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HELEN KELLER.

Some of Helen's compositions are not mere records of events, but sprightly narratives interwoven with reflections on various topics, which would not disgrace a much older writer. She is easily lifted from the world of facts and incidents into the realm of fancies and ideas. Her words and thoughts crowd so fast upon each other, that one may truly say that her forte is profusion and her foible prodigality. Her good things lie about in all directions so temptingly, like the diamonds in Sinbad's valley, that her visitor, in his hurry to fill his pockets and retire on the proceeds to Balsora, is apt to forget the larger aspects of that earth and sky which encompass her. But it is a teeming earth and a bracing sky.

Mr. Munsell was so charmed with Helen and her lively and winning ways that he decided to paint a portrait of her. He had several interviews with her, and made a careful study of the traits of her character. He has already advanced far enough in shaping and coloring his design to show that he has caught the spirit of the child, and that his picture promises to be an excellent likeness and a fine piece of artistic work.

Study of Music.

"L'oreille est le chemin du coeur."
Voltaire.

"The ear is the road to the heart," saith the famous philosopher and great thinker of France, and no one disputes the correctness of his statement. Students and scientific men agree about it, and acknowledge its truth with perfect unanimity. They all admit that of the five organs of sense hearing forms the broadest and most direct avenue to the human feelings and sentiments. It is the sole vehicle which transmits to the brain both the sounds and the results of their combination and sweet accord. It is through it alone that one can obtain an idea of melody, and understand the modulations which depend upon the succession of acute and grave tones.

In view of these facts, the question arises whether persons who are totally deaf can have any conception of rhythm and musical harmony, or any intelligence of the rate of movement, -- that is to say, time.

It is natural to surmise that the ruin of the mechanism of the ear necessarily involves the entire extinction and obliteration of all such effects and properties as are cognate to its nature and peculiar to its functions. Yet Helen's case does not bear out this supposition. On the contrary, it shows that the chasm caused by the destruction of the sense of hearing may be crossed by means of the chain of sensibility. True, this medium is at its fullest development very imperfect and inadequate as a substitute; nevertheless, it serves a high purpose.

Music has a powerful and inspiring influence upon Helen. The impressions of its strains, which she receives through the vibrations of the floor when any one plays on the pianoforte, the organ or the brass instruments, act with a magic force upon her brain. She seeks them with great delight, and they enliven her and transport her into a state of enchantment. So sensitive is her fine organism to the effects of music!

Last winter she was present at one of the concerts given in our hall by Mr. George J. Parker. At the end of the performance she greeted the distinguished vocalist most cordially, and requested him to sing for her. He readily consented to gratify her wishes, and proceeded to do so as soon as the audience had left the room. Helen stood close by him; and while with one of her hands she followed the movements of his lips and with the other those of his throat, she placed her face against his chest to watch its vibrations. The picture which the dear child presented in her eager effort to catch the tones and variations of his song was the most touching and pathetic I have ever seen. She looked as if she were hanging on his mouth, striving to get hold of the strings of the modulations of his voice and draw it out. At last she seemed to have grasped the essence of the melody, and when Mr. Parker had finished singing she said, "I can vibrate, too," and actually repeated one of the notes accurately.

Long before this occurrence, however, I had become thoroughly convinced that it was quite possible to teach Helen the elements of music. Wishing to obtain all the light that could be had from her study of this art, I arranged with one of our teachers, Miss M. E. Riley, to give her lessons on the pianoforte, and charged her not to deviate in the case of this deaf child from any of the rules and methods which she pursues in the instruction of her hearing pupils. Miss Riley's work with her little scholar began on the 18th of March, 1891, and continued for nearly two months and a half. The child entered upon her new undertaking with her wonted zest and with perfect confidence of success. Her progress in this unexplored and most difficult field for a person bereft of the sense of hearing was amazingly rapid, and it was faithfully recorded by her teacher in the following notes: --

MARCH 18, 1891. -- Helen took her first piano lesson. During the half hour she learned to tell the location of the white keys and to find them correctly. She also learned the proper position of the hands, which she acquired with facility.