If You Give Me Three Days of Light: The Best Collection of Helen Keller

Chapter 18 The Second Half of My Life (Continued) (3)
The road really got narrower and narrower, and then I almost had to walk sideways.I began to worry about getting lost, but Mr. Mark Twain comforted me and said: "Don't worry, this wilderness cannot be found on the map. In other words, we have entered the chaos before the formation of the earth. I I swear the road is on the side we can see." He was right, the road was not far from us, but the problem was that there was a brook running between us and it was quite deep.

"How can we cross the creek?" Just when we were at our wit's end, the figures of Mr. Macy and the coachman appeared.

"Wait a moment, we'll pick you up." Mr. Macy and the coachman immediately tore down a nearby fence and built a
With a temporary bridge, we were able to cross the creek smoothly.

In the future, I have never experienced such a pleasant walk again.I was apprehensive for a moment about our adventure, and then thought it would be fun to get lost if Mr. Mark Twain was around.This walk has become a precious memory in my life.

We stayed at Mr. Mark Twain's for a few days.On the night before leaving, Mr. Mark Twain recited his "Eve's Diary" for us.I stretched out my hand to lightly touch his lips, and I could clearly feel his tone, which was as sweet and moving as music, and everyone was fascinated by it.When he read the scene where Eve died and Adam stood in front of the tomb, everyone shed tears.

The happy time always flies so fast, we have to get ready to go home.Mr. Mark Twain stood on the balcony and watched our carriage go away, until we had gone a long way, and he could still see him waving to us non-stop.We on the carriage looked back frequently, looking at the gradually shrinking white building until it turned into a purple dot in the twilight.

Everyone in the car thought in unison, "When will I see him again?".Unexpectedly, this was our last meeting.

After Mr. Mark Twain died, we visited the house again, but it was different.The living room with the big fireplace was deserted and messy, and only a pot of geraniums beside the stairs bloomed alone, as if nostalgic for the unforgettable years in the past.

my favorite dr bell
Generally speaking, when Dr. Bell is mentioned, everyone thinks either of the inventor of the telephone or of a great philanthropist dedicated to the education of the deaf.But for me personally, he is just a dear friend.Truly, Dr. Bell is my longest and most affectionate friend.

The reason why I like Dr. Bell so much may be that in my life, he appeared earlier than Mr. Sullivan.At that time, I was still living in darkness, but he extended a warm and friendly hand to me.It was because of Dr. Bell's help that Mr. Ananos introduced Mr. Sullivan to me, because Dr. Bell admired Mr. Sullivan's teaching method very much from the beginning. He once expressed admiration to Mr. Sullivan. : "Your way of educating Helen, I think it can be used as the most valuable reference material for all educators."

Dr. Bell's enthusiasm for deaf education can be said to be well known, and his enthusiasm has a family history!It turned out that Dr. Bell's grandfather was the founder of the stuttering correction method, and his father, Mr. Mel Bell, invented the lip-reading method for deaf-mute education.

Mr. Mel Bell is quite humorous. He is never complacent because of his contribution to the deaf-mute. Instead, he said to his son lightly: "This invention does not make money at all."

Dr. Bell replied solemnly: "But this invention is more important than the invention of the telephone." He is a very filial son, and the deep affection between father and son is admired by everyone who knows.Whenever Dr. Bell didn't see his father for a day or two, he would say, "I've got to see my dad, because every conversation with him is rewarding."

Dr. Bell's house on the banks of the mouth of the Potomac River is elegant and handsome, and the view is very beautiful.I once saw their father and son sitting side by side by the river, smoking a cigarette while watching the boats coming and going, looking very comfortable.When rare bird calls were heard occasionally, Dr. Bell asked: "Father, what symbol should be used to represent this kind of bird call?" So the father and son began selfless research on acoustics.The father and son analyze any sound and convert it into sign language.Perhaps because they specialize in sound, the pronunciation of both father and son is very clear and moving, and listening to their conversations can be said to be a great enjoyment.

Dr. Bell is also very filial to his mother.When I met him, his mother was already severely deaf, nearly deaf.One day, Dr. Bell took Teacher Sullivan and I to the countryside to play. We picked many beautiful wild flowers.On the way home, Dr. Bell suddenly thought of giving wild flowers to his mother.He playfully said to us: "We just rushed in through the gate and surprised my parents."

Although he said so, when we got out of the car and were about to climb the steps of the gate, Dr. Bell suddenly grabbed my hand and said: "My parents seem to be sleeping, please be quiet and go in gently." .”

So, all three of us tiptoed, went in quietly, put the flowers in the vase, and then walked out again.At that time, I was very impressed by his parents' peaceful sleeping demeanor.On the two side-by-side easy chairs, Dr. Bell's mother leaned on the armrest of the chair, so she couldn't see her face, only a head of silver-white hair, while his father leaned his head on the back of the chair with a solemn expression, Like a king.

