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Will you please tell Harry to write me a very long letter soon? When you come to Tuscumbia to see me I hope my father will have many sweet apples and juicy peaches and fine pears and delicious grapes and large water melons.

I hope you think about me and love me because I am a good little child.

With much love and two kisses

From your little friend Helen A. Keller.

In September she made a very delightful visit in West Newton, of which she gives an account in a letter written to her mother.

So. Boston, Mass. Sept. 24th.

My dear Mother,

I think you will be very glad to know all about my visit to West Newton. Teacher and I had a lovely time with many kind friends. West Newton is not far from Boston and we went there in the steam cars very quickly.

Mrs. Freeman and Carrie and Ethel and Frank and Helen cane to station to meet us in a huge carriage. I was delighted to see my clear little friends and I hugged and kissed them. Then we rode for a long time to see all the beautiful things in West Newton. Many very handsome houses and large soft green lawns around them and trees and bright flowers and fountains. The horse's name was Prince and he was gentle and liked to trot very fast. When we went home we saw eight rabbits and two fat puppies, and a nice little white pony, and two wee kittens and a pretty curly dog named Don. Pony's name was Mollie and I had a nice ride on her back; I was not afraid, I hope my uncle will get me a clear little pony and a little cart very soon.

Clifton did not kiss me because he does not like to kiss little girls. He is shy. I am very glad that Frank and Clarence and Robbie and Eddie and Charles and George were not very shy. I played with many little girls and we had fun. I rode on Carrie's tricicle and picked flowers and ate fruit, and hopped and skipped and danced and went to ride. Many ladies and gentlemen came to see us. Lucy and Dora and Charles were born in China. I was born in America, and Mr. Anagnos was born in Greece. Mr. Drew says little girls in China cannot talk on their fingers but I think when I go to China I will teach them. Chinese nurse came to see me, her name was Asu. She showed mc a tiny atze that very rich ladies in China wear because their feet never grow large. Amah means a nurse. We came home in horse cars because it was Sunday and steam cars do not go often on Sunday. Conductors and engineers do get very tired and go home to rest. I saw little Willie Swan in the car and he gave me a juicy pear. He was six years old. What did I do when I was six years old? Will you please ask my father to come to train to meet teacher and me? I am very sorry that Eva and Bessie are sick. I hope I can have a nice party my birthday, and I do want Carrie and Ethel and Frank and Helen to come to Alabama to visit me. Will Mildred sleep with me when I come home.

With much love and thousand kisses.

From your dear little daughter.

Helen A. Keller.

Some time before I went to Tuscumbia Helen had experienced the danger of fire. While standing before an open grate one day, she reached forward so far that her apron caught afire, the flames running up to her head, scorching her hair so badly that it became necessary to have it shaved off. Fortunately her mother was at hand to catch and wrap her in a blanket, thus extinguishing the flames before any very serious harm had been done; but the lesson was well remembered, and when I first knew Helen she often told me, in pantomime, the details of the accident, and even now she always draws her garments very closely about her whenever she approaches an open fire-place. Thus Helen has made a very real acquaintance with two of the elements, fire and water, and has learned by actual experience something of the danger attending contact with each of them. Indeed, she has now no greater fear of either than is necessary to ensure personal safety.

Her intellectual progress during the year can be appreciated only by those who have seen her frequently. She has an insatiable thirst for knowledge, and great quickness of perception. She easily grasps any new idea; and with this mental alertness she combines a happy faculty of embodying her thoughts and impressions in language. She not only reads a great deal, but she is usually able to reproduce, in her own language, the principal points of the story or poem she has perused once or twice. The following selections will suffice to show that she not only possesses an intelligent appreciation of her subject, but that she also catches the spirit of the writer: --

Tuscumbia, Ala. March 31st.

Teacher told me a story about little blind boy. His name was Harry Lane. He lived in Boston with his mother and father and his wee sister Lottie and his brother Frank. Poor Harry could not see bright flowers or the birds or the grass for he was very blind. He could not go to the school for blind children because he was weak and small. When Frank went to school Harry stayed at home and rocked little sister. Harry's mother could not take him to walk in warm sun for she had many dresses to make for ladies. Frank learned many nice things in school. After school he played games with boys and girls and they went to Gardens and had fun. Frank saw beautiful flowers and trees and little fish in a pond, and birds hopping on the soft grass and he was very happy like the birds. Mr. Anagnos was very sorry for little Harry because he could not go to school and be happy like birds and Frank. And he said I will ask kind ladies and kind gentlemen to give me some money to build a school for small blind boys and girls like Harry Lane, then they will be happy children. Good people were glad to give Mr. Anagnos much money for they were sorry for little blind children. And carpenters were glad to build nice school for them. When school was all made Harry and nine other little boys and girls were very happy. They learn to make many pretty things in new school. And they play games with balls and marbles and hop and skip and jump and they are happy and good like birds and Frank. When Mr. Anagnos gets some more money many little boys and girls will have fun.