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Thus, for each one she had some cordial word of greeting.

"My favorite study is geography," she remarked, "because then I can learn all about the world and its different countries,"

Some one gave her a "Jack-in-the-pulpit," and inquired,

Does he preach ? "Oh, yes," she answered. "He preaches to all the other flowers, but he is not so large as dear Dr. Brooks" -- referring to Phillips Brooks, who is one of her stanch friends. "Yes, I love to play," she replied to a question from a little girl; "but I like best to study; and I love poetry. Who is your favorite poet? Mine is Holmes." Mr. Holmes is a personal friend of hers, and she also knows Mr. Whittier and has visited him. Helen's is a poetical nature, and with her strong imagination and quick mind her language is often beautiful and full of pretty metaphors and similes.

A purse was made up for Tommy, which delighted her very much.

In the afternoon we all gathered in the chapel, and heard from Miss Marrett something about the system of teaching in the asylum. In speaking of the library, she alluded to Dickens's works. Helen, reading the words by the medium of Miss Sullivan's fingers, bent forward eagerly and asked, "How does Dickens write?"

None of us could say, and after a few. moments' waiting she told us, her face aglow with fun, "All of er Twist!"

When Miss Marrett finished, Helen told Miss Sullivan, "I would like to speak to the young ladies." She was led to the desk, and spoke with self-possession somewhat like this:

"Dear friends of Andover, I want to thank you for my pleasant visit here, which I shall never forget; and my mother will be so very happy when she hears how kind you have been to me. Thank you, too, so much, for your kind gift to Tommy; he will be so glad. I think our kind Heavenly Father has given us a beautiful world, and his goodness is written all over the walls of nature. I hope, when you come to Boston, you will come to our school and see us there, and meet Tommy. We shall be very glad to see you. Good-by."

It was inexpressibly touching to see the little blind girl, to hear her simple words. She had never seen this "beautiful world," and yet found so much in it to love and to enjoy.

Though we had always thought of little Helen with the greatest pity, we shall ever remember her as one of the happiest and most blessed of children.