Wichita eagle., 1888-09-11
ONLY A DEAF WOMAN.

time IhiS w NeoneSoay afternoon Ii was
not a particularly punctual train, neithe,
did it especially matter whether it was OF
not, as Blue Station was one Of those
lodges in the vast wilderness" where
time was not reckoned according to the
Wall street standard and where people
took things easy
The stage for Hemlocl1 Fill was wait
ing there-a clumsy conglOmeration of
musty leather, faded paint and ancient
wood, drawn by two sleepy horses, and
driven by Jehu so old that one instinct
lively wondered how he ever got UP and
down from his aerial perch on the box
seat. Mr. Richmond and his friend Col.
Jones took their seats. packed their va
lises snugly under their feet, and fastened
their natty silk umbrellas in the rack
overhead. There was only one other pas
senCer-a woman in brown waterproof
cloak and a green veil, with lidded mar
ket basSt in her Jap and O. tremendous
ear trumpet in her hand
"Only deaf woman" said Col. Jones,
glancing toward her
Il see" observed Mr. Richmond, 1--WE
need put no particular restraint On our
conversation"
Are we all ready. driverf' shouted Col.
Jones, who was unused to the leisurely
methods of life in a place like Blue Station.
The driver appeared to rouse himself from
sort of doZe.
Il be if you be-" said he. Git up,
Kstel Look out thar, you Sorrel!"
And away they rolled.
Yes" said Col. Jones, rubbing his
neatly gloved hands, f'it viii be a genuine
surprise And | meant it to be- | want
10 see for myself how things are"
4 oi,,l,- M Ri.I,,, limo h
ing from one end of the seat to the other,
as the wheels took a big stone on their
way.
''The lad is over head and ears in love-"
said Col. Jones.
Young men will be FOOLS" observed
Mr. Richmond, cynically.
But a school teacher; a district school
teacher!" sighed the colonel, who was tall
and portly and clear shaven, with very
black eyebrows and hair just dashed with
silver.
"A good many nice girls take to that
business, remarked Mr.. Richmond Mr..
Richmond was a gaunt gentleman, with
hollow eyes, a parchment colored skin,
and a general dyspeptic air.
''It isn't that | dcspise the trade" said
Col Jones. "You know that as well as
do, Richmond. If the girl is good and
pretty, I'd as soon she should be school
teacher as anything else But want my
boy to have real home like home. My
wife gave me one, and | solemnly believe
it was the making Of me. And Victor's
wife must be no mere book machine or
wearer of fine clothes. If she can't sew
and sweep and cook she's no fit mate for
my SON Well, you see, l have been
studying the matter over
81 saiJ Nv Richmond ho11iurr
desperately on to the leather strap above
his head, as the driver guided the wheels
over a succession of stumpS on the side of
the road.
Il give them no time for preparation"
said the colonel, chuckling. Il drop
down upon Miss Allen like a wolf on the
fold. / see just exactly what she is.
Judge for myself. | wouldn't give fig
for all the Latin and guitar music and
china painting in the world if a woman
can't make loaf of light, sweet bread
and cook a steak Eh? | am sure / beg
thousand pardons, ma'am, as a sudden
swing of the coach precipitated his head
against the basket and sent the ear trum
pet rolling to the floor.
ALLOW mel Did you want to get cutf'
For the woman with tho green veil was
making vehement gestures with her hand
to the driver. She put up the trumpet
with an inquiring expression of face.
Did - you - want - to - get - outy"
roared Col Jones into its convoluted
depths, the veins starting out on his fore
head as he did so.
Yes. sir, please" said the woman;
and the courteous colonel himself got out
TO expedite the removal of the basket, the
trumpet and sundry brown paper parcels
(which constituted the belongings of their
fellow passenger.
The green yelled head bobbed acknowl-
edgmeutS. the colonel lifted his hat like a
modern Don QuiXote and the stage, en-
veloped in a cloud of dust, rolled away
toward the brightness of the western sky.
The green veiled passenger caught up her
parcels. skipped over the stone stile with
with amazing alacrity for so apparently
feeble a parsonage and few like deer
across the wooded solitudes until she
came TO low, red farm house. and en-
tered a cozy kitchen, whore middle aged
woman was making blackberry pies.
Here your trumpet all mended. Aunt
Roxanna," said she. And here's the al
paca dress and the three yards of flannel
and the basket with the tea and sugar
and spices What are you going to have
for support
Spring chicken" said Aunt Rozanna,
in the soft. subdued voice peculiar to deaf
people. They're on the buttry shelf,
all dressed and ready. And baked pota-
Toes; and | calculate TO have them pies
ready to go into the oven right off.
Splendid" said Lurana Hopkins. Il
want enc Of them. And l must have the
chickens and that loaf of gingerbread
La ueP' said Aunt RoAanna- is the
girl crazy?'
"Its for the schoolma'rl, Aunt Rox-
epa," explained Lurana, with her rosy
mouth close to the ear trumpet. Her
beau's fathor cane up from the train with
me in Zadoc Hawley's stage, and he took
lie for = deaf woman, because of the
trumpet, | suppose. and talked before mo
to his friend real free And he's coms
out here 10 surprise the schoolma am.
and find out whether she is q good house
keeper or not. And if she isn't he's going
TO set himself dead against the match
81 never heard nothing like it in my
life" said Aunt Roxanna.
"And she isn't-you know she isn't.
the Widow SlScrritt's house. and boards
herself on bread and milk. But she is IS
sweet as a peach, and people can't have
all the accomplishments 81 once
No. - be sure not" said Aunt RoS-
anna. her slow wits following Lursna's
rapis; speech with considerable difficulty.
And she shaR't be cheated out OF her
lover, not if i car help it" said Lu-ans.
lurriedly packing the broilers, neatly
x,-r.nrs,i :yra DaDt-iu into ber bs and