The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1893-06-27
GETTING OLD AND DEAF.
Btll Arp Realizes the Inconvenience
OF Age and Afiiction-He Celebrates
Another Birthday.


Btll Arp Realizes the Inconyeniences
Another Birthday.
Atlanta Constitution.
Old man Hasty was deaf-very deaf.
He was q nabor of mine when he lived
in the country, and he hauled load of
wood to town every day to sell. He was
poor and old, but he never complained.
The town boys used to poke fun at him,
but he never got mad.
"Good morning, Mr.. Hasty," they
would say; "Seyenty-five CENTS" he
replied. How does your corporosity
sagasiate ?" "Won't take q cent less"
he said. The boys would laugh, and
the old man would smile and drive on.
"Wo, wo," said the boys to the steers,
Dick, gift along, BrindIe, you old lazy
rascals; every time you git to town
you want to stop every half minute.
Git up, I tell you," and he frailed them
with his thrash pole. About the time
they were fairly started, the boys said
"wo" again. and the old man had to
lick them again, but he never got mad.
was Illuminating about this, for I
am deaf myself, now, and begun to re-
alize it's Inconvenience. For several
years have been deaf in one ear, but
didn't mind it, for the other was good.
The only trouble was that while could
hear perfectly we'll I couldn't locate
distant sounds with much precision. I
couldn't tell what church bell was ring
ing or which way the train was coming,
or whether the mocking bird was sing
ing in this tree or that tree, but 1 got
along very we'll and could always hear
Mrs. Arp when she told me what she
wanted. There was some good in hav-
Sr,Tr INxx4
for l could just turn that ear down close
on the pillow and the little varmint
might sing away all night in the other
If he wanted to.
My head trouble has all settled in
my good ear now, and I reckon it will
go out at that orifice and leave me
after while, but have suffered-yes,
suffered-like poor sinner ought to
suffer, and the whole family has to fly
round and wait on me when these par
oxysms come on. My ear is nearly
closed up now and I'm waiting, for it to
burst or do something. Mrs. Arp tries
Good morning, Mr.. Hasty," and al
ways respond. Severtv-five cents"
I've been helping out deaf people all
my life that is, l have been giving
them some Of my time, for they don't
have much pleasure in q social way,
and 1t always pleases them to be no.
ticed. A deaf man feels very much
like he is outside of society. The world
has gone off and left him. My folks
were telling something at the table to-
day that was very funny, and the laugh
went merrily around and laughed,
too, but l never heard a word. But
whenever I make misfit answer to my
wife she elevates her voice and says,
"Good morning, Mr.. Hasty." "Seven-
ty-five conts," says 1. And hear her
say some other things, too, ever and
anon. She told me this morning that
she had new moon vine she wanted
me to plant out for her If felt like it.
1t changed yesterday" said "What
changed ?" said she. "The moon,"
said L: "We had q new moon last
night" And looked solemn and sad
and put my hand up to my ear after the
position Of deaf folks. There is no
dodging her that way. See went and
got a little pot and pointed to the
ground and went and got the hoe and
planted the vine, and she smiled at me
and said "Good morning, Mr.. Hasty."
"Seventy-five cents" said I. Yester-
day she said she reckoned she would
have to get Mrs. Roberts to make up
that last dress bought her If could
spare the money, l got a glimmering
for I wouldn't give her a nice dress and
not pay for the making. am not that
kind of a man. The girls make up all
their dresses, but my wife shall not
make hers any more 30 long as live.
She has worked enough. 1 haven't for
gotten the beautiful plated bosom
shirts she used to make for me before
there was ever sewing machine in the
world. / haven't forgotten the hun
dreds and hundreds of little garments
she made for the children. l haven't
forgotten the lessons that she taught
| them by night and the faces she wash
ed and the stumped toes and cut fingers
she tied up, and the seedlings and fret
tings and worryings that meandered
| around the house. But, alas, alas |!
Those seedlings and worryings will
never hear any more, for am deaf.
| told her this morning that my greatest
regret at being deaf was that should
never more hear the sweet music of her
voice. She looked right pitiful ut me
and then smiled and said: "Good
morning, Mr.. Hasty." "Seventy-five
| cents" said I.
expect they will play off on me now
and say all sorts of things to try me,
for they don't believe that am deaf.
/ wish that / weren't. / remember
about young man who out of mischief
wrote to his mother that his intended
was the loveliest girl in the world, but
unfortunately was deaf-very deaf.
She was wealthy and beautiful and
smart and amiable and domestic and
loved him devotedly and he loved her
most fondly and was going to marry her
very soon and take her to his home on
o bridal tour. The rascal told his in
tended wife that his good old mother
was the best woman in the world, but
was deaf--very deaf-and 1t would be
quite an effort to talk to her, etc. In
due time they were married and Jour
neyed to HIS mothers home. The
mother and the bride met ut the gate
and embraced most lovingly and then
began to scream in each others ear
their congratulations while the Young
man stood off to one side just dying
with laughter, for the truth was that
neither the bride nor the mother was
deaf at all.
But there is some good in every af
Fiction. Deaf people are generally
good people, thoughtful and kind. Il
they get so from being deaf then there
Is chance for me yet. Then, again
they are exempt from being asked
many questions and from hearing many
things that distract the mind an6
harden the heart. never knew br
one right square out honest street cot
ton buyer, and he was deaf. He bought
for o banker who was as deaf as he was