Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1874-05-23
NV Deaf Aunt's Deaf Lover.
BY EMMA NJ. UALPINE.

by EMMA NJ. IALPINE.
"For mercy sake! Evelyn, do come
to the window quick, and tell me who
is this antiquated specimen of humanity
that has stopped just outside the gate.
Saint Jerome! he is actually getting off
his horse to come in, quick, Evelyn,
who is hep"
That" said Evelyn, coming nearer
to the window, "why, Kitty, that is
old Simon Hornet"
"And who, in the name of wonder,
is old Simon Hornet?' l inquired.
go, he's wonder, and the very old
est mortal you ever saw. He lives just
over the hill, in that little, old-fash-
ioned red house that 1 pointed out to you
yesterday, when We were riding horse
back
{" 1 should have guessed as much,"
1 replied, "the house looks as though
it was built some time before the flood,
and old Simon Hornet, as you call him,
looks comical enough to be father
Noah himself. But what on earth can
| the droll old fellow be coming here af-
| ter.
"Ah, that's the funniest of it,"
laughed Evelyn. "You see, Kitty,
he's lived there nearly twenty years,
and never stepped his foot inside of our
house till three months ago, and now
he stops here almost every time he goes
past, on his way to town. For long
time we couldn't imagine what it meant,
till all at once we discovered it's Aunt
Sarah he's after"
"Aunt Sarahw 1 exclaimed, per-
fcctly astonished. "Aunt Sarah!' re-
echoed Jane, and Rcbecca, and Rich
ard and Harry, as they all rushed to
the window to catch view of the au-
dacious parsonage who threatened to
modest the ancient solitary reign of
our venerable and highly respectable
aunt.
We--that is, myself, and the said
Richard, Bebecca and Jane-had just
got home from school. We had been
away nearly six months, and had, of
course, on our return lots of news
to learn about matters and things at
home and in the neighborhood. But
nothing we had heard had so complete
ly astonished us as the fact of Aunt
Sarah's having lover.
Aunt Sarah had been fixture in the
family ever since my earliest recol-
lection, She was rc,y tall and rery
straight, rc'y eccentric and re1'y deaf
She was moreover extremely averso to
all society except her o'rn, which she
seemed to enjoy vastly, for many Il
time have watched her with childish
awe, as she would sit in her rocking
chair knitting, and all the while talk
ing to herself as buslv (as uncle used
to say as ten bumble-bees in a pump
kin blossom"
Sometimes I used to ask her who she
was talking to, but this inquiry always
offended her, and as 1 was invariably
sent down stairs as a punishment for
my inqusitiveness, soon learned the
policy of repressing my curiosity.
Mr.. Simon Hornet was also very tall
and thin. We watched him with
breathless interest, while he fastened
his sorrel-colored nag to tree out
side of the fence, and then opening the
gate proceeded with slow and solemn
steps across the lawn TO the side en-
trance.
Like old Grimes, "he wore long
blue coat all buttoned up before" with
bright brass buttons. The bottom of
his snuff fcolored pants tucked carefully
into his boots, and on his head he wore
n stove-pipe" hat, pitched back from
his brow in such a manner as to bear
striking resemblance to a leaning CHM
ney. He wore around his throat
white cravat; tied in front with dou-
ble bow-knot, and in his hand he car
ried heavy whip, which. regardless of
the bell, he applied to the door with
laundering force.
"Come. Kitty, yOu must 60 to the
door, said Evelyn; "for Margaret can
never make him hear in the world"
Not hearw I exclaimed in amaze
ment "what, he isn't deaf, is hep"
Yes, deaf as post" laughed Ev-
elyn. "But there, he's commenced
knocking again! Run quick, Kitty, or
he will batter the door down."
Away flew, and in moment later
stood tls-a-ris with Aunt Sarah's nom
descript suitor.
els yer Aunt Sarah about hum? ?'
he enquired, stretching his neck for
ward and raising one hand to his ear,
the better to hear my reply.
eyes, sir, will you walk IMP"
"Ain't in, hey? Expect her back
before long?"
II asked you if you would walk in
and take seat" replied, raising my
voice.
go! coming back in week."
Il say sir, she is at home. Will
you please to walk in an take O seat in
the sitting room?" 1 fairly screamed,
turning purple in the face with tho ex-
ertion; while suppressed laugh from
the adjoining room warned me that my
companions were highly enjoying my
embarrassment.
"Ho, ha!' he exclaimed, finally COM
pretending, thank ye mum, don't
keer eff l dew. Sometimes I'm O leeNe