This portrait of Helen Keller was taken around 1887, about the time Anne Sullivan came into Helen's life. Click here to visit the American Federation for the Blind Web site to see more photographs of this remarkable woman.

Each summer when I was in high school, Helen Keller came to a large white house on Main Street in Wrentham, Mass., the town where we lived. She must have been in her early to mid-30s.

Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan would travel on a lecture tour all winter -- mostly to colleges -- and would make a lot of money. In early summer they would return to Wrentham.

In 1914 I was hired as Miss Keller's companion and personal maid. I was paid three dollars a week. I arrived early every morning and made her breakfast. After breakfast I cleaned her room and study. The rooms were very sparsely furnished. No one else cleaned Miss Keller's room, and the other maids weren't allowed in. I had to put everything back exactly where I had found it, so Miss Keller could find the items again.

I don't remember what she had for lunch, but it was always the same and not enough to keep a bird alive. She ate lunch alone.

In the afternoon, Miss Keller walked with Professor White, who gave her voice lessons, or she walked in the garden. We could hear them as they did their exercises, "Ahhh, eee, ohhh ... ," and so forth.

She could go outside alone. She knew her way, but she always said she could go faster if "Miss Dimples" -- that's what she called me -- went with her. Miss Keller would pick lettuce and tend the long-stemmed roses in the yard.

All the others in the house were known as "them." Professor White, Miss Sullivan, Mrs. Tyson (Helen Keller's married sister) and Mrs. Tyson's little daughter stayed there all summer. Miss Keller had dinner with "them" every night.

There were always visitors; Miss Keller entertained a lot during the summer, and Miss Sullivan served as the hostess. They ran up large bills at the local butcher shop and at Thomas' market.

By the end of the summer, the money from the lectures would run out and the servants would be let go one by one. I was the first to go both summers that I worked for them.

Mrs. Tyson would go back to Alabama, and by October the house would be closed, and Miss Keller and Miss Sullivan would go back on the road on their lecture tour.

In 1915, I graduated from Wrentham High School. Several girls in the class received bouquets from the florist in Franklin, but I knew my family couldn't afford that, so I didn't expect one.

Then, on the day of my graduation, Miss Keller's car pulled up in the front yard. The chauffeur had a gift from Miss Keller. It was a book of Shakespeare, signed by Miss Keller, in which she had written a verse for me. On top of the book were six long-stemmed roses that Miss Keller had picked. She was always so thoughtful.

At the end of the summer in 1915, I got a full-time job in Boston. I never worked for Miss Keller again.

To many people, Helen Keller was a heroine. To me she would always be that and more. She was one of the nicest people I have ever met.