Nebraska advertiser., 1874-02-05
M DEAF WIFE AND AUNT.

mad sn aunt coming to visit NE
for the first time since my marriage,
and | don't know what evil genius
prompted the wickedness which /
perpetrated toward my wife and all
cieut relation.
my dear wife," said TO my wife
on the day before my aunt's arrival.
"you knew aunt Mary il coming to-
morrw; well, forgot to mention u
rather annoying circumstance with
regard TO her. She is very deaf; and
although she can hear my voice, yet
you will be obliged 70 speak extreme
loud In order to lie heard. II will he
rather inconvenient, but / know you
will do everything in your power TO
make her agreeable
Mrs announced her determi-
nation to make herself heard, IL in her
power.
then went to John N, who loves
ske about ne well al any person I
know of, and told him to he i'm the
house at about 9 p. u. on the follow
Ing evening, and felt comparatively
happy.
went to the railroad depot with a
carriage the next evening, and when
/ was on my way home with my
aunt. said:
MY dear aunt. there IL one annoy
ing infirmity which Anna (my wif-)
has, which I forgot To mention be-
fore. She 10 very deaf, aud although
she can hear my voice. to which she
Is accustomed. In its ordinary tones.
yet you will be obliged to speak ex-
tremely loud in order 10 be heard.
am sorry for it.
Aunt Mary, i'm the goodness Of her
heart, protested that she liked speak
ing loud, and to do SO would afford
her great pleasure.
The carriage drove UPON the steps
was my wife-in the window was
John n with face as utterly solemn
as II ne had buried all his relatives
that afternoon.
ed my wife. and q policeman on the
opposite sidewalk started. aud my
aunt nearly fell down the sttps.
Kiss me. my dear" ba~leh my
aunt; and the windows shook a. with
fever and ague looked at the win
dow, John disappeared. Human na
ture could stand it no longer / poked
my head into the carriage and went
tutp
When I went into the parloS my
wife was helping aunt Mary To take
off her things. and there sat john.
with his face buried In his handksr-
chief.
Suddenly" Did you have q pleas
ant journey? 2" went of my wife like
. pi.tol, and John nearly jumped TO
his feet.
Rather dusty" was the response
in war whoOp. aud the conversation
continued.
The neighbors for blocks around
must have heard it; when was In
the third story Of the building heard
every word Of it.
In the course Of the evening my
aunt took occasion To say to me:
How loud your wife talks"
told her deaf persons talked loud
iy. and my wife, being used to me.
WAS not affected by the exertion. and
that she was getting along nicely
with her.
Presently my wife said to me. very
softly:
Alfred. how very loud your aunt
talk! ="
Yes" said /. i" all deaf people do. |
You sre doing nicely with her; she |
hears every word you say" And ] |
rather think she did.
Flated at their success. they went 1
at IL hammer and tOngs. until every
thing on the mantel piece clattered |
again, and was seriously afraid OF q
crowd collecting in front of the house.
But the end was near. My aunt.
being of an investigating turn ofmind.
was desirous Of finding out whether
the exartion of talking was injurious
TO my wife. So
"Doesn't talking 40 loud strain
your lungs ?" said she. In an unesrth-
iv vhoop. for her voice was not ~
musical as it was when she was
young. :,
1T is "a exertion," shrieked my
wife. ,
"Then. Why do you do it?" was
The answering seFesm.
9. Because-beesuss can't hear
II don't
I. What 90 said amt. rivaling rail-
mad whistle at the time.
Thought it tiu.e tn svaauste the
,remises: and. looking sroand sna
Iohn gone. I stepped into the hsfk
,.,Io, and there he lay fiat on h's
,sck with his feet at right angles.
nd his body rolling from side to s'he;
vith his fista poked into his rths sha
mat aranised expression of ooun-
.rsnce. Int not uttefing Q soucd. II