Middletown transcript., 1897-04-17


such fashion that it gave me not th'
smallest pleasure. l was desperately
tired, and my nerves were in a statt
that rendered all enjoyment impossible
used to lie late in the mornings, fol
there was nothing to do but wander
idly on the promenade and the trivia
pleasures of the crowd vexed me unut-
terably because I could not share
them.
| had been perhaps fortnight in the
place when first / saw the lady Of
whom l would tell you. 1t was only
for moment as she drove past 10 the
company of an older woman, but that
moments sight was enough to fill my
thoughts until saw her again upon
the morrow. She was beautiful be.
yond all words; l fsncied she could
hardly have passed the age Of twenty;
and speech and hearing had been de-
MED her. She had the Innocent glad
ness that remains while they are yet
young with some who are thus afflic-
ted. She looked upon the world with
beautiful bright eyes, and, in spite Of
fate, was well pleased to be alive. But
she was talking with her fingers to the
elderly lady, her companion, in whose
eyes as they looked on the girl saw
an infinite pity expressed.
That pity instantly invaded my
heart, though its object was gone out
of my sight, within-a few seconds Of
her appearance; and, despite the fact
that knew not SO much as her name,
there Was mixed with the pity u sense
of angry rebellion against tie fates
who had thus afflicted her, wantouly
robbing of its value generosity that,
through her, might otherwise have
gladened the wide world. could not
refrain from laughter at the emotions
so suddenly aroused in me. / might
have been her lover, and this Inability
to hear or to speak calamity quite
newly fallen upon her.
On the next day at the same hour,
the carriage passed along the length of
the promenade. She was still innocent
ly glad to be alive, a1d content to ae-
cept her burden. II was With a gentle
tmile that she looked into the plying
eyes of her companion, and l could
fancy that the messages she was con-
veying with swiftly moving fingers
were humorous appreeiations of what
she saw around her.
My earlier questions had been adj
dressed to quaint, elderly waiter at
the hotel-a man who had in some
sort made 1t his especial task to see to
my well-being, and who was the near
est approach to friend / possessed
within hundred miles of the place. It
happered that was lunchiDg at the
open window one day when the car
riage passed. little earlier than u.s.
ual.
THAT is the lady of whom l was
speaking said to him.
He looked out of the window with
quick interest. "A::desr little maid, if
/ may say SO. Yes, and the girl is deaf
and dumb; she's talkin npon her 6ng-
ers. Well, l thought from what you
told me they must be strangers in th6se
parts, and 50 they are. don't even
know the horses nor the carriage"
Thus passed period of seve raj days.
| began TO find myself vastly better,
and, with the growth of energy, to
look forward pleasurably to the time
when / should return to my work in
London. bad, on divers OCCASIONS,
set forth on foot and explored the
coast and the inland lanes for myself.
l went alone, but never felt the abb
sence of companions, for my expedi-
tions always took place before or after
the hour at which she might be expec.
ted to pass along the promenade, and
so my thoughts were always busy,
whether with anticipation or remem-
bFance.
Never once did she fail me; never
once did her affliction seem to mar the
beautiful gaiety Of her mood. 1t ap-
peared that she saw and enjoyed every
little thing that could be seen; nor was
IL altogether young mans vanity
that made me wopder whether she had
noticed the fact that a certain sallow
invalid .wassalWays idling on the prom
enade at the hour when she drove by.
had come to understand the rOu-
tine Of their daily outing. They were
manifestily living somewhere to the
West Of thetown. Every day they
went through the inland lanes at the
back of it until they were mile or
two to lhe east, and then, descending
seawards drove home by the prone
made and the road that skirts the
sea.
Some dozen oc 81 cottages and lit.
tie pier stood at the margin OF the sea.
Inland few houses were seen among
the fruitful orchards. But at the edge
Of the slope there was little space OF
Wild wood. and this, rs looked across
the fo~er-grown hedge tempted me to
rest. ! climbed the interveningsbarrier
and lay down in the shelter of ~ little
oak tree. The sunlight flooded Q
wealth Of bracken. foxgioves and gold
en- harvest-Weei. / lay at ease, content
to watch stray butterflies that went
lazily from flower to flower.
Itmsy be ! slept. Certainly / was q
long tine under the oak before | be-.