Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1852-12-31
THE DEAF POSITION.

die, a well known position on the North
Road, caught a cold through sleeping with
out his night-cap; deafness was, eventually,
the consequence; and, as it will presently
appear, young fortune hunter lost twenty
thousand pounds, and handsome wife,
through Joey Duddle's indiscretion, in omit
ting, on one fatal occasion, to wear his six
penny woollen night-cap.
joey did not discontinue driving, after his
misfortune; his eyes and his spurs were,
generally speaking, Of more utility in his
monotonous avocation, than his ears His
stage was, invariably, nine miles up the
road, or "shsrt fifteen" down towards
Gretna; and he had repeated his two rides
so often, that he could have gone over the
ground blindfold. People riding in chaises
are rarely given to talking with their pos
tiions; Joey knew by experience what were
the two or three important questions in
posting, and the usual times and places
when and where they were asked; and be
was always prepared with the proper an
swers. At those parts of the road where
objects of interest to strangers occurred,
Joey faced about on his saddle, and if he
perceived the eyes Of the passengers fixed
upon him, their lips in motion, and their
fingers pointing towards q gentleman's seat,
fertile valley, a beautiful stream, or fine
wood, be naturally enough presumed that
they were in the act Of inquiring what the
seat, the valley, the wood, or the stream
was called; and he replied according to the
fact. The noise of the wheels was . very
good excuse for such traing blunders as
joey occasionally made; and whenever he
found himself progressing towards dilem-
ma, he very dextrously contrived, by means
Of sly poke with his spur, to make his
hand horse evidently require the whole of
his attention. At the journeys end, when
the gentleman he had driven produced
purse, Joey, without looking at his lips,
knew that he was asking question to
which it was his duty to reply Thirteen
and sixpence," or "Two-and- twenty shil-
lings," according ss the Job had been, the
" short up" or the "long down." If any
more questions were asked, Joey suddenly
recollected something that demanded his
attention, begged pardon, pro-
missed to be back in moment, and diaap-
peared never to return. The natural ex-
preston Of his features indicated a remark
ably taciturn disposition; almost every one
with whom he came in contact, was deferred,
by his physiognomy, from asking him any
but necessary questions; and as he was
experienced enough to answer, OF cunning
enough to evade these, when he saw ft, but
few travellers ever discovered that Joey
Drddle was deaf So blind is man in some
cases, even to his bodily defects, that Joey,
Judging from his general success in giving
correct replies to the queries propounded to
him, almost doubted his own infrmity. and
never would admit that he was above one
point beyond "a little hard of hearing
On the first of June, in the year 1903,
about nine o'clock in the morning, chaise
and four was perceived approaching to-
wards the inn kept by Josy's master, at a
6rst-rate Gretna Green gallop. As it dash
I'd up to the door, the post-boys vociferated
he usual call for two pair of horses in a
1urry; but, unfortunately, the innkeeper
had only joey and his tits at home and as
he four horses which had brought the
;haise from the last posting house, had al
'eady done double job that day, the lads
would not drive them on through so heavy
stage as "the long downs"
Chow excessively provoking." exclaimed
,ne Of the passengers; 4 am certain that
,ur pursuers are not far behind u.s. The
dea of havinp the cup of bliss dashed from
ny very lips-of such beauty and afHuence
oeing snatched from me, for want Of Sc
:ond pair of paltry posters, drives me fran
tic.
ga Gretna Green affair, presume, SIR" |
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