my hair she told me some very sad news which made me unhappy all
day. Some one wrote to Mr. Anagnos that the story which I sent him as a
birthday gift, and which I wrote myself, was not my story at all, but that a lady
had written it a long time ago. The person said her story was called “Frost
Fairies.” I am sure I never heard it. It made us feel so bad to think that people
thought we had been untrue and wicked. My heart was full of tears, for I love the
beautiful truth with my whole heart and mind.

‘It troubles me greatly now. I do not know what I shall do. I never thought that
people could make such mistakes. I am perfectly sure I wrote the story myself.
Mr. Anagnos is much troubled. It grieves me to think that I have been the cause
of his unhappiness, but of course I did not mean to do it.

‘I thought about my story in the autumn, because teacher told me about the
autumn leaves while we walked in the woods at Fern Quarry. I thought fairies
must have painted them because they are so wonderful, and I thought, too, that
King Frost must have jars and vases containing precious treasures, because I