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Tuscumbia, Ala. March 1st 1888.

My dear uncle Morrie, -- I am happy to write you a letter, I do love you, and I will hug and kiss you when I see you.

Mr. Anagnos is coming to see me Monday. I do love to run and hop and skip with Robert in bright warm sun. I do know little girl in Lexington Ky. her name is Katherine Hobson.

I am going to Boston in June with mother and teacher, I will have fun with little blind girls, and Mr. Hale will send me pretty story. I do read stories in my book about lions and tigers and bears.

Mildred will not go to Boston, she does cry. I love to play with little sister, she is weak and small baby. Eva is better.

Yates killed ants, ants stung Yates. Yates is digging in garden. Mr. Anagnos did see oranges, they look like golden apples.

Robert will come to see me Sunday when sun shines and I will have fun with him. My cousin Frank lives in Louisville. I will come to Memphis again to see Mr. Farris and Mrs. Graves and Mr. Mayo and Mr. Graves. Natalie is a good girl and does not cry, and she will be big and Mrs. Graves is making short dresses for her. Natalie has a little carriage. Mr. Mayo has been to Duck Hill and he brought sweet flowers home.

With much love and a kiss Helen A. Keller.

We spent a few days in Washington, where Prof. Alexander Graham Bell visited us. He was delighted to find that Helen could converse rapidly, and use language intelligently and correctly. He talked to her about animals, and sent her a toy elephant, which pleased her exceedingly. Concerning her visit to Washington she writes: --

Mr Bell. came to see us. He talked very fast with his fingers about lions and tigers and elephants. He was very kind to send me a fine elephant. The real elephant is a very large animal and his body is very heavy. He walks slowly and shakes the ground. He cannot run because he is too big. He has four very strong legs and a little tail. His ears are thin and his eyes are large and mild. The elephant is not fierce like the lion. He has a long funny nose and he can move it. Some times little children give him candy and he puts it into his mouth with his nose. It is not kind to laugh at a poor elephant because he has no hands. He has two long and very sharp teeth and they are called tusks. When wild animals hunt the elephant he is very angry and he strikes them with his tusks.

Helen describes her visit to the President as follows: --

We went to see Mr. Cleveland. He lives in a very large and beautiful white House, and there are lovely flowers and many trees and much fresh and green grass around. And broad smooth paths to walk on. Teacher told me about the beautiful river that is very near the gardens. The Potomac River is clear and it is very beautiful when the sun shines upon it. Mr. Cleveland was very glad to see me.

On our arrival in Boston (May 26) we went directly to the Perkins Institution. Helen very soon became acquainted with the friends, of whom she had talked so long, and with some of whom she had already entered into correspondence. On finding that almost every one whom she met understood her language, she was overjoyed. Up to this time, with a few exceptions, she had found no one able to converse with her, save her mother and myself. With the enlarged opportunities afforded by intercourse with so many different minds, she rapidly gained greater readiness in conversation. She eagerly sought the acquaintance of the blind children, and entered with delight into their occupations. The modelling in clay was a great pleasure to her; and, after a few lessons, she achieved a very good degree of success. The bead-work she learned very quickly; and, when she was able to use four needles, she was delighted with the thought that she could knit a pair of stockings for her father. She was greatly interested in examining the school apparatus, the uses of which she readily comprehended. The maps, type-writers, and physiological models were sources of great pleasure to her.

After she had been in Boston about six weeks, she visited Plymouth. On the way thither she was told the story of the pilgrims, and especially that part of it, which was connected with the place she was to visit. It was the first time that she had been taught anything of the past, -- her first lesson in history. Three months afterwards she embodied this lesson in the following letter . --

South Boston, Mass. October 1st, 1858.

My dear uncle Morrie, -- I think you will be very glad to receive letter from your dear little friend Helen. I am very happy to write to you because I think of you and love you. I read pretty stories in the book you sent me about Charles and his boat, and Arthur and his dream, and Rosa and the sheep.

I have been in a large boat. It was like a ship. Mother and teacher and Mrs. Hopkins and Mr. Anagnos and Mr. Rodocanachi and many other friends went to Plymouth to see many old things. I will tell you a little story about Plymouth. Many years ago there lived in England many good people, but the king and his friends were not kind and gentle and patient with good people, because the king did not like to have the people disobey him. People did not like to go to church with the king; but they did like to build very nice little churches for themselves.