The Huttig news., 1908-02-29

Inc Ola lace hooded With sudden
glory. She took the flowers in both
hands, gently pressed them to lip and
cheek, drew long whiffs of their
fragrance, turned them from side to
side, peered questioningly into their
sun-filled hearts-it was pitiful the
ecstasy flower could bring to this
shut-in soul
'Where'd you git EN- honey?" she
asked in the thick voice OF the deaf
Instantly Viola caught up her grand.
mothers crutch, bent back her foot,
and, for step or two, initiated Alvin
Carter
The telegrafter's boy?" the old
woman asked, with an odd light in her
eye.
Viola nodded
Here they be, child You mustn't
gi.e away yer sweethearts posy gift"
Viola's cheek tint deepened; but
she laughed, pushing back the old
hand that offered the blossoms.
cit a tumbler of water, vi, SOS
they won't wilt her mother COM
manded.
AS soon as Viola vanished, Sally B.
began the most remarkable gesture
speech Stella had ever seem 1t was
meaningless to her, yet the old dame
evidently understood it.
mo sweethearts? That pretty gal?"
The old eyes cleaned young again.
Another series of gyrations.
Too young ter marry? She's older'n
you was; though l do low she's pow
erful little"
Sally BIS movements were more en-
phatic.
"Sho, Sally; size mustn't marry that
leetle cripple, to be shore. But
where there's honey there'll be more'n
one fly; and all fellers is sweethearts
at IS"
Viola came in with the water and
pushed up ''lightstand," leaving
grandma am with her flowers.
DO tell me, Mrs. Sally, how you
make her understand. It's wonderful."
Yes; folks thinks it's right peart
Poor grandma'am she can't read!'
Sally B. paused and gazed sorrowfully
at the old woman. They want no
chance y, learnin to read In Oregon in
the twenties. So when she got stun deaf
| was pesky cut up. 1t came after
paw died. laid awake O. nights study.
in how could talk with her like the
deaf an dumb does One day she
asked me how Bill-that's my hus-
band-come by a scar on his hand;
an l drew picture of horse kickin,
a man."
Il wish you'd seen grandma ans
face, Viola broke in. 1T was just like
to-day with the flowers
After that l pictured out things
whenever | could git the time-rough
O course; l can't draw none-but sort
of one-line things she'd see the mean
in of. Bimeby they got so many II
took heap O time to hunt EN- over,
an hit on the idee of putin numbers
on 'em. She larned the numbers; an
now when we want to tell her any.
thing we just call off the figgers on
our fingers. One wave of both hands
is ten, two waves is 20, an so on; an
the one, two, threes we do with our
fingers"
How astonishing May l see your
picture alphabet" Stella asked
Certain" Sally B. brought out the
crude drawing. "Of course, all the
easy things, sech as eatin', sleepin'.
!aaghin', cryin', We just act out" The
lightning panorama on Sally BIS face
showed that her mother had some
things to be thankful for.
Stella. you make Viola read them
kind O books you have read, an under
stand 'em, too, if We have to break her
head a-doin' it. Think O NAV just a
settin there. piecin risin' sun quilts.
an settin moon quilts, an bridal
wreath quilts-same ole patterns
over'n over agin. Good Lord. One
risin' suns nough for the hull airth.
amt it? Well, she's mace a dozen
makes 'em for me, too, God love her!
Jest think what her life'd be if she
could read!" Sally r. almost sobbed
the last word
A shadow fell across t;e doorsill
and Vic Wah appeared. mo spuds.
no licey, no salelatus 10 suppeh. You
catchee him quick
Sally B. whirled. her eyes blazing
Gosh dang it, Yic Why you no tellee
me last week?'
You callee me Vic Wah. Sabe?"
The Chinaman's voice was as placid
as pond in July. He turned without
another lock at the group and left
the ROOM
May | go to the store fer you?"
Stella asked
NO. There's two reasons: One,
can't have Wis teacher doin' common
Grants; the other, that Gid'll be leav-
in his work an runnin' after you"
She parted the drapery at the back
of barrel chair and drew her hat
and jacket from under the seat
Though it was warm, Sally B. dressed
for business as carefully as she played
every other part in life.
I'll have to give Gideon some les
sons, too, | think" Stella said half
aside.