The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1868-05-08
gatcrestiae Story.
SAVED BY A MUTE ALPHABET.

could neither hear nor speak.
They were deaf and dumb; they
could not talk except with their fingers
-so-only ever so much quicker.
Frank and | learned this foreign al.
phaDet on purpose that we might un-
dcrstand what they said. They were
quick and clever, they could read and
write, aye, and draw and sew, and do
many other things which most of boys
would make but bad hand at.
lhey could play at draughts, and at
Backgammon and at chess, and at fox
; ana geese, as well us any boys. They
could almost see what was said, though
thcy could not hear, with such quick,
eager eyes did they watch every move.
meht OF our lips. We soon, however,
got to talk with our fingers rs well as
with our tongues, and sometimes, when
the lads were not with us, Frank and |
often talked in that manner, when we
were alone, for practice.
1t happened that on one occasion he
had to go to London on important bust
ness; he was to have gone by the after
noon train, but something delayed him
SO that he was not able to leave before
the night express. | was not in very
good health, and retired to my bedroom
ABOUT two hours before his departure
he promised, however, to come up and
give me goodbye before he started,
which would be between twelve and
one O'Clock in the morning. The mat.
ter which called him away was connect
ell with the bank here, which had been
burned down; and my husband, il
seems-though did not know it at the
time, so great secret had he endeav-
ored to keep it-had many thousand
pounds belonging to the concern in his
temporary possession, locked up in the
iron safe in our bedroom, where the
plate was kept. He WAS bank manager
and responsible for the whole of it. 1t
was cold weather, and there was Il fire
on the gr2te, so bright and comfortable
that l was in no hurry to leave it and
get into bed, but sat looking into the
fiery Goals, and thinking about all sorts
OF things; upon the long journey Frank
had to take that night, and how dreary
the days would be till he returned, and
in particular how lonely should feel
in that great room all by myself when
he should be away for | was dread.
iul coward. 1t was little after eleven
O'Clock when | retired; but did not
feel the least inclined to sleep even
then. | knew Frank would be coming
in presently to wish me goodbye, and
besides there seemed to be all sorts of
noises about the room which my foolish
ears used to hear when was alone at
night.
If little SCOT fell down the chimney,
ii was, thought, II great black crow,
at least, which would be soon flying all
around my room, and settling on my
pillow ifa mouse squealicd in the wall
it was the creaking of some dreadful
PERSONS shoes, coming up stairs to kill |
me with carving knife and if the |
wind blew the easements, ii was some
one trying to get in the room by the |
window, although it was two stories
high.
You may imagine then my horror
when | heard tremendous sncczc
within an inch of me just behind the /
hcadbOard of my bed, and between that .
and the wall, where there was consider |
able space. had, It's usual, taken the
precaution, before put the candle out,
of looking everywhere in the room |
where ii was quite impossible that any |
person could be hid but in the little .
alcovc into which the bed was pushed .
| had never thought of looking for .
anybody. Ever since | slept in that |
room, in short, had been like the os-
trich, that puts its head into the sand,
and then imagincs itself in perfect safe
ty.
had piQued myself upon precau-
tionary measures, that, after all, might
just as well have been omitted. The |
only thing, rs ! believe, which saved |
my reason from departing altogether,
was, that my mind clung to the hope
that, after all, it might only be the
sneezc of Il cat. Fifty cats together
could not have made half the disturb.
ance, it is true, for it was sneeZe in
spite of himself and the conclusion al
most shocked the house but the idoa
sustained me over the first shock.
The next instant, and the wretch had
sneezcd again, and pushed aside the
bed, which rolled on castors. | felt
that he was standing beside my pillow
looking at me. If he had given but the
one snocze he might perhaps have be-
lleved me, as / lay quite still, breathing
as regularly as | could, and pretending
to be asleep; but he reasoned very
justly, that unless ] was deaf or dead, |
must have been awakened by the sound.
"Hou are awake, marm," said he in
very gruT voice, "and its of no use
your shamming; if you don't want a
rap with this life preserver, just look
alive"
| opened my eyes exceedingly wide
ut this, and saw man with Grape over
his face, standing by the bed he had a
club, with two knobs on it, in his right |
hand, and with his left hand pointed to |
the safe.
"ls the money there ?"
"rhe plate is" said in II tremulous
voice; "pray take it, sir, Pm sure you
are very welcome;" for he might have |
taken everything valuable in the house |
with MI my heart, so long as he would !
leave me my life.
"The money--the gold-the notes
are they there?" he cried again in a
whisper.
"lt's all there" replied l, though !
knew nothing about it "all except If
teen and sixpence in my purse, on the
dressing table yonder. There's silver
r1 hasiIn1 Ia,