Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1889-08-29
I q Deaf Woman.


he train stopped at Blue Station
/ on time this "Wednesday afternoon.
Ut was not particularly punctual
train, neither did 1t especially matter
whether it was or not, as Blue Sta
Stion was one of those lodges in the
vast Wilderness where time was not
areokoned according to tho Wall
Street standard and where people
took things easy.
The stage for Hcmlock Hill was
waiting therc--a clumsy conglomcra-
Stion of musty leather, faded paint
and ancient wood, drawn by two
sleepy horses and driven by n Jehu
so old that one instinctiycly won
5idered how he ever got up and down
from his aerial perch on Tho box
seat. Mr.. Richmond and his friend
Colonel Jones took their seats,
packed their valises snugly under
their feet, and, fastened their natty
silk umbrellas in tho rack overhead.
There was only one other passenger
"a woman in q brown waterproof
cloak and a grocg veil, with a liddcd
market basket i'll her lap, and a trc-
mendous ear trumpet in her hand.
"Only deaf woman," said Col.
Jones, glancing toward her.
81 Sec" observed Mr.. Richmond.
$"We need put no particular re-
straint on our conversation"
8 care we all ready, drivcr?"
shouted Colonel Jones, who was I'M
used to Tie lcisurcly methods Of life
in place like Blue Station. The
driver appeared to rouse himself
from sort of dose.
81 be if you bcw said he. "Git
up, Kate! Look out thar, you Sor-
rel /"
And away they rolled.
eyes" said Colonel Jones, rubbing
his neatly glovcd hands, 'sit will be a
genuine surprise. And | meant it
to be. want to see for myself now
things are"
"Certainly," said Mr., Richmond,
lurching from one end of the seat to
the other, as the wheels took big
stone on thcir wnv.
"The lad is over head and cars in
love-" said Colonel Jones.
"Young men will be FOOLS" OBJ
served Mr.. Richmond, cynically.
"But a school teacher; a district
school teacher" sighed the Colonel,
who was tall and portly and clean
shaven, with very black eyebrows,
and hair just dashed with silver.
"a good many nice girls take to
that business" remarked Mr.. Rich
smond. Mr.. Richmond was a gaunt
gentleman, with hollow eyes, a
parchment colorcd skin, and n gene
iai uyspcpIlc ali.
cit isn't that | dcspisc the trade"
said Colonel Jones. "You know
that as well as do, Richmond. If
the girl is good and pretty, Pd as
soon she should be school teacher
as anything else. But l want my
boy to have real homc-likc home.
My wife gave me one, and I solemn
ly believe it was The making OF me.
And Victor's wife must be no mere
book machine or wcarcr of fine
clothes. If she can't sew and sweep
and cook, she's no fit mate for my
son. Well, you sec, I've been study
ing the matter over"
81 sec," said Mr.. Richmond, hold
ing desperately on to the leather
strap above his head, as the driver
guided the wheels over Il succession
of stumps on the side of the road.
"I give them no time for prcpara-
bioll3 SftlNt VIC Splollcl, cllllckllllG
"I drop down upon this Miss Alden
like wolf on the fold. | see lust
exactly what she is. | Judge for
myself. | wouldn't give n fig for all
the Latin aud guitar music, and
China painting in the world, if a
woman can't make loaf of light
sweet bread and cook a steak Eh?
Pm sure | beg Thousand pardons,
ma'am," as sudden swing Of the
coach body prccipitatcd his head
against the liddcd basket and sent
the ear trumpet rolling to the lloor.
"Allow me! Did you want to get
out ?"
For the woman with the green
veil was making vehement gestures
with her hand to the driver. She
put up the trumpet, with an inqur-
ing expression of face.
d-you-want-- gct--out p
roared Colonel Jones, into its con
volutcd depths, the veins starting