The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1906-12-14
BY OWEN OLIVER


q
f. Then aiI sound stopped The
rumble Of vehicles. the scurry of feet.
ihe cries OF the street yenlers. the
houts Of the newspaper boys-ali the
hum OF llfe-ceased in an instant
/ thought at FIRST that I had died,
but could feel my limbs feel my
lips moving as ! cried for help, feel
The vibration OF the traffic that could
not hear
Il am bNnd," I shouted "B ind.
And deaf Hold me. some one Some
onei"
heard no call. and no answer. ]
rroped wildly in the darkness. and
net other hands that were cropping too
seized some one by the shoulder. anf
others seized me Their hands twitchei
aonvulslyely. They were crying out
,s was. knew by touching their
.pen mouths and faces coufortei
with fright
Il IS possible that l tainted. but was
held up on my feet by the pressure q.
he crowd, for ! seemed 10 lose myself
for a time and 10 come back 20 myself
in a swaying. clutching mass OF un-
seen. unheard people. felt sick and
almost suffocated. and tried yainly 90
push my way out. TN the crowd was
scattered by a plunging horse which
brushed against me as 10 passed. ]
.ook a few hurried steps and found
myself somewhcre-alonei ] was more
afraid OF the Loneliness than bad
been OF the crowd.
Presently when ! had gone some way
wo hands cutched my legs They
we're such small hands that ] DID not
ear them greatly ! stopped down,
M felt a small child lying on the Dap
# woman. The w0mans hair W a
Dose and hanging over her face.
h0ught she was young. She shifeIe1
% my touch. but sat down beside her.
he laid my hand on the child as ii She
,ppealed TO me fcr help. ! felt lti
mouth moving. as If 30 cried for somo-
thing. invented an alphabet and spe.i
mt a message with taps upon bier
houlder: one tap for A, two for b.
nd so on. but she put my hand 90 DE.
cad TO feel that She shook it | could
.su by the way she held my hand tha.
ne did not mean 90 refuse my friend
hip. but TO show that size could not
Understand my signs
plucked at her sleeye 20 rise and
ome with me. and she came. She was
carcely able to stand so ] took tha
hid from her and carried IT,
She felt the texture of my clothina
arefuny and my scarf and watch
hahn and even my hankerchief- She
yidenty wanted to know what man.
ler Of man was. Apparently she W
adsaed. for she held gently 20 ml
leeye when she had finished her in
pection.
After "a few minutes l took her hanl
md tried my alphabet again; and Gus
lime She understood and answered
This was the conversation, spelt ol
lowly. letter for letter:
7. F-r-i-e-n-d.
She. Friend.
l. John C-a-r-t-e-r F-r-i-e-n-d d
She. Yes. Friend. A-l-i-c-
THORN. What is i-t?
/. Don't know.
She. Shall We die?
/. Don't know.
She What shall we do?
|. Find your home.
We were very hungry, and at las
we met some policemen who under
stood our new language. One OF then
took MS to an eating-house. l onere
| 1im money, but he refused.
Mousse" he tapped End o.
world"
We had a good meal and lay down 81
sleep in an inner room.
In the morning-if it were morn'n
when we awoke we found a basket
glied it with food and bottles OF water
nd started again.
lam happy now Alice spell
"a ont. began 10 spell out am answeI
but The letters would not come quick
v enough for her and suddenly sh
aucbt at me and wrote with her fn
Ger ON my cheek. ] could read Oh
writing easily. and it was much quick
= ar than the taps. We were so please
with our quicker conversation tha
ye stood still writing on one another
aces as fast as our fingers woul
move. I'VE always used this way after
gard)
We discussed at length the calamit
which had come upon the world, an
perhaps. concluded, "it is sort
fog over New York. Shall we try
= reach the country
Il will 90 whatever you fell me
She wrote back.
Tell me just what you are Ike %
wrote. What is the color of your haii
How old are you2'
o "I shall not tell you" she wrot
. because II you ike me now, pc
r hans You would not then. 10 the sl
s never rises again ] can look iust o
]. Won like me % look. and be just ass oil
as you VISA Now shall We go on?'
We walked on for a long time, an
e. AZ last we came O. sore ,aiiIngs 4
(, We felt our way 10y them we met
j woman coming along in the other e.
rection. We felt one another With oi
J hands and accepted acquaintance. $.
( was a very intelligent lady and unde
stood our writing
1T is Union square she wrote,
am looking for my son. lie went %
for some provisions and has not con
n back. Have you met HING
NO" / answered. can We sie
anywhereT
MY house" she offered. and took
there.
u We stayed with them for TWO dag
> Their name was Roberts and Oh
= were a very peasant family.