Saturday, February 23, 2013

Aunt Helen (Chapter 11)

Helen Stewart's arrival and the sound of her voice made Campbell weep for joy!

It was the sound of HOME and the Highlands of Scotland.

Wise, loving, kind Helen took in the situation at a glance - Jeanette - beautiful, young, and about to give birth. Helen knew what she had to do and set about doing it right away! She fixed a little space for herself on the glazed-in heated porch, then set about the rehabilitation of her brother, and the saving of his family! Helen went downtown the next day and bought a typewriter, a ream of paper, a sturdy cane, AND a radio!

Young 18 year-old Eric Hopf, who lived downstairs, helped her with this last purchase as he was working in the large Philco Radio Store downtown. The radio was the latest model in 1919. It had a huge "horn" speaker and two sets of earphones. Helen sat Campbell down at the dining room table and patiently taught him to type. In three months he was typing very well! The radio put him in touch with the world again as he loved sitting with the earphones on listening to the news of the world - the ravings of the latest Evangelist preacher, and the strange new popular music called JAZZ! He was typing his own letters now and corresponding with Uncle Edward in Scotland and Nan in London. Helen subscribed to the two major newspapers in Chicago, the Chicago Tribune and the Daily News, so that they were delivered every day to the front door and she and Jeanette read the news hot off the press to Campbell every day!

Helen painted the sturdy cane that she had purchased white to identify Campbell as blind. She took him out and about for walks and trips downtown to the Loop. She patiently taught him how to identify curbs and how to use the cane for maximum safety. They rode streetcars everywhere as Chicago had an excellent transportation system. His account had been established at the First National Bank downtown so he was welcomed there and visited often with the president of the bank along with Helen. Back at the flat, Helen also spent time with Jeanette, helping her to fix up the extra bedroom as a nursery.

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