The Opelousas courier., 1884-07-12

ed Aunt Hannah, petulantly; ANYONE
would suppose I wax deaf"
I was not surprised at this remark,
for it is a distinguishing trait with
deaf people to dislike any notice taken
Of their inirmity; SO I bawled in an
even higher key that she must not be
offended, that loud speech was a pecu-
liarity of mine, and l begged her not
to notice it.
But by afternoon I was SO exhaust
ed that every word l uttered was .
torture Of the keenest description; for
~tunately a friend called, and as my
aunt was not inclined to talk, / lower
ed my voice, moistened my fevered
lips, and gasped in my natural tones:
"Oh, Julia, it's positively awful.
She's as deaf as a door-post, and has
come to stay a month. shall die, ]
know 1 SHALL"
Il wouldn't try to talk to her," said
my friend; 'let her amuse herself.
Youth only make yourself ill. You
look rs if you had a fever on now"
But Unjust be civil to her." I said.
looking straight at my respected aunt
in-law, and using my natural tones.
sShe's immensely rich"
"What's that ?" asked Aunt Hannah,
with sudden interest. "Who is it that
has the itch?'
"There,"I said, that is just as much
as she hears-deaf as a stone-or an
adder, but full of curiosity. Don't go.
Julia; keep me company till Caspar
comes. I shall have diphtheria-my
throat is raw noW-if you leave me
alone with her."
/ had tried to be very English in or
der to make a good impression, and
had remarked more than once, apro
pos of the weather, that it was beastly
cold, and had alluded to my dress as a
7 'frock," and called all the pitchers in
the house "ewers,' while | denounced
everything that didn't suit me as
"nasty." Iceuld not tell how my
doubtful English was received, for
Aunt Hannah made no sign, and /
told my friend Julia, in utter despair,
that / didn't care.
81 even feel" continued desperate
", shat her money could never pay
for the strain of keeping up a CONVEX
sation with her. Il is positively wick
ed in her not to carry an ear trumpet
When Caspar came home he duti-
fully embraced his aunt, who had been
perfectly silent for an hour or two,
and said to ne:
well, my dear, how have you and
Aunt Hannah enjoyed yourselves"
Not at ALL I answered shortly. in a
voice / did not thy to moderate, for I
was tired and cross. 81 might as well
have talkedto some one in the next
county. My voice is ruined, and /
don't believe she heard half what /
said. as it was"
"0h, yes. I heard you perfectly said
the old lady, v~indieatively; Il thought
you said that was your natural voice.
and she smiled grizzly.
"Good heavens! can you hear?s' /
gasped.
81 could have heard you If I had
been dead. she snapped out.
sWhat does this mean r. asked Cas-
per, staring from one to the other.
aYour wife imagined ] was deaf
retorted Aunt Hannah.
.Imaginedl you told me she had lost
her hearing" / said, family.
Caspar laughed; nay, more. he roar
ed.
1t must have been my cockney
pronunciation that got the better of
me for moment. I meant her hear.
ing, my dear"
eyes. yes T said. hysterically. sthat
is what you said
sLottie, don't be stupid" said my
husband: can you spell hearing? Ear
ring. therel It was valuable diamond
solitaire, not easily matched, and she
naturally felt sorry about II"
Was there ever such a blunderl I
could have given Jaspar a good shak
ing for placing me in such a false pc
sition, but then it occurred to me that
I was the one to be shaken for an
actual wasn't of principle IN specializing
upon the wealth Of Aunt Hannah
before her very face. Much good
did it do mel She went away the next
day. telling Caspar she was sorry he
had such a fool for q wife. and we
have not seen or heard Of her since. I
still contend that be was to blame, as
it was the coekney proclivity that put
an III where it had no business to be
that caused the trouble in the frs
place.-Dstroit Free Press.
psassss FYas.ee Thousand Years Old.
DIR. George schweinfurth, the Ger
man explorer of Central Africa, who