I am very fortunate to have known such a family.I often visit them.Dr. Bell's mother likes to weave, and she is especially good at weaving flower and grass patterns. She will hold my hand and teach me kindly and patiently.Dr. Bell has two daughters about my age.Every time I go to his house, they regard me as their own family.

Because Dr. Bell is an outstanding scientist, many well-known scientists are often his guests. If I happen to be there, Dr. Bell will write their conversations on my hand one by one.Dr. Bell thought: "There is no difficulty in the world, as long as you study hard, you will be able to understand." I listen attentively and never get tired of it, no matter whether I really understand it or not.

Dr. Bell was also an orator.As long as he enters the room, he is guaranteed to attract everyone's attention soon, and everyone is willing to listen to him, which is what makes him different from ordinary people.Even so, he will not impose his subjective consciousness on others because of this. On the contrary, he is very open-minded, and he often politely says to different opinions: "Really? Maybe your idea is right. I want to discuss it again." Think about it.” However, he also insisted on one thing, that is, in terms of deaf-mute education, he insisted that dictation is better than sign language. It is difficult for them to reach the level of knowledge of ordinary people because of the strange eyes of ordinary people.

Some people may disagree with this opinion, but I believe that everyone who is engaged in deaf-mute education will certainly admire Dr. Bell's great contribution to deaf-mute education.He does not have any ambitions, let alone expect any rewards. He only vigorously promotes the cause of deaf education with a scientific attitude.He has engaged in various studies at his own expense and has also founded schools, such as the British Association for the Advancement of Education for the Deaf.He got a lot of money for inventing the telephone, but he gave it away as a scholarship for the deaf.In order to make the deaf-mute children speak like normal people, Dr. Bell did his best.

Dr. Bell was originally from a remote part of Scotland, but he had immigrated to the United States for a long time, so he could be regarded as a real American.He is warm and cheerful, kind-hearted, and friendly, so he is deeply loved by his friends.In daily small talk, the doctor often turns the topic to science-related aspects.Dr. Bell once told us that he had dreamed of laying submarine cables from a very young age, but that his dream did not come true until 1866, and that his failures before that were simply too numerous to count.I was only 12 years old at the time, so I felt his words were like fairy tales, and I was fascinated by them.Especially when I heard him say that people will be able to connect thousands of mouths to the east through deep-sea cables, I was very impressed.

Dr. Bell, who took me to the house where the telephone was first put to everyday use, told me: "Perhaps the invention of the telephone would not have been so complete as it is now, had it not been for the help of Thomas Watson, his assistant. "

On March 1876, 3, Dr. Bell said to Mr. Walson who was working in another room: "Walson, I have something to ask you to come here." This is the first time in human history to use the telephone.Walson, who suddenly heard this sentence, was shocked at the time.

After listening to Dr. Bell's description, I said: "It's the first call, I should have said something more meaningful!"

Dr. Bell immediately replied: "You're wrong! Helen, this world is bound to become more and more busy, and what you use the phone to send should be words of practical need like 'I have something to do, please come here'."

In addition to the telephone, Dr. Bell also invented many practical things such as walkie-talkies and induction balances.If there is no telephone probe invented by Dr. Bell, the murderer who murdered President Cavour may not be found yet!

In my memory, there are so many things about Dr. Bell that it is difficult to finish, especially the ones he left me are all the best memories.

I remember one time, we went to Pittsburgh to watch fireworks together. When the fireworks rushed into the sky, we were so happy that we laughed and shouted: "Wow! Look! The river is on fire!"

I can still vividly recall Dr. Bell and his daughters sitting on the deck of their yacht admiring the full moon.That night, Dr. Newcomb was living with us on the boat, and he talked to us about lunar eclipses, meteors, and comets with great interest.

Dr. Bell cared about me no less than my parents. He often said to me: "Helen, you are still young and have a long life ahead, so you should think about marriage. Teacher Sullivan will get married one day. At that time, Who will accompany you?"

And I always answer: "But I feel very happy now! Besides, who is willing to marry someone like me?" Even though I said this, I can feel that Dr. Bell is sincerely doing it for me. I worry about my future.When Mr. Sullivan married Mr. Macy, Dr. Bell mentioned this matter again: "Look, didn't I tell you a long time ago? But it's not too late, you should listen to me and establish a A family."

"I fully understand your kindness, but if a man marries a wife like me, isn't it too pitiful? And I can't do anything at all, it will only increase the burden on my husband."

"Maybe you can't do a lot of housework, but I'm sure there will be a kind-hearted boy who likes you. If he doesn't care about these things and wants to marry you, will you change your mind?"

As Dr. Bell said, I did have my heart set on getting married later on, but I will leave that aside for the time being.

The last time I saw Dr. Bell was in 1920, when he just returned from Scotland, he said to me: "Although it should be regarded as returning to my hometown, but I have a sense of loneliness in a foreign country in my heart."

