Oneday,whileIwasplayingwithmynewdoll,MissSullivanputmybigragdollintomylapalso,spelled“d-o-l-l”andtriedtomakemeunderstandthat“d-o-l-l”appliedtoboth.Earlierinthedaywehadhadatussleoverthewords“m-u-g”and“w-a-t-e-r.”Miss?Sullivanhadtriedtoimpressituponmethat“m-u-g”ismugandthat“w-a-t-e-r”iswater,butIpersistedinconfoundingthetwo.Indespairshehaddroppedthesubjectforthetime,onlytorenewitatthefirstopportunity.Ibecameimpatientatherrepeatedattemptsand,seizingthenewdoll,Idashedituponthefloor.IwaskeenlydelightedwhenIfeltthefragmentsofthebrokendollatmyfeet.Neithersorrownorregretfollowedmypassionateoutburst.Ihadnotlovedthedoll.Inthestill,darkworldinwhichIlivedtherewasnostrongsentimentortenderness.Ifeltmyteachersweepthefragmentstoonesideofthehearth,andIhadasenseofsatisfactionthatthecauseofmydiscomfortwasremoved.Shebroughtmemyhat,andIknewIwasgoingoutintothewarmsunshine.Thisthought,ifawordlesssensationmaybecalledathought,mademehopandskipwithpleasure.
Wewalkeddownthepathtothewell-house,attractedbythefragranceofthehoneysucklewithwhichitwascovered.Someonewasdrawingwaterandmyteacherplacedmyhandunderthespout.Asthecoolstreamgushedoveronehandshespelledintotheotherthewordwater,firstslowly,thenrapidly.Istoodstill,mywholeattentionfixeduponthemotionsofherfingers.SuddenlyIfeltamistyconsciousnessasofsomethingforgotten—athrillofreturningthought:andsomehowthemysteryoflanguagewasrevealed?tome.Iknewthenthat“w-a-t-e-r”meantthewonderfulcoolsomethingthatwasflowingovermyhand.Thatlivingwordawakenedmysoul,gaveitlight,hope,joy,setitfree!Therewerebarriersstill,itistrue,butbarriersthatcouldintimebesweptaway.