A HUMAN VIBROSCOPE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 151, 20 March 1908, Page 11

A HUMAN VIBROSCOPE.

, A.siiipld littlo.woman in.a Massachusetts .:; village;'has; achieved: a conijuest which puts, the triumphs of scicnce, of art, of education - into.the',shade.' -.She has conquered hor ;own , '-destinyf:' ~ '.''-.j. lier ::naiTiQ ' is ' HelcMi. Kollcr.. ; bhe'-is :a . Bachelor :.of -Arts,' having , graduated"with ' honours';-a-lingu:st,' : aii eloquent speaker, and an authoress .of -no ■ mean, repute; a . thorough housekeeper,: .tco,... and r delightful . cmbDanion. .. ' "' ' ~ , Olie-finds it rather diflicitit to. realiso that 'Miss'K&ller has been,'blind 'and deaf from . herioarly iilfanc-y ( ; :and was; untipa few years; ~ aco,'dumb also'. ' • /■' ''; . Sho modestly speaks of some of her wonderful powers' in .the/', , Ccn-tury , 'Aiagazine.'' : ."itcis 'not' for mo to'; say!'whether wo '-8eo f ;.' best,.with.,the hand or tho'eye," sbo says.'.:' . "I only know,:that t-lio world 1. see'with uiy' Ingers ,is'alive, ruddy,- and satisfying." -,- Sho dots hot hear sound-waves. She feels.;-. ;hoin.' ; .' ; - ' m'y hand on a person's-lips'' .ind.;throat; I' gain .ah idea of many spccilic ' ■ vibratip'nsVan'dr.iuterprct' them..{ - "Th.e : l uttera!icra of animals, though word-: ; less, -aro eloquent to me —tho .cat's ni<-:w, .its, angry;:'.-]6i.ting,\ scolding spit;. tho- dog's, .' bow-wq^vof 1 Wirniug or. :i . iovbus welcome;. : its. yelp), of despair; ifcs : coiitentcd-snore; tho | cowfE'm'po.j'.a.nionlcey.-'s chatter;'tho snort of • a h6rse ; . tho lion's, roar; ' "Lhave felt all'these sounds. ;-Fr.pm my ; childhood to .the present day I have availetl - myself;, of - oreyy: opportunity■j cal -gardeas,-.'. menageries, and tho circus, - and all.-. animals, exccpt tho /tiger, hayo 1 talked .-into.; riiy•.-/hand. , . I, havo;.- touched, 'several lions in the flesh, and felt them roar royally;,like a cataract-over- rocks. •'!I know.tho 'plop'"of. liquid into a pitcher. So'if I spill ; my milk I-havo not .tho ckcuso of iEiiqrar.ee.; . ; ' "I am - ' also familiar with ;tho pop 'of| a ' oorlt,;;tho' splutter of a .flame, 'the. tick-tack, of ,the'-clcck, tho me/tallic. swing of thoVwindmill;'. th6 ; labbufod rise ind fall of tho pump) tho.voluminous, spurt of the hose, tho deeep-' , tivo tap/of 'tho breeze at door and. windoV/, tho crash;of thunder, and many other .vibra-.-' ' 'tions-pastrcomputing.. :'i , • ."Tho-boat of.-'a drum smites mo through my chest to tho shoulder-blades. Every atom-qf,;in t 7 ; body is.a vibr„oscope.' : "If;."musiqicould bo seen, : I could point whoro the organ notes go as they, rise and fall.y-.Orgah-music.lills.mo to an ecstasy with tlw act of feeling." ; , - Smell —- the - elusive ; "person-odour"—-stamps . po'oplo .who come near her in her memory. ■ -"Tho sense of smell has told mo of a coming storm hour 3 before there -was any sign of.it visible." . . . But,,touch •is hor,'great helpmato. -With, •her'touch she fools'the beauty of earth .and sky, of music and t of sculpture; und guided by her touch; 1 unaided'by eyes or ears, 1 sho sets about all tho work which comcs into a girl's daily life. ■ ■ ' - .'■