Hitherto, the process had been mechanical, and the success about as great as teaching a very knowing dog a variety of tricks. The poor child had sat in mute amazement and patiently imitated everything her teacher did; but now the truth began to flash upon her; her intellect began to work; she perceived that here was a way by which she could herself make up a sign of anything that was in her own mind, and show it to another mind, and at once her countenance lighted up with a human expression; it was no longer a dog or parrot,--it was an immortal spirit, eagerly seizing upon a new link of union with other spirits!Finally she was educated in the meaning of the simplest abstract terms like right and
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became as celebrated as Franklin or Webster.
She was between seven and eight years old when he first discovered her near Hanover, N. H., and for five years and a half she had neither seen nor heard.
It is possible that she could remember the external world in a dim kind of way, and she must have learned to speak a few words before she lost her hearing.
Doctor Howe taught her the names of different objects by pasting them in raised letters on the objects about her, and he taught her to spell by means of separate blocks with the letters upon them.
She then was taught to read after the usual method of instructing the blind, and communicated with her fingers after the manner of deaf mutes.
Doctor Howe said in his report of the case:
1905. E. P. DUtton and Co. Boston,.
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