The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1884-09-18
John Benton,s special business in

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While waiting their turn to be accomo-
dated, John and his wife stool near.
the door. As he was looking over a
city directory to pass away the time,
his wife, being seized with q new idea,
wrote it out, and handed him the fatal
slate. John, for convenience in read
directory under his arm, w~hereupon,
just at this moment, che pompous secre4
tary of the insurance company came I'M
alton with the keenness of sight and
corning city man, from a dry-goods
salesman up to q high official in an in
surance company, he touched the fated
John upon the arm, and pointed to a
card upon the wall on which the legend
ran thus: "No beggars, peddlers, or
book agents allowed to pursue their
%avocations here" 1t was some time
before John or his wife could compre-
bend the connecting link between
themselves and that card; but when.
with the mild assistance of the official
dignitary, it dawned upon them that
John was taken for a book agent, Mrs.
Benton turned purple with rage, and
Ill 0Apldlull0 tuOlI uuSluCSS buOIO III
not spare the feelings of the wretch
who had given another sting to her
wounded pride. But John was dis
posed to laugh it of, and still further
added to the confusion of those pres
ent by transacting his business in good
audible English.
1t remains to this day a mystery to
the unfortunate dry-goods clerk, as well
as to the nonplussed secretary, what
could induce a couple to to-
gether on a slate who could use such
forcible and Ineligible language to
others.
After their unfortunate experience in
the city the unhappy pair began to
weaken a little in their resolution. Not
only were their mutual interests suffer-
ing in various ways by reason of this
very imperfect mean of communica-
ton, but as their love for one another
was strong and genuine, in spite of the
foolish embargo they had put upon
their speech, they chafed under the irk-
some restraint of a protracted silence.
1 While they were both revolving in their
minds plans that might lead to a way
out of the difficulty, fate came to their
rescue, and saved them from them
selves, though in an unexpected and
painful way.
Upon the anniversary of their silence
John Benton and Teddy were busy in
the hay field, and as the storm vas
threatening, Mrs. Benton and Maggie
came to the rescue with their rakes. A
large load was on the wagon, and Mrs.
Benton and Maggie volunteered to ar
range the hay upon the cart as John
threw it up to them. John had just
started to lead the horses to another
part of the field, when, on looking up
at the load, he saw his wife still stand
ing. He motioned to her to sit down,
but she failed to notice his signal, and
the horses started; at the same time
John saw her lunge backward andsiide,
he~ad-foremost, from the load. Before
he could stop the team and get to her
she had struck the ground, upon her
head. With a faint gasp, and with a
semi-conscious but dazed cry, she said:
ttDon't you ever speak"
..Hush!" said the scared man; sfor
Gods sake, Mary, don't talk that way
nowr!
In another moment she lay uncon-
scious in his trembling arms, pale and
still as death.
"OI" exclaimed the unhappy man,
s.if l had only screamed to her to sit
down instead of trusting that con-
founded pantomine. perhaps it would
not have happened"
Taking her up tenderly in his strong
arms, he carried her to the house, and
all the way into her now deaf ears he
poured out his love and lamentations;
his tongue was loosened, and seemed
to be trying to make up for lost time.
And as he bathed her head, and chafed
her hands, and tried to kiss back hel
color and to coax into action that long
silent voice, he moaned: '.What would
I not give now to heal her talk to me
again! 1t would be bliss to hear hel
scold, even. Perhaps-perhaps," and
he shuddered as he said it, ssshe may
neUer speak againp!
The new-mown hay threatened by
the coming storm was nothing to him
now. He neither knew nor careG
whether the sky was black or blue. AL
was black about him, and there wa:
only one object that he could see
Even Teddy, who had shared his con
fidence, and Maggie, who had been thu
solace of his poor wife during the dull
blank year that had just closed in sucf
a tragical manner, were obnoxious t.
him by their very presence. He saw
in them only the go-betweens tina
served to keep up the odious silence
'.If 1 had never brought Teddy here
perhaps, we should have spoken Ions
ago" he muttered; 'sfor it was getting
pretty hard to keep still any longe
about that time"
He was just thinking seriously abou
sending for a doctor, when he felt
pressure upon the hand that had al
this time clasped of his wife's, ant
looking into her face, he saw with de
light that her eyes were wide open ant
bent upon him.
..My dear Mary! thank Godr" h
said, as he bent down and kissed he
/. pale face, while the tears droppe'
from his cheeks upon hers. "'Speak t
me, Mary"
She gazed around her upon tn
, scene of masculine havoc for a few mo
ments; the wet cloths, the blankets, tn
, camphor and arnica bottles, the fioode
: floor and then at the face of the ma
I beside her. In the latter she saw onl
intense misery and unfeigned contr
ton, but she could net resist the i'm
Z pulse, in spite of the accident, in spit
. of the surroundings, in spite of John
: sufferings of mind, to test him stf
> farther. She slowly raised her linn
: hands, and with the forefinger of tn
: right she began to trace upon the pair
. of the left, at the same time directin
I a questioning look at her husband
4 "Great heavens!' thought he, can
be possible that she has been paralyze
: by her fall. and is now truly and i
= earnest dumbp" But a glance at he
q face dispelled that horrible thoughr
She was smiling, out she still continue
I to write with her finger. Simple, hor
= est John Benton caught her meanin
e then, and exclaimed, almost petulantly
.sThe slate, Maryp Confound til
: SLATED No more deaf and dumb lar
. guage for me. One word from you no