Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1898-09-29
UNDERSTOOD SIGN LANGUAGE
amusement of a Young Lawyer
over the Chatter of Two Girl
Mutes.

/ - Heu the deaf-mute sign
language a few years ago." said q
yoong lawyer recently, st was for !
uennite purpose, and since then ;no;-
MENTALLY, it has furnished a good deo,
Oh amusement to me. There are ,,ot
many GEAR mutes in his city, and when.
IN coming down on an elevated train
TINS morning | discovered that tbe
cross seat opposite me was occun;ed
ny TWO young women who were CON
'ersing in sign language, nv interest
was at once excited They were neat
looking girls, and as l settled in nv
seat l discovered that they were hay-
ing an animated conversation on n GER
tam young man whose merits and de-
merits they were frankly discussing
never dreaming that anyone else IN
the car counld understand them. Sud-
denly one of them noticed that was
looking intently at them, and with her
I fingers she said to the other girl:
Don't look up just now; but in the
seat across from you is a young man
on whom you have made an impress
sion. he isn't bad looking
Il glanced idly out of the window TO
give the girl chance to inspect me.
and with difficulty suppresseda smile.
She looked me over critically, andthen
with her fingers she said:
You saw him first. He is yours.
don't like blends myself
1t was you at whom he was look
ing came the reply.
=" No; he was looking at you. Idon't
like his mustache. just look at him
now. conceited thingl He is curling
It.
II think his mustache is very nice.'
said the first girl. Don't look in his
direction SO frequently or he will sus-
pect u.s.
"'He looks too slow to suspect any
thing. Besides, can see him by look
ing in the mirror, and he doesn't know
1t. l am going to size him up again
now and as she turned toward the
mirror so did |, and l caught her
glance square in the eyes. The young
woman flushed bit and then pretend
ed to be looking out of the window.
The girl who admitted that was not
bad to look at nudged her friend and
with her nimble fingers said:
His clothes fit him well, don't
they? Wouldn't he be angry If he
knew that we were talking about him.
/ think that he is nice
ut was with difficulty that / could
prevent myself from acknowledging
this compliment in sign language. but
] didn't want to spoil the fun. The
second girl looked at me again by way
of the mirror and then said:
He is staring at us too much. Let's
look at his shoes and embarrass him.
He will think that there is something
wrong with them
"'All right said my friend, and two
pairs Of eyes were turned on my shoes.
which I knew were all right. Being
/ was not embarrassed,
and I thrust my feet a little forward
so that they might be in full view.
"It's no co. said the second girl,
and in a long experience it is the first
time that ever failed at this trick. He
does not even look down at his shoes.
I will bet that he is awfully conceited.'
"They kept up very free discussion
Of my appearance, and when we
reached City Hall station l arose to go
put and they followed right behind.
The car had been well filed and the
rirls were in hurry. Istepped to one
side and in sign language said to the
one right behind me:
"sExcuse me. am sorry to be in
your way
''That girl read my hands in amaze
nent. and l would not have missed the
expression of her face as her eyes met |
nine for anything. 1t was blush to
remember. without explaining TO the
other girl, who was behind her, she
yrabbed her arm and hustled her
bout face and out of the other door.
As I reached the platform I saw the
,irl whom addressed explaining 1t TO
he other girl. whose face indicated
hat she was struggling between NOR
ification and mirth. just as they
urned toward the bridge both of them
oolxed back at me. Ismiled and raised
nv hat. They laughed and on they
vent. 1t was pleasant little enter
ainmeut for a downtown trip."-N.