The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1898-03-29

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II ~ HEN pretty Hester
! ). ]. !" !. ! ]. !. !. !.
ii a Warren married
I'll fbBf Ezra Banks, who
FEif was twenty years
Y i1is older than she.
N /: - and a shy. silent
IN Ell man out Of touch
\EfT-ZT with village life,
s :. S5z4.<S s that :Ss made sia d
&.aS 81, you'll ~; '%s' re re
greet Yet, though
village eyes kept keenest watch Upon
them, village prophecy was for once at
fault. Hester's girlish beauty changed
into comfortable miiile-aged comeli-
ness, aud EzIa grew stiff aud rheuma-
tic, yet their devotion TO each other
was unchanged; indeed, after Mamie.
their only child, married and left
home, 1t seemed Is if the pages Of life
had blown back tor them and they
were once more lovers, and the world
vas for them alone
That was before Ezra hal typhoid
fever Throngl his loa- illness his
wife nursed him t@nleriy. but he
came from II . b-oken-down old man.
with hls ears forever sealed 10 all the
common sounds 20 which his life had
been set. He was slow II realizing
this, but one day As he Law watching
his wife and the doctor. the knowl-
edge broke harshly upon him. He
could see his vifes lips move as she
smoothed the bed with her soft.
wrinkled hand, blt he could hear no
word Then be turned his dull ewes
with pitifal look OF pain darkening
them, toward the decor. He too.
was speaking, bnt the deaf ears could
catch 10 sound. His weak. peevish
voice Jared suddenly upon their talk.
why don't We speak SOS 1 can hear
We. std o mumbling soy
His wife started and then cast q
quick, imp!oring glance al 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 hear me now, dear:'
The words reached him family. and
from distance. He struggled with
the sounds ? minute or two before thew
resolved ii, mselves into words.
''Of course 1 hear We, " he said fret
fully. only why don't you speak ups
1 amt so sick, be T.
The words were a little clearer now.
though still far Of.
You have been very slcs. but are
getting better fast. Il has n be quiet
for you, you know. dear. but you viii
soon be up, now.
The old man shut his evez YEARLY.
the effort had been a heavy one FOR
him. His wife turned 20 the doctor
her eyes shining through her tears.
Il can make him hear. " she cried.
81 knew [ could. I didn't believe
Ezra could get where he couldn't hear
ne And he needn't ever know now. %
The doctor locked - her and said
nothing He was young man. and
II seemed very pi,iiul - him.
But he had not understood the old
mans strong constitution. In z few
weeks ne was about azain. as well as
eve-, apparently. save for the sealed
ears. Has wife chatteEei % him in
her Old fashion. and Kept out Of sight
the medicines she took for her strainsi
voice: she cautioned the neighbor=
who came 20 see him. and though.
that be did no; know. Bu. she wa
mistaken. there were other sounds
many q them-tha. had been woven
into lie q nearly seventy years. and
IN PLACE oi these there was great
vacant stiffness. and be knew a'l
One afternoon she found him sitting
in the bigvcodel chair IN the kitchen.
studying bis oli twisted hands. He
gave her q tremnlcus smile as She
came in
I'm most broken ur. Hester be-
said.
Don't" she cried. "don.t Era
] can't bear i', We're both gei..u-
older, but that's all 'is
He shook lls head sadly.
ono. faint. Hester-I'rs been A.
seeing IS 'ar O Ions time Y9ar.
young yst-rou can See AMI fas- .--.
81 you ulster. bat I'm Oh obi man.
Heste- You've been COOL girl. and
we've bal o happy afe together. tut 7
didn't a'cl.ate ieT you to be ti.5 au
90 an old man. I've got o. thusiry
abau, 30 la's y. and souvtilas 7 -hilk
folks was rigat an1 it haiu'. a--e-
been.
The woman listened and o great
pan semel 60 beat up iu he fHsra.
and choke her voice She leaual over
ali psi her trembling hands ou bis.
'Ezra she cried. aud She aarsa.
il Der voice carried &C. with clear disc