Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1868-09-05
SPEECH WITHOUT WORDS; OR,
How n Burglar was Caught.

learned the deaf and dumb alphabet.
There were two little boys who used to
come and stay with Frank and 1 when
we were married, and they could nei.
ther hear or speak. They were deaf
and dumb; they could not talk except
with their fngers-so- only ever SC
much quicker.
Frank and learned this foreign al
phabet on purpose that we might un.
derstand what they said. They were
quick and clever; they could read and
write and draw and sew and do many
other things which most boys would
make very bad hand at.
4 They could play at draughts and
backgammon, and chess and at fox and
geese, as well as any boys. They could
almost see what we said, although they
could not hear, with such quick, eager
eyes did they watch every movement Of
our lips. We soon, however, got tc
talk as easily with our fingers as with
our tongues; and sometimes, when the
lads were not with US, Frank and l U.S.
ed to converse in that manner when
we were alone, for practice. 1t hap
pened upon one occasion that he had tc
go to London on important business
he was to have gone by an afternoon
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, how
ever, to come up and wish me good-by
before he started, which would be be.
tween twelve and one O'Clock in the
morning. The matter which had called
him away was connected with the bank
here, which had just been burned down;
and my husband, it seems, although
did not know it at the time-so great q
secret had he endeavored to keep it
had many Thousand pounds belonging
to the concern in his temporary posses
sion locked up in the iron safe in ou1
bedroom, where the plate was kept -
He was bank manager and responsible
; for the whole of it. 1t was cold time
and there was a fire in the room, Sc
bright aud comfortable that l was in nc
hurry to leave it to get into bed, but
sat up looking into the fiery Goals ano
thinking about all sorts of things upor
the long journey Frank had to take thai
night aud of how dreary the days would
seem until he returned, and in particu
lar, how lonely 1 should feel in thai
great room all by myself when he should
be away-for was great coward. Il
was little time after eleven O'Clock
when got into bed, but l did not fee
the least inclined to sleep, even then
!. | knew that Frank would be coming VI
to wish ME good by, presently; ard be
sides, there seemed to be all sorts O.
noises about the room, which my foolisl
ears always used to hear when alone a
night time.
If little SCOT fell down the chimney
it was, thought, a great black crow a
least, which would soon be flying abou
the room, and sitting upon my pillow
if mouse squeaked in the wainscot, i
was the creaking of some dreadful per
sons shoes coming up stairs to kill MT
wRh carving knife and if the winc
blew the easement, it was some person
trying to get in at the window, although
it was two stories high.
You may imagine, then, my horror
when | heard a tremendous sneeze
, within an inch of me, just behind the
, head board of the bed, and between
that and the wall, where there was ;
considerable space. I had, as usual
! taken the precaution, before put the
. candle out, of looking everywhere in the
room where it was quite impossible any
person could be hid; but the little al
cove in which the bed was pushed
, had never SO much as thought of look
; ing into, although it was capital hid
= ing place for anybody Ever since
: slept in that room, in short, 1 had beer
like the ostrich, who puts his head il
the sand, and then imagines himsel
secure.
,, I had piqued myself upon precau
tionary measures that, after all, nigh
6 just as well have been omitted. Th,
only thing, believe, which saved m,
reason from departing altogether, wher
| heard that terrible sound, was tha
; my mind cluug to the hope that it was
: after all. the sneeze of a cat. Fifty
,. cats together could not make half sucl
: disturbance, it is true, for it was th'
. sneeze of man who sneezed in spit,
of himself, and it almost shook th'
house; but the idea sustained me owe
!, the first shock.
!, The next instant the wretch hat
:, sneezed again, and pushing aside th'
bed, which rolled on castors, / felt h
! was standing beside my pillow, looking
!. at me. If he had given only one sneez'
he might, perhaps, have believed nj
asleep, as l lay quite still, breathing al
regularly as | could, and pretending tt
be; but he reasoned very justly, tina
unless was deaf or dead, 1 must hav'
!. been awakened by the second.
,"You're awake, marm," said he in {
+ gruff voice, "and it's no use shamming
, If you don't want tap with this life
, preserver, just look aive.'
5 Iopened l my eyes exceedingly Wild
e at this, and beheld a man with crap
over his face, standing by the bedside
he had a club, with two knobs upon it
in his right hand, and with his left b.
pointed to the safe.