The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-03-12

ts''! yst their devotion to eac 1. other
:. ", Unchanged; indeed, after Mamie,
s only child, married and lett lett
s %sn i seemed as if the pages OF life
~ s.1I blovn back for them and they
NV r,,s once more lovers, and the world
rs for them alone.
That was before Ezra had typhoid
h,sr, Through his long illness his
,1e nursed him tenderly, but ne
Anna from it o broken-down old man,
,iIh bis ears forever sealed to all the
common sounds to which his lite had
been set. He was slow in realizing
lis, but one day as he lay watching
h, wife and the doctor, the knowl-
|eee broke harshly upon him. He
|nnld see bis wife's lips move as she
noothed the bed with her soft,
uipkled hand, but he could hear no
Imd, Then he turned his dull eyes,
,hh pitiful look of pain darkening
| HEM, toward the doctor. He too,
us speaking, but the deaf ears could
ush no sound. His weak, peevish
voice Jared suddenly upon their talk.
"Why don't ye speak SOS I con hear
ys std O mumbling so?"
His wife started and then cast o
Quick, imploring glance at the doctor.
|&s leaned down over the bed; her
|hcs was in the shadow and her hus-
band could not see her eyes.
DO you hear me now, dear2"
The words reached him family, and
tom q distance. He struggled with
| lie sounds minute or two before they
resolved themselves into words.
"Of course I hear ye," he said fret
hDy, "only why don't you speak up?
! amt 80 sick, be IL"
The words were q little clearer now,
though still for off.
you have been very sick, but are
getting better. fast. It has to be quiet
for you, you know, dear, but you will
'oon be up, now"
The old man shut his eyes YEARLY;
he effort had been o heavy one fol-
him. His wife turned to the doctor,
her eyes shining through her tears.
lean make him hear" she cried,
knew I could. I didn't believe
Ens could get where he couldn't hear
me- And he needn't ever know now. ,
The doctor looked at her and sale
nothing. He was a young man, ani
tssened very pitiful to him.
but he had not understood the ole
mans strong constitution. In o few
weeks he was about again, as we'll O.
s'et' apparently, save for the sealed
sas' Ills wife chartered to him il
y as' Old fashion, and kept out Of sigh
ue medicines she took for her straine'
voice; she cautioned the neighbor
v VINO came to see him, and though
uat 10 did not know. But she wa
mistaken; there were other sounds
many Of them-that had been wove,
a u ., lite Of nearly seventy years, on
uplace Of these there was q greo
vacant stiffness; and he knew all.
;. Vae afternoon she found him sittin
a9e bigwooded chair in the kitchen
studying bis old twisted hands, H
give her a tremulous smile as sh
came IN.
81, In most broken up, Hester" b
Dont" she cried, "don't EzraL
a liant bear it! We're both gettin
''d IT. but that's all IT'S"
~ ays sn (, his head sadly.
,,.; NO. taln't, Hester-I've been
, ,onas " Tor a long time. YOU
,'s .a yeEyou can see and hear ju
ss ,,t ulster, but I'm an old ma
,sse ! You've been q good girl, al
dia,Vy na a9 happy life together, but
b l :, IA calculate for you to be tied ,
,hoa ao ~ man. I've got to thinkil
ils ' ~ lately, and sometimes I thi,
bssn a y was right and it hadn't ort
u, The ,., woman listened and a gre
md md . seemed to beat up in her t6ro
md naV1e her voice. She leaned ov
NV IT, l M trembling hands on his.
ahs, ~: she cried, aud the appt
Qnctno. AA0u ~ Will clear q
sid ~ ) TO him, ezra, have 1 e1
sy' : u0ne a thing to make you +,
- Looked up, startled.
hs MI; SI Knows you haven't, Hester
raa ~ Era r. if anything should h,
hss sa me,1 should be sick or he
,sa,s' YOU'D you love me less? Wo,
%. assaa, =. came over the old man;
q u ,oa.I pl an instant that the face
4 i :. looked back at her.
a'sa't tes your suffering, B