Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-08-22
Gales ano Skftfbts.
rms. WnIrAKER's DEAF EAR.
BY CHARLES HEBER CLARK.

Mrs. Whitaker had acquired habit OF
sleeping upon her left side, with her deaf
ear up, and this had often been a source
Of annoyance to her husband, who was
nervous and irritable. while she was a
woman whose calmness and serenity oil
disposition were remarkable.
Sleeping with her deaf ear up. Mrs
Whitaker at night was rarely disturbed by
noises that robbed her husband of his rest.
The hum Of the mosquitoes which mad
dened him was not heard by her. pass
ing thunder storm which reused him in a
summer night and sent him flying about
to close the windows would leave her in
perfect inconsistencies Of its existence.
The noises in the street and the rafting
of the window sashes upon windy nights
frequently filed Mr. Whitaker with vexa-
ton, a. they deprived him of sleep; but
his wife slumbered sweetly on and heard
them net. Indeed, it rarely happened
that she heard the crying of the baby I'M
til Mr.. Whitaker, indignant at its refusal
TO 90 to sleep. would rouse her by shak-
ing her. and would ask her to soothe the
little one.
Mr.. Whitaker had often demonstrated
with his wife about this habit OF sleeping
with her deaf ear up, and she had often
replied good humoredly with promise to
try to remember to break herself Of it,
but somehow or other it continued to cling
to her.
One night In winter time Mr.. Whitaker
sat up IN his library till late hour, read
ing book in which he was very much in
terested. His wife retired early. Mr..
Whitaker finally closed his book. and al
ter locking the front door, went down to
the cellar, in accordance with his custom,
to see If the furnace fire had been proper
ly fixed for the night. While he was
poking IL, gust of wind came through
the screen upon one OF the cellar windows
and slammed the door leading into the
back hallway above. through which he
had come. For a moment, Mr.. Whita-
ker did not think Of the matter par
ticularly; but suddenly he remembered
that he had put spring lock on the other
side of that door, and the thought struck
him that the catch might possibly be down.
He ascended the stairs and tried the door
The catch was down, and he had no key
He was locked into the cellar, for the key
Of the out cellar door he knew was in the
kitchen
He could hardly think what he had bet
ter do about the matter, but finally he
concluded to try to make his wife hear
him and come to his rescue. He seized
the long and heavy furnace poker. and in
serted the crook of it above the bell wire
that ran along the joist of the cellar cell
ing, and pulled. The bell tangled loudly.
but it was in the kitchen, and Mrs. Whit
aker was in the front room in the second
story. Would she hear itp He pulled
the wire again, twice then he sat down on
the steps and waited 1t then flashed up
on the mind OF the imprisoned man that
Mrs. Whitaker was probably sleeping
with the deaf ear up.
This increased his growing irritation.
and he pulled the bell wire with the poker
fifteen or twenty times.
II could hear that a mile from here if
were deaf as post" he exclaimed. as
he threw the poker on the floor and took
his seat again. with the bell still vibrating.
But Miss Whitaker did not hear the
noise. for no sound of her coming reached
tho ears of her impatient aud in
dignant husband
He grew angrier every moment. He
felt sense of injustice. II seemed unkind.
inhuman for his wife to be sleeping away
calmly up stairs while he was locked up
IN the dismal recesses of the cellar.
IN make her hear me. or I'll break
something he exclaimed. Selling the
poker and hooking it upon the bell wire.
Then he pulled the wire with such furious
energy that he broke it. and the jangling
of the bell died away into silence.
1T IL little short of scandalous." said
MIR. Whitaker. in rage. Il have spoken
so often to Ellen about sleeping with her
deaf ear up, that 1t looks like malice-de-
liberate. fiendish malice-when she per-
sists in doing it."
What should he do next? He could not
stay In the cellar all night. and he did not
like to batter down the door with the pok-
er. A happy thought, He went to the
furnace and, with the help OF the Ratchet
from the kindling- wood pile. cut the tin
fue which conveyed the heat up to Mrs.
Whitaker's room. Certainly he could
compel her to hear him now. He put his
mouth to the broKen flue and called Ell
len-EE len y Then he stopped and list
ened. He thought he could hear Ellen
breathing softly in her sleep. but he was
not certain. He called again more loud
~. and then put his fingers in his mouth
and whistled. Probably can wake the
baby, anyhow. and the baby will wake
her." he said; but no response came down
tne nue.. ne ONov eemeu 10 Oe sleeping
with almost supernatural soundness. and.
manifestly, Mrs. Whitaker had her deaf
ear up.
Mr.. Whitaker was almost beside him
self with rage. "A woman" he said.
"who would treat her husband in such a
manner A. this. is capable of anything.
Either Ellen will stop sleeping with her
deaf ear up. or we will separate. A third
time he applied his lips to the tin pipe
and bawled into it until he was hoarse
HIS thought he heard his spouse walking
across the floor. but when he called again
there WAS no response, and he knew that
he was mistaken.
The soul Of Mr.. Whitaker was filled
with gloom. In his anger he INDUCED in
sardonic humor. II suppose she rather
relishes having me down in the cellar
here all night it is a good joke But let
her take care She NAV laugh upon the
other side of her mouth before we are done
with this business" And he laughed q
wild and bitter laugh.
Poor Mrs. Whitaker, sleeping sweetly
upstairs, in perfect Inconsistencies,
would have been deeply panied to learn
how gravely her husband wronged her.
at must get out of here somehow or