The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-01-03
Well of Laughing Gas
BY GEORGE RANDOLPH CHESTER.

I tie birds in the trees had all stopped
twittering.
why Hez Doles!' she exclaimed. IT
declare If you hain't the foolishest loony
l ever see in all my mortal days What
ever makes you take on so anyway
and she grabbed him by the collar and
shook him to make him understand.
"O-o-o-o-o-o-h, ha ha, ha, ha, ha," be-
gan Hezekiah, but she shook him so
hard that he had to stop and take
breath.
Jest wait till I tell We, Sarah,' he
gasped II was drilling away. you
| know-ah, ha ha, ha, ha-"
Sarah shook him again.
wait, Sarah! After awhile drew the
. drill up-a-h-h-h-h. no, no, no, no!
| Don't, Sarahl And right OIL the drill was
a little patch of rustl O-h-h-h-h, ha, ha
don't Sarahl And it looked for all the
world like the funniest faced man you
ever see sence yer uncle Ebenezer died!
A-a-a-a-h, ha, .ha, ha, ha-" and Heze-
Siah went into a peal of laughter that
shaking wouldn't stop. So she choked
him.
Jest wait till I show yer he splut-
tered as soon as he could get his breath,
and with a series of chuckles and ex-
plosions he went over to the windlass.
We'll if that's all ye're laughin' so
like a hoddy-noddy at, we've gone
| plumb daffy!" said Sarah with a look of
panied disgust.
Never mindr' he snickered when
We see it yul laugh yourself sick! It's
the funniest thing that ever vast
Sarah's face, as that drill came grad
ually up out of the well, was sight to
behold. At first she wore a set express
sion as if she had just swallowed
lemon. She looked as IL money from
home would arouse no interest and win
ming the counterpart prize at the next
fair would be no satisfaction whatever.
AS the drill came slowly winding up two
or three of the wrinkles between her
eyes began to straighten out. Then her
| eyes began to grow moist. Next her
nose lost that frosty look, and the lines
running down from the side of her nose
softened and broadened. Little crows
| feet appeared then, at the sides of her
| eyes, and her spectacles lifted up
trife. The line of her thin lips came up
from the droop of years, Strengthened,
and had terrific struggle with the long
| unused muscles of her cheeks.
| Then Sarah smiled.
1t would have been an awful thing for
a stranger to behold, the birth of this
smile, full forty-fve years after the
rest of the body had been born, but to
Hezekiah, working at the windlass, it
wipe his eyes and double up in a volley
of laughter that shook down all the
worm eaten apples in the orchard be-
yond. This time Sarah didn't check him.
Her eyes now were glued on the grimy
rope and, as the drill came nearer the
surface, her smile broadened until her
ears loosened the comb in her hair.
AT last the dripping drill popped out
of the hole and Sarah craned eagerly
fof@rt af-d tn 1nnl full 70 al %
gazed, and then she suddenly threw up
both hands, clawed the air for a mo-
ment, held her sides-and laughed.
"E-e-e-e-e-e, he, he, he, he, he!"
screeched Sarah.
"A-h-h.h-h-h, ha, ha, ha, ha, haw
roared Hezekiah. did we see it. Sarah?
Ooh, no, no, no, no, no, ho!'
cackled Sarah mo! I reckon it must
be wore Off E-e-e-e-e-e, he, he, he, he
he, her
"O-h-h-h-h-h-h, ha, ha, ha, ha, hal"
bowled Hezekah.
With one accord they turned to each
other, locked arms and tottered across
the back lot, around the house and down
to the front gate, laughing all the way,
while the tears streamed down their
faces.
Sslathiel Croak hurried out of his MILL
Nathaniel Moody hurried out of his
smithy. Simeon Graveweeds hurried out
of his tailor shop and all headed straight
for the AFFLICTED couple.
"Why brother and sister Doles, have
We backslidr' asked the disconsolate
miller anxiously.
"A-h-h-h-hh, ha, ha, ha, ha, hat bel
lowed Hezekiah
| "E-e-e-e-e-e he, he, he he her'
screamed Sarah.
And that was all they could say Peter
Grump the shoemaker, and Elias Bill
ious, the storekeeper, Joined the grief
ridden throng, but they could get no
more out of them. Hezekiah did manage
to shrek out that it was too funny to
tell, then he and Sarah held on to the
gateposts and laughed some more. The
neighbors, in a steadily increasing
crowd, stood around and looked at
them, wide mouthed and wide eyed, and
silently mourned
In the morning. though. Sarah and
Hezekiah sat at the breakfast table and