The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-09-10


one consolation. He can't hear us, be-
cause he's as deaf as anything; he told |
me himself"
We'll, that is bliss" responded Nell, |
lapsiug into slang in her agitation. |
We had barely begun to get things to
rights, it seemed, however, when we
heard them coming, and with hopeless
glances into the mirror we sank into
our chairs.
Tom pushed aside the portiere and
walked in, followed by n tall and fine
looking gentleman. With a terrible
Boo-woo-woo!" in the voice of a lion,
jeff leaped from his own individual
corner and made rush at our guest,
and as the latter was just in the act of
taking a step, the dog, more astonished
than any of us, went straight between
the South African ankles and found
cred against the wall. AS the gentle
man recovered his equilibrium and his
self-possession, Tom lamely introduced
him.
"Speall louder, Tom, said /, conceal
ing the motion of my lips behind my
llerchief. "He is awfully deaf; he told
me himself"
''Is that so?" said Tom; and then he
fairly shouted the introduction.
Nell came forward looking as cool
and sweet as lily and gave him her
hand, telling him how really glad she
was TO welcome him,
80 fudgc" said Tom making a wry
face at her over Mr.. Everett's shoulder;
''if he's deaf that's all Greek to him,
Speak up, my little man"
For one dreadful moment thought
Nell was going into one of her convul-
sions of laughter, but she pulled her.
self together and presented me.
80 this is our little contributor"
said he, taking my hand and looking at
me with kind but amused eyes,
shouted out yes" but as that sounded
rather fiat, and hearing Tom giggle in
the background, Imply subsidized.
"Have a chair?" cried Nell, her voice
rising to little squeak as she preferred
the best and really safest chair in the
house. To our CONSERVATION, however,
he showed a preference for a guileless
looking chair that was at heart one of
base deception.
"Great guns!" calculated Tom, in a
tone of exaggerated emotion, while we
all stood shivering in agonized sus-
pense. Its the chair with the broken
lcg!"
Before our guest could seat himself,
however, Nell had IA happy inspiration.
do, do take off your overcoat! she
cried, and then in a rapid aside to me:
And Kate, do substitute another chair
while I'm talking sweet to him! Tom,
take his coat"
For one instant | thought a flash of
uncomfortable mirth swept across Mr..
Everett's face, almost as if he had
heard. But second glance assured
me of my mistake, for his expression
was sphinX-lille.
Now, that have his coat" put in
Tom, with cold irony, while deftly
changed the chairs, what shall 1 do
with it? Toss it on the trunk?"
Heaven! No" said l, sternly. "Put
it out in them the"
"Cubby-hole, suggested Nell, giving
MS brief, innocent glance, and then
adroitly continued her conversation
with Mr.. Everett.
Sure enough" said Tom, giggling as
he went out 'I'll put it on the bag of
potatoes. He'll think we have a hun
dred-dollar hat rack concealed in the
darkness"
Tom, ] may say right here, was in
his element guest who was deaf,
and two sisters who had been caught
in dreadful plight! What more could
the imp ask? He took the tide at the
food, too He came back and seated
himself in the shadow so he could fire
funny remarks at us without the motion
of his lips being observed by Mr.. Ever
EFT.
Nell behaved like an angel. She sat
quite close to our guest, and carried on
with him an animated conversation in
clear, high, flutelilxe tone, which
seemed to carry every word to him dis
tinctly, as he did not hesitate once in
his replies.
| Suddenly my alert ear heard some
thing dropping, or to be more accurate,
running. Nell gave me startled, mys-
titled glance.
My guns!" CALCULATED Tom, in a tone
of Fairly diabolical mirth. you hid your
chocolate cup on the organ, didn't you?
Wei, Miss Brilliancy it's upset, and
it's meandering down right into his
| sill. hat!"
We would have been more than
human could we have kept our Mortified
eyes away from the fatal spot. even
thought poor Mr. Everett gave a
startled glance toward the floor, but, of
course, | must have been mistaken.
The unfortunate man had deposited his
hat, with sublime trust in its safety
worthy q nobler object, behind him.
The chocolate was really running, not
into it, but so close to it that we knew
it would be dreadfully spattered.
Nell was IN the middle of sentence,
but she broke down fatty with: $50
-that-a-" she repeated, absently.
| "So-that-a--" mimicked Tom, at
which laughed, weakly and helplessly
Nell gave him--both of us, in fact--a
furious glance, and returned to her
charge.
All this time Mr.. Everett had be-
haved admirably. He must have OBJ
served our hysterical nervousness, but
presume he attributed it to the dire
confusion and disorder of orw surround
ings.
When he arose TO take his departure
Nell put her kerchief to her lipa with
shameless pretense at coughing She