breakingdownofthisgreatbarrier--IheardthestorynhildKaata.

    In1890Mrs.Lamson,whohadbeenoneofLauraBridgmansteachers,andwhohadjustreturnedfromavisittoNorwayandSweden,cametoseeme,andtoldmenhildKaata,adeafandblindgirlinNorwaywhohadactuallybeentaughttospeak.Mrs.LamsonhadscarcelyfiellingmeaboutthisgirlssuccessbeforeIwasoheagerness.IresolvedthatI,too,wouldlearntospeak.Iwouldsatisfieduntilmyteachertookme,foradvidassistaoMissSarahFuller,principaloftheHoranSchool.

    Thislovely,sweet-naturedladyofferedtoteachmeherself,andwebegawenty-sixthofMarch,1890.

    MissFullersmethodwasthis:shepassedmyhandlightlyoverherfadletmefeelthepositioongueandlipswhenshemadeasound.Iwaseagertoimitateeverymotionandinanhourhadlearnedsixelementsofspeech:M,P,A,S,T,I.MissFullergavemeelevenlessonsinall.IshallneverfetthesurpriseanddelightIfeltwhenIutteredmyfirstectedsentence,"Itiswarm."True,theywerebrokenandstammeringsyllables;buttheywerehumanspeech.Mysoul,sciousofrength,cameoutofbondage,andwasreagthroughthosebrokensymbolsofspeechtoallknowledgeandallfaith.

    Nodeafchildwhohasearlytriedtospeakthewordswhichhehasneverheard--toeoutoftheprisonofsilence,wherenotoneoflove,nosongofbird,nostrainofmusiceverpiercesthestillness--fetthethrillofsurprise,thejoyofdiscoverywhichcameoverhimwheeredhisfirstword.OnlysueappreciatetheeagernesswithwhichItalkedtomytoys,tostorees,birdsanddumbanimals,orthedelightIfeltwhenatmycallMildredrantomeormydogsobeyedmyands.Itisanunspeakablebooobeabletospeakinwingedwordsthatn