The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1857-03-25
My Deaf Aunt and tho Deaf Wife

| had an aunt coming to visit me for
the frs, time since my marriage. and l
don't know what evil genius prompted
the wckcdpess which I pcrpetrated TO-
ward my wife aud my ancient relative.
Ny dear. said 30 my wif4, on the
day before my aunt's arrival, you know
aunt Mary is coming tomorrow we'll |
forgot to mention a rather annoying cir
cum.innce with regard to her She's
very deaf aud alihoue eh she can hear
my voice. to which she is accustomed.
in its ordinary tones you will be obliged
to speak extremely loud in order to be
hea:d 1t will be rather inconvenient,
but l know you will do every thing in
your power to make her stay agreeable >
Mrs S annouced her determination
to make herself heard, if possible
I then went to John IT,, who loves a
joke about as well as any person l koow
Of. and told him to be at The house at
p NJ, on the following evening and left
comparatively happy.
| went to the rallrord depot with
carriage next night. and when l was on
my way hone with my aunt, said
My dear aunt, there is one ralhor
annoying iufrmity that Anna (my wifr)
has. which l forgot to mention. She's
very deaf, although she can hear my
voice, to which she is accustomed, in its
ordinary tones, yet you will be obliged
to speak extremely louu to be heard.
am very sorry for it,"
Aunt Mary, in the goodness of her
heart, protested that shc rather liked
speaking loud, and to DO so would afford
her great pleasure,
The carriage drove up on the steps
was my wife in the window was John
T.. with n face as utterly solemn as if he
had buried all his relatives that after.
noon
handed out my aunt, she assembled
the steps.
Kiss me my dear howled my aunt,
and the hall lamp clattered aud the win.
dows shook as with the fever and ague.
looked at the window John had dis.
appeared Human nature could stand it
no longer, poked my head into the car.
riage, and went into strong commissions
When | entered the parlor. my wife
was helping aunt Mary to take off her
hat and capei aud there sat John with
bis sober face
Suddenly, Did you have pleasant
journey ?" won't Of my wife like a pistol,
aud John nearly jumped to his feet
"Rather dusty" was the response, in
a war hoop, one SO the conversation con.
tinued. The ueighbors, for blocks a.
round mast have heard it When was
in the third story of the building l
heard every word.
In the course of the evening, my aunt
took occasion to say to me
How hard your wife speaks. Don't
it hurt her -
| told her all deaf persons talked loud
ly and that my wife being used to it, was
not affected by the exertious, aud that
aunt Mary was getting along very nicely
with her.
Presently, my wife said softly
"Alf, how very loudly your aunt
talks"
Yes, said I, "all deaf persons do
You're getting along with her finely;
sue hehrs every word you say.
And | rather think she did.
Eated at their success of being un.
der.tood, they went at it, hammer aud
tongs, ill everything on the mantle
piece clattered again, and l was serious
ly afraid of crowd ooleetions in front
of the house, But the end was near,
My aunt being of an Investigating
turn of mind, was desrous of finding out
whether tho exertion of talking so loud
was no. injurious to my wife, So
Doesn't talking so loud STRAIN your