Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1898-07-20
AFTER THIRTY YEARS.

older than she, and q shy, silent MAJ
out Of touch with village lfe, every
body sad that she ma a mistake tina
she would soon Iegr t. Yet, though
village eyes kept ken st watch upor
them, village prophecy was fer once a
fault. Hester's girlish beau y changed
into comfortable middle-aged comeli
ness, and Ezra grew stiff and rheumat-
ic, yet their devotion to each other was
unchanged indeed, after Mamie, tn III
only child, married and left home, il
seemed as if the pages of life had blown
back for them and they were once
mere lovers, and the word was for
them alo; e.
| That was before Ezra had typhoi
fever. Through his long illness his
wife nUrsed him tend rly, but ne came
from it broken-down old man, with
his ears forever scaled to all the COM
mon sounds TO which h s fe had been
set. He was 81 W in realizing this, but
one day as he lay watching his wife and
the doctor, the knowle lge broke harsh.
ly upon him. He could see his wife's
lips move as she SIN othed the bed
with her soft, wrntled hand, but he
could hear no word. Ten he turned
his dull eyes, with a piaful lock OF pain
darkening then, toward the doctor.
He too, was speaking, Tut the deaf ears
could catch no sJund. HIS weak,
peeyish vote Jared suddenly upon
their talk.
why don't ye spelk SOS l can hear |
We, std O mumbling SOP
His wife s.artel and tten cast q
quick. i.rploling glance at the doctor.
She leaned down over the bed; her
face was in the shadow and her hus-
band could not see her eyes.
"Do you Lear me now, dear?'
The words reached him family, and
from distance. He struggled with
the sounds minute CT two before they
resolved themselves into words.
"Of course | IL ar ye, he said fret
fully, "only Why don't ye speak up i
amt so sick, lie ~
The words we've Little clearer now,
hough still far off. l.
"You have been very sick, but are
getting better fast. 1t has to be quiet
or you, you kl ow, dear, but you will 8
Don be ", now II
TIL old nan shut his eyes YEARLY;
he effort had been heavy one for
lin, His wife turnel to the doctor,
Ter eyes shining through her teais.
81 can make him h,ar," she cried,
I lnew l corl1. / Lidn't believe Ezra
ould get where he couldn't hear me.
nd he needn't ever know now" !
The doctor looked at her and said
othing. He was ayoung man, and it
'emed very pit full to him.
But he had not understood The old
lau's strong COZ stituiicn. In q few
eeks he was sbout again, as we'll as ST
yer, apparently, saved from the sealed n
mr.. His wife chat eled to HIM in
er old fash or, and kept out of sight te
le m. die mes she TO k for her trained | q,
ice; she cautioned the neighbois who @,
me t. see him, md thought that he or
d not know. But she was mistaken
ere were other sounds-many of /
had been woven into a life
neatly seventy years, and in place of dc
csc there was great vacant stiffness; mr.
ID he knew all. Of,
One afternoon she found him sitting lio
the big wooden chair in the kitchen,
ldying his old twisted hands. He -
sc her tremulcus smile as she came to
"1'm most brOk,n up, Hester" he SO
ID hr
''Don't!' SIZE cried, "don't Ezra!- l 70
Mt bear it! We're 9TH getting IL.
Ter. but that's all It's" an,
He shook his head sadly. chi
No, faint, Htster-I'ye been a. rio
ing it for long time. You're she
ing yet--you can see and hear Just ao,
you ulster, but Tin an old man, SIR
ster You've | cen good girl. and bal
had a happy +, together, but l the
ut ca'culne f + y 10 be tied up dar
Al old mn. I've got to thinking old
nut it ,tely, and some times | think !
IS was T. ght and it hadn't orter sno
H." and
The woman stoned and great pain kne
med 10 beat up in Ler throat and chill
ked her voice. She leaned over and wo,
4 l. IL. 1 L 1