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.August 21, 1887.We had a beautiful time in Huntsville.Everybody there was delighted with Helen, and showered her with giftsand kisses.The first evening she learned the names of all the people in the hotel, about twenty, I think.Thenext morning we were astonished to find that she remembered all of them, and recognized every one she hadmet the night before.She taught the young people the alphabet, and several of them learned to talk with her.One of the girls taught her to dance the polka, and a little boy showed her his rabbits and spelled their namesfor her.She was delighted, and showed her pleasure by hugging and kissing the little fellow, whichembarrassed him very much.We had Helen's picture taken with a fuzzy, red-eyed little poodle, who got himself into my lady's good gracesby tricks and cunning devices known only to dogs with an instinct for getting what they want.She has talked incessantly since her return about what she did in Huntsville, and we notice a very decidedimprovement in her ability to use language.Curiously enough, a drive we took to the top of Monte Sano, abeautiful mountain not far from Huntsville, seems to have impressed her more than anything else, except thewonderful poodle.She remembers all that I told her about it, and in telling her mother REPEATED THEVERY WORDS AND PHRASES I HAD USED IN DESCRIBING IT TO HER.In conclusion she asked hermother if she should like to see "very high mountain and beautiful cloudcaps." I hadn't used this expression.Isaid, "The clouds touch the mountain softly, like beautiful flowers." You see, I had to use words and imageswith which she was familiar through the sense of touch.But it hardly seems possible that any mere wordsshould convey to one who has never seen a mountain the faintest idea of its grandeur; and I don't see how anyone is ever to know what impression she did receive, or the cause of her pleasure in what was told her about it.All that we do know certainly is that she has a good memory and imagination and the faculty of association.August 28, 1887.I do wish things would stop being born! "New puppies," "new calves" and "new babies" keep Helen's interestin the why and wherefore of things at white heat.The arrival of a new baby at Ivy Green the other day was theCHAPTER III.137occasion of a fresh outburst of questions about the origin of babies and live things in general."Where didLeila get new baby? How did doctor know where to find baby? Did Leila tell doctor to get very small newbaby? Where did doctor find Guy and Prince?" (puppies) "Why is Elizabeth Evelyn's sister?" etc., etc.Thesequestions were sometimes asked under circumstances which rendered them embarrassing, and I made up mymind that something must be done.If it was natural for Helen to ask such questions, it was my duty to answerthem.It's a great mistake, I think, to put children off with falsehoods and nonsense, when their growingpowers of observation and discrimination excite in them a desire to know about things.From the beginning, IHAVE MADE IT A PRACTICE TO ANSWER ALL HELEN'S QUESTIONS TO THE BEST OF MYABILITY IN A WAY INTELLIGIBLE TO HER, and at the same time truthfully."Why should I treat thesequestions differently?" I asked myself.I decided that there was no reason, except my deplorable ignorance ofthe great facts that underlie our physical existence.It was no doubt because of this ignorance that I rushed inwhere more experienced angels fear to tread.There isn't a living soul in this part of the world to whom I cango for advice in this, or indeed, in any other educational difficulty.The only thing for me to do in a perplexityis to go ahead, and learn by making mistakes.But in this case I don't think I made a mistake.I took Helen andmy Botany, "How Plants Grow," up in the tree, where we often go to read and study, and I told her in simplewords the story of plantlife.I reminded her of the corn, beans and watermelon-seed she had planted in thespring, and told her that the tall corn in the garden, and the beans and watermelon vines had grown from thoseseeds.I explained how the earth keeps the seeds warm and moist, until the little leaves are strong enough topush themselves out into the light and air where they can breathe and grow and bloom and make more seeds,from which other baby-plants shall grow.I drew an analogy between plant and animal-life, and told her thatseeds are eggs as truly as hens' eggs and birds' eggs--that the mother hen keeps her eggs warm and dry untilthe little chicks come out.I made her understand that all life comes from an egg.The mother bird lays hereggs in a nest and keeps them warm until the birdlings are hatched.The mother fish lays her eggs where sheknows they will be moist and safe, until it is time for the little fish to come out.I told her that she could callthe egg the cradle of life.Then I told her that other animals like the dog and cow, and human beings, do notlay their eggs, but nourish their young in their own bodies [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]