The Hazlehurst signal., 1884-04-10
AUNT nASSAH'S HEARING.


I think IL was Carlyle who said:
against stupidity the gods are power
less"
Nv husband i an Englishman, solid.
practical. with n stock of common sense
that u incNhaus,iblo, and n fcryent be-
lief in the capability Of very stupid
little wife.
an Yankee g,rl. and fond of do-
mcstic life. That suits CaSpar, and we
have ~ cozy little home ~ any two
person, in the world could desire io
have who possess only a modest compe-
tcnry. Hut NAV ~ we'll admit IL 1
am very ambitions, and was only too
anNiou, about getting on in the world
IN financial way-in fact. | wanted to
lc rich.
Caspar and had little encounters OF
wit occasionally about what called the
English. and he the Yankee. Of our
habits and pecularitieS. hut - he had
left London when mere boy his cock
ncy dialect WAS not very pronounced. sl
least. not more than mine Wa In the
other direction. for il he said beg
uawlun" when he fell over the eat.
SAID IL guess" n dozen times day.
instead of the - presume so" ol
Britain. and we managed Ia averas,
our virtues and defects in manner
satisfactory To both.
One morning Caspar referred to n lc:-
tcr he was reading and said:
"Luttic. INV Aunt Hannah u com nc
go visit us. / forgot To tell YOU. and
sie will be- here to-day.
How provoking" | answered.
Fate saved me from Immature. Cas-
par supposed | referred Ia the fac. of
hi, not telling me sooner.
"le>. it quite slipped my mind. but
I will order n joint at the butcher :.
and YOU can make puldng or tart.
and do try aud amu~c the old lady. for
he i very low.Splr,jol. She writes
that she lost her hcayiog In tlc South.
and il much detected over n"
rcaI Good gracious, this was worse
than all! Then remembered that Aunt
Hannah was very rich. What was Ia
prevent her from leaving US all hcr
mOncy-Or better yet, setting CaspaT
up i'm business with portion ot II ~
once? | had never seen any Of Caspar :
relatives, who had only recently come
60 the United states. and | determined
10 show her what treasure of a wife he
hal. would be ear, for her. and she
would learn To depend on me, and
what more natural than that she would
make him her heir. and leave me u leg
acy. | would invest II In d!a nond>-
nu, would buy stocks or lDan II out
at n big percentage
The clock striking ten rolscd me.
CaSpar was gone. The maid-l only
Kept Que was finishing the morning 5
work. and hurried mp stairs and male
careful toilet-a subdued morning
nr.li,ec, neat and tasteful and not
ioJ extravagan,. Then l sat down
and began Ia dispose over again of my
prospective fortune.
The sound %. the Stagc-cOach stop
ping AT the door recalled mo from my
castle in Spain. and few to the steps
and spread nv hands out in welcome.
~ n small. dark. Spi,elul-looking old
lady. with wrinklcd fac and u fsl'e
front. got cautiously out and stood ON
the pavement.
dearest aunt" | shrieked in high
fslsctto voice. II am deli gh-t-c-d to
see YOU. CasIar could not be there.
but he let his love and welcome for
YOU"
The driver of the coach looked at me
CuriouSly. n IL he thought | was talk
in: to some one in the neNt township.
One or two Of the ncighborS raised their
windows and locked out 10 see what the
disturbance was. but my new relative
did no, appear to hear my voi,c even mt
that awful attitude. She was looking
after her boxes and bundles. and mere
" frovncd in answer to my stcntorian
welcome.
"Allow me. aunt" I shouted in her
ear n took her handbag and shawl.
Then paid the driver and dismissed
him, and. followed by Aunt Hannah.
entered the house. As deaf people ust,
ally talk rather loudly themselves,
wa, surprised 10 hear the visitor say In
a somewhat sharp voice.
so this is Caspar's house? Very
nice. l must say--puite elegant
81 wish IL was n thousand times nicer,
for YOUR sake" 1 exclaimed. or rather
shouted. Take of your things. aunt,
AMI make yourself ut home.
"What are you screaming at asked
Aunt Hannah. petulantly; 'any one
would suppose | was dccf"
was not surprised at this remark,
for IL Is n distinguishing trait with deal
people 10 dislike any notice taken ol
their inirmi.y; so | bawled in an even
higher key that she must not be offended,
that loud speech was a peculiarly o'
mine. and / begged her not to no
ticc IL.
But by the afternoon i was so cN'
hausted that every word uttered was
torture of the kecnest description; for
tupately friend called. and rs my aunt
Was not inclined TO talk l lowered my
voice. niolstened my icvered lips, and
gasped in NV natural tones;
.Oh. Julia. it's positively awful
She's rs deaf ~ n door-post, and has
come to stay month. i shall die
know I shall" :, :,
III wouldn't try to talk to her. said
NV friend: "let her amuse herself
You'll only make yourself Ill. lou
look As if YOU had fever on now
.But I must lie civil To her" ! said
looking straight at my respected aunt
in-law. and using my natural tones
"She's immensely rich"
"whafs .hate' exclaimed Aunt
Hannah, with sudden interest. "Who
Is IL that has the itch?"
.Tlerc," I said. "that Is just "a
much as she hears-deaf as n stone
cr an adder. but full of curiosity.
Don't gv. Julia; keep me company I'LL
Caspar comes. shall have diphiherir