The Story of My Life
What is your opinion of Helen as a child?
Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Helen was an intelligent curious child. She loved to discover new things but was frustrated because of her inability to effectively communicate with others. People would make judgments about her and not bother to teach her what she should really know.
One day I happened to spill water on my apron, and I spread it out to dry before the fire which was flickering on the sitting-room hearth. The apron did not dry quickly enough to suit me, so I drew nearer and threw it right over the hot ashes. The fire leaped into life; the flames encircled me so that in a moment my clothes were blazing. I made a terrified noise that brought Viny, my old nurse, to the rescue. Throwing a blanket over me, she almost suffocated me, but she put out the fire. Except for my hands and hair I was not badly burned.