Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1884-04-22
MRS wHlrAKERs DEAF EAR.
D., cu,Rrrur ct,rx

.N MAANNH MNNNN A.h
NJ. Whiakef was deaf Ia one ear.
li ~as hsr rstt ear. and ii wss stone
def
Mr. Whitaker had acquired habit Of
sleeping upoa her lef, side ~iih her deaf
ear up. ard tais had often been a source
of annoyance 90 het husband. Who was
n,i,oa. anl irritable. ~hile she wa' a
~oman ~h1se cainaess and serenity of
di.posii.,a ~cfc remarkable
Sleeping with her deaf ear up, Mis.
Whitaker % nishi ~as rarely disturbed by
no..e. iha, roboei hsr husband of hs ret.
TIE hun of ,he ma'qsiioc' wh'ch mad
deucd him va no, heard by her. A
passing ttanisr storm which r0ased him
in summer night AMI sent him hying
abolt o. c.1sc winl1si woll leAvs her
On peticct ancnnscioasae.s of be- existence.
TIE uoisc, in che street and toe rAitlng
of the ~..dos .a.he. apla winay nigh's
frcqaeaiiy f..cd Mr Whitaker sikh vcX-
alton. b. they deprived him Of sleep bat
li, wife .'umbcfcd s~te,iy oa and heard
them not lairrl. it rarely hAPPcurd
tha, .hs heard ths eryins oi the BABY ua-
u Nr Wlitak-r. iliiguaat q, iis rciis-
a. b. - 10 sleep. ~oaA r3a.e her by
shAkiag hcf. aal woail a,k Der b soo,he
the hiilr oae
NJ. WnitAk1r hal oiica rcmoa.,fated
With h.s sifc aboli tais ha5.; of sleeping
vita her deaf ear up. aai she hai often
rePl.sd sool-ham5rciiy sta a promise
% try 10 rcmsmbsF 20 brrak herssii of BE-.
BAT somehow of Other H coai.aaei 90
chag ,o her.
Oae nigat ia water time Ne. Wait
sker s.i up ia ht Library all a laie hoa''
reading q to1k ia which be ~as very
much interested. H.s wife retired early
NJ. Whuaksr faally cl1.ei hi. book.sai
after .ock.ug the froai door, ~eai dosa
o. the cellar. accoriiag 20 4, euaom'
% see h the furnace tire had been prop
erly fxei 70, the nigh,. While be wa'
pokins 10. gl,l Of wind came thT'agh
the screen upon one Of the eeller windows
and slammed the door leading into thc
b.ck hallway above. through. which be-
lad come. For momeni, NJ Whii.-
ksr d.d net think % the matter par
,,ealarly ba. sailealy be remembered
,ha, be had pa, q sPrag lock oa the
o.her side o. ,ha, dor, and the thought
struck him that the catch might possibly
be- dosn. he ssccnded the stairs and
uied The door. he was locked into the
cellar. u, .hs key Of the oui cellar door
be kasw vas Ia the kitchen.
H. ooald hardly think what be had
better 40 abost the matter. bat finally he
concluded 20 ,ry % make his wife hear
hin and come 10 bis rescue. Tie seized
the long heavy furnace poker. and ia
serted the crook Of j, above the bell wire
that ran aloag ias JOS, OF the cellar cell
ing and pulled. The bell jangled loadly'
ba, !, va in the kitchen. aud Mr.
Whitaker va in toe ffoai rOon IN the
second story. woal she hear IL lie
pulled the wire again. twice; then he
sat do~n oa The steps and waited Il
then fsshed upon the mind Of the i'm
pn.oacd man tha, Mrs. whi'Aksr was
probably sleeping with the deaf eat
up.
This increased his growing irritation
and Be pulled the bell wire with the PoE'
er fitsea Or t~eniy times.
Il could hear that mile from here q
Iva. as deaf a. pos, = he exclaimed
a. be threw The poker on the floor an
took his seat again, With the bell still
vibrating.
Bg, Mrs. Whitaker ala not hear th'
noise. for no sound q her coming reaches
the ears of her inPAiien, and indignant
husband.
he grew angrier every moment. he
sel, a sense Of injustice. IL seemed IN.
sind. inhaman fOr bis wif. to be sleep
ins away calmly up stairs ~hils he "a'
locked up ia The dismal reoss's' Of 'a'
cellar.
"Tn make her hear me. or III oresl
somsshing." be exclaimed. seizins IN
poker and hooking Il upon the bell wire
Then be pulled the wire With such ia
riou. energy tbs, be broke il, and 'h
i.nslins Of the bell died away into 81
lence.
~nts little short Of scaudAloas,
ssid Mr.. Whitaker. in rage. IL hav
spoken 20 often TO Ellen about sleePinl