Then he talked about airplanes, showed great interest, and expressed his desire to study aircraft manufacturing.According to his prediction, the era of airplanes as a means of transportation is coming. Airlines will be opened between New York and London within ten years, and small airports will appear on the roofs of large buildings, just like every household now. It's like having a garage.Dr. Bell also said that the air will be the main battlefield in the next world war, and the role of submarines at sea will be more important than that of cruisers.

Another of his predictions is: "Scholars will invent ways to cool the tropical air in the future, or let the hot air flow to the cold area, and then let the cold air from the South and North Pole flow to the tropical area to adjust the cold and heat, so that the earth will Everywhere in the world is suitable for human habitation.”

Every time I hear these optimistic scientific predictions, I always feel very excited, but I definitely did not expect them to be fulfilled so soon.Therefore, when I heard 6 years later that French scholars could use the ocean to regulate the climate, I was really surprised!
At that meeting, when I said goodbye to him, I felt particularly reluctant, as if I had a premonition that this would be the last meeting.Unfortunately my premonition came true!

On August 1922, 8, Dr. Bell passed away, and his body was buried on the top of Thunder Mountain-a place he chose himself.I remember one time, pointing to the top of the mountain, he said: "Helen, that is where I will rest." He said this very frankly, and then recited a poem by Browning.

meteor flying
When the electric man thundered,
Where the nebulae meet.

When I heard the news of Dr. Bell's passing, I went numb, and when I came to my senses, I realized that I had lost a lifelong friend forever, forever.

never fail
I can finally speak in front of people. Although my voice is not beautiful enough, compared to not being able to speak, being able to speak is of great help to the progress of my life.

When I was studying in college, I often thought like this: "I strive to obtain knowledge, and the purpose is to use it in the future and contribute a little to society. There will always be one or two things in this world that are suitable for me, and only I can do them. Yes. But what is it? I have to think about it.”

Interestingly, a friend thought about it for me. He said: "You don't have to force yourself to receive a college education. If you devote your energy to the education of children who have the same experience as you, your contribution to society will definitely be greater. Big, and that's exactly what God wants you to do. You don't have to worry about the cost, I'll raise it. What do you think?"

At the time I replied, "I understand what you mean. But I'm not thinking about it until I finish college."

Even so, this friend did not change his original intention and kept trying to persuade me, bombarding Teacher Sullivan and me from time to time.In the end we were so exhausted that we stopped arguing with him, and he mistakenly thought we were acquiescing to him.So early the next morning, before we had time to get up, the friend was already on his way to New York.He went to New York, Washington, etc., visited friends, and announced that I planned to devote myself to the cause of education for the blind, and intended to do it immediately.

Mrs. Hughton was greatly surprised by this news, and wrote to me at once, asking me to go to New York as soon as possible, so that I might explain the truth.So, my teacher and I had no choice but to rush to New York to visit those gentlemen who supported me.Mr. Lodge was unable to come due to occasional business, so Mr. Mark Twain represented him.Everyone discussed this matter for a long time, and finally Mr. Mark Twain said: "Mr. Lodge made it clear that he was not willing to invest a penny in this matter.

The gentleman said boldly that it was God's will to ask Helen to set up a school for those blind children, but I didn't see the order document issued by God!That gentleman has repeatedly emphasized that it is God's will. Does he have a commission from God?Otherwise, how would he know that only this matter is God's will, and other things are not?This kind of statement is too difficult for people to believe. "

Something like this happened more than once before I graduated from college.Some people even suggested that I play the leading role and travel to various places for performances; some people suggested that I should pay for all the blind people to be gathered in one city and then trained.I said to the person who proposed this plan: "Your plan does not make blind people truly independent, so I am sorry, I am not interested." After hearing my answer, the other party was very angry and accused me of being an egoist. Willing to do what is good for you.

Fortunately, Dr. Bell, Mr. Lodge, and several other gentlemen who were eager to help me were very open-minded and generous. They gave me the greatest freedom to do what I liked, but never interfered with me.Their actions moved me and gave me a lot of inspiration. I secretly made up my mind: as long as it is something that is truly beneficial to society and mankind, and I can do it, I will do my best!
The opportunity to truly contribute to the blind has finally come.That was when I was in my third year of college.

One day, a young man who called himself Charles Campbell approached me and told me that after his father graduated from the Perkins Institute for the Blind, he set up a Higher Music Teachers College in London to devote himself to the education of the blind in England, and he himself The purpose of this trip was to persuade me to join the "Boston Women's Business Federation" whose purpose is to promote the welfare of the blind.I soon joined the organization, and we went to Parliament together to petition for the establishment of a special committee to protect the rights of the blind.The petition was eventually successfully passed, and the special committee was quickly established.Therefore, my work started with the special committee and got off to a good start.

First, we, under Mr. Campbell's command, investigated all the work a blind man could do.To this end, we set up a laboratory to teach blind people to do side jobs such as handicrafts.In order to sell the handicraft products made by these blind people, we opened a specialty store in Boston.Later, several identical stores opened throughout Massachusetts.

(End of this chapter)