Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1874-03-31
SelcttrN Storp.

And What Came of it.

Grandma Freeman was very, very
deaf. But The worst OF !, was she didn't
know il. but always insisted she was not
II tell yc." she would .luoal oui /: = away
that proved At onco that she wa deaf,
else she could never endure The sound OF
her owe voice, my hearn's jest rs good
a. ever twas. LIS all in the way !olk,
has y mum5lin' and chcwin' their word,
nowadays, that cant hear no,hiu'.
Course aiut deat-it never run in the
family. Ny father and mother both lived
10 be over eighty. and could hear as we'll
The day they died as can, and not one o.
Us thirteen children ever was tho lca,,csi
grain hard o hcarin' Ny mother was
Prigsns. and the PriGGinscs never was
deS( set, Father did have Que sister
Aunt Randy, we used TO call her-Niranda
S,e5Jius-Shc married Luke Ba,lericid
Tor his second wilc-his inst wife was she
that WAS Charity Miller; wal, Aun,
Randy was lec',e hard O heariu'. but II
all came o giItiu' cold ar,er the measles,
when shc was gal"
And grandma having cleared hei skhts
OF the sin aud disgrace Of being deaf.
would dig The cad oil her knitting needle
zealously into the sheath pinned On her
side. and 20 10 knitting again.
Il was not aften Ina. grandma wos
trusted 10 entertain company alone
either Mrs. Freeman the younger, or one
Of her two pretty daughters usually
assisted in the business. Bat 'andma
had rs strong latin in her gin OF edilying
as when she was fifty years Younger. and
never hesi,aled 10 Try it. OAe fine spring
afternoon, young Mr.. May, getting; sleepy
over his law studies. threw the books
aside aRd saunterod out 10 cal OF tie
freeman girls. Now itso happcred that
Mrs. Freeman was al the sewing circ e.
and the hired girl had gone home, sick,
so Lucy and Belinda had the kitchen
work TO do. Lncy was up TO her dimplcd
elbows in I batch of bread. and Belinda
was giving the dish cupboard thorough
ovelhauling and putting TO rights. SO
neither oil them heard the door bell.
Neither did grandma, though rho was
passing through the hall and saw i. ring
ing. 50 she was quick witled enough 10
open the door, aud found Mr.. May. all
smiles and bows, on the steps.
"Gcod afternoon. ma'am.n he said,
politely raising his hat, ARE the young
ladies at homc?"
Pretty well. thank yc,' squealed
grandma; Though my rheumatic bothers
me some. Walk right into the sittin'-
room,r for Mr.. May often called there. so
she knew him we'll by sight. and she felt
quite fattered by his polite salulation
Mr. May hesilated, but there were two
other fellows Just coming down the side
walk, and he dared not risk apOther
question and answer, so in he went.
Take this chair" and grandma was
surprisingly active in hauling up big
armchair ior him "now ain't That com
Coriable9 That cushions The best o hens
feathers, I've seen live geese feathers
not mite softer. | worked the cover
myself since was seventy year old, bu'
I've got sight handsomer ouc that |
worked when | was gal"
And down on her knees at The lower
bureau drawer pumped the old lady and
drew cut a once gay but now faded
sampler, whereon divers impossible birds
and flowers were wrought in worsted.
There" said she spreading it over his
knees; II did all that nfore was fifteen
Gals Amt nova days what they was
then"
its very pretty" said Mr.. May
thinking he must say something in praise
of it. 81 called TO see the young ladies.
Are they at hOme?'
Not but dreadful little Of it At home
mostly | did it at school. Such things
was taught al school in them timos, aud