Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1892-05-05
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The old gentleman cleared his throat,
wiped his mouth with the offending
handkerchief, smiled gently, raised his
hand TO his ear and said in a soft, mild 4
voice: "Heyi please speak a little louder. |
I'm quite deaf"
Thereupon Jack, as is customary with |
people who are unaccustomed to talking
with the deaf, roared loudly and rapidly, !
prefacing his former inquiry with II
say" conscious that he was making a
spectacle of himself, and that in all
probability the whole neighborhood
heard him.
Still the old gentleman shook his
head despairingly and said: "Come into
the house. Ny daughter will make me
understand; you talk too rapidly and
loudly"
Just as he said it door opened softly
and girls voice, trembling with laugh
ter, said: "What is it, father? Does the
gentleman want somethingY"
81 think he does, Bertha, but cannot
understand what"
After one glance at the girls face Jack
''sized himself up as an ass, :" as he would
have expressed it, and he knew she had
overheard the whole interview. He
really had not the courage to tell her
outright that her father was accused of
flirting with his Aunt Sophia, or else he
was lunatic, and that neither he nor
his aunt approved of his conduct.
The girl let him founder and get red
in the face for about ten minutes, enjoy
ing the situation as only mischievous
girl can, but he managed to convey his
meaning.
Then she said: II understand you
perfectly, and can perhaps explain it
satisfactorily to both you and your aunt.
Father keeps weather record, and he
has as long as | can remember. He takes
observations three times day-at 2 in
| the afternoon, at in the evening and
early in the morning, probably before
your aunt gets up" Here two ire
pressible dimples broke out and limited
that laughter was not far behind. Jack,
who had recovered his equanimity, ad-
nlired them immensely, but he was not
to be diverted from his purpose, so he
said judicially:
"But why does he use handker-
chief"
''For tho very simple reason that if
there is light wind stirring he cannot
tell its direction any Other way"
"Well, why does he stare SO at my
aunt as she sits at her Window"
81 think it is not at her but"-here she
paused long enough to make impressive
what should follow-''at the smoke
stack from the furnace The smoke that
comes from it makes FIRST r. e weather
vane."
This explanation was made so demure-
ly and with such evident enjoyment at
the righteousness of the situation that
Jack was slightly provoked at her and
said rather sharply:
"Well, you must admit that it looks
queer to fellow not accustomed to it,
I've no doubt it does" she replied
with smile, "but we have always
lived here, and father has always taken
observations just in this way, and every,
body knows lis peculiarities, so of course
it awakens no comment"
AS Jack had no reply ready, she said
"Please make my apologies to yonl
aunt for any annoyance she may have
felt," and as the comical side came up
permost again she broke into laugh
and said: Poor old father! The ides
of him being accused of fiirting!" Jaci
joined in the laugh, and the innocen
cause of all the trouble and fun sat star
ing out of the window as mild and placii
as though no such chargelay at his door
As yet he did not even know the reason
of the visit Of the erstwhile angry bu
now smiling young man.
Jack apologized humbly, but he hat
no idea of letting the story get out OF
him, SO he tried in an elegant manner
which turned out flat failure, to init
mate to the girl that it should be secre
between themselves, as he said:
81 hope you will not-I,mean, ah, er-
but you WON'T
"Won't tell it on you, ",she said, witt
unfeeling bluntness. "Father would b.
avenged rather more than, the case call
for if the students should get hold O
the story" Then taking pity on hin
she said sweetly, II will never mention
it again of course, and willnot even tel
father"
Jack asked her to call ON his aunt
|, which she promised todo, and he tool
his departure to explain tolMiss Sophii
that she had only made the same blum
der that many an0ther woman had don
; Jumped at conclusion toe readily.
Jack visited his aunt with great regu
.larity, but spent the major portion o
his time at the weather prophets acros
the way, so that the neighboRs concludes
the was taking a postgraduate course il
meteorology-or something. .-Rocheste
! Times.