Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1906-12-05
The President
fOriginal.1

IN u COileSe IOT ucdl iuulcS, uClOi AhihSu
to spend his summer vacation In COM
pany with another member Of the fac
ulty, Maurice Dexter, in Europe. In
order to be free from the cares of trav-
ell the two friends joined one OF those
touring parties the managers OF which
send people off like children In care Of
a nurse. They found it convenient
during their travels when speaking on
subjects In which they desired not to
be overheard to use the sign language,
with which, of course, both were per-
fectly familiar: not that they were OBJ
trusive in this respect, for they were
careful not to thus converse with their
fingers in company, only using it when
no one was very near them.
One day on the steamer going out
they were walking the deck. The
weather was rough-they were moving
against strong northeaster-and very
few passengers were In their steamer
chairs. The wind interfered with their
hearing, so they naturally fell into|"fn-
ger talk" Hubbard was speaking:
'T suppose all Of us unwedded men
have our ideas Of marriage so far as 1t
pertains to us individually. In my own
case / consider 1t dependent upon two
| things-frst, l would know the girl /
would marry on sight; second, propin-
| quity-that is, must be thrown good
| deal in her company"
| "Did you ever decide on sight that
! you would marry girl?'
II have already met with such
case. Do you see that girl over there
| reading a magazine? Well. as soon as
| I laid eyes on her felt that I could
pass my life with her happily"
"Then why not try to get her? Your
first requirement has been reached,
and the second is likely to be realized.
You will probably be together on this
trip for two months"
"That Is exactly what propose to
do"
| The two men soon after adjourned
to the smoking cabin, passing the girl
in question, who still had her eyes
glued to the magazine. Hibbard soon
after secured an Introduction and be-
gan to pay her occasional attentions.
These she received calmly, as she
would those Of any one she might meet
travelling and did not expect to meet
after the trip was finished. Neverthe-
less she never stunned them, and Hib-
bard found In her a great storehouse
of food for conversation. He never
wearied when in her company, and his
4 friend Dexter found him quite dull
when he was not with her. Indeed,
before the vessel reached the French
coast Hubbard and the lady were at
, least boon companions. They made
tour of Switzerland and northern Italy,
and on reaching the steamer for their
return were considered by the other
members Of the touring party to be
engaged.
That they were not was no fault OF
Hibbard's, for he had proposed al
: Chamounix while the highest peaks OF
: the Alps looked down on them. The
young lady had not refused him; she
, had simply declined to give an answer
i, until after their arrival In America
! Whether this was because she had MOI
made up her mind that she loved hin
> or wished to make Inquiries about hin
or doubted the constancy Of his feel
5 ings for her she did not tell him, anC
0 he remained in ignorance Of her rea
4 son. The voyage homeward was nat
/ urally a period Of profound suspense
. to Hibbard, but no reasoning or plead
ing would induce the lady to alter hel
resolution, and he was obliged to suf
fer.
: They returned to their respective
homes. Hubbard to New York and SHIT
to Albany, where she lived part o
the time. At parting he endeavored t
T persuade her to fix date for him Il
go to her and receive his answer, blu
, she declined to give him any satisfac
a ton. When they parted he did no
!. know that she would ever send 10
= him.
Hubbard, being dependent on SINAI
salary, concluded that the lady feare'
u he might not be able to give her liy
ing except on the borders of poverty
% But this was a surmise. He reaches
home a month before his college dutie
J. were to commence and two week
"a later received a letter from an institr
ton in Boston similar to. the one l
which he taught offering him a niue
larger salary than he was receiving
He took a train for Boston the sam
evening and in the morning was ushel
10 ed into the office of the president G
Is the institution that had made the offe
A woman sat writing at desk wit
her back to him. Presently she aros
l. and turned.
Hubbard saw the girl with whom b
had made the tour
le She came forward, tinge Of red
ID her cheek.
,t "The presidents" exclaimed h'
N lover
), "The president. l have built and el
dowed this institution. / had slst'
!" who was deaf mute and thus BEGAN
p' interested in this work"
ne "And you used the sign language
apI your family?" exclaimed the professo
remembering with horror the words
had spoken in finger talk to his frier
Is more than two months before.
s. Eyes, and your proposition W;
ON known to me the first day saw yo
ON You but interpreted my own resoluti'
an with regard to yourself"
oh She spoke the last word with avert'
NUal~ aIx Inn IN.