Connecticut western news., 1909-09-09
LOVE AND DEAFNESS,
By F. A. MITCHELL.
tCopyright, 1909, by American Press A
 citation

power of speaking distinctly, became a burden on his congregation. In or der to get rid of him they suggested that he go to a more salubrious eli. mate and build up another church There were many English speaking tourists in southern Italy, and the pas tor was packed off to Naples, where instead of succeeding in establishing church, lie supported himself and his family by entertaining said tourists in what is called in Europe n pension, fin America q boarding house.
 There came to MT. MacAlister's pen sion an American party consisting of MT. Blobson. an old gentleman deat as a post; Mrs Harker, q widow, deaf as MT. Blobson, and Alice Harker, her daughter, aged twenty-five, a confirmed globe trotter Miss Harker was espe- cially anxious that her mother whom she found 1t inconvenient to drag about with her, should in some way be soothed. The Harkers had met MT. Blobson in Paris, and they had all trav. eled together to Naples. On the way Miss Harker had conceived the idea. of marrying her mother to Mir. Blobson, though how the two were to get on together, both suffering from the same physical defect, she did not consider.
 The beginning of the party's stay with the MacAlisters was not suspicious. MT. MacAlister at dinner, after his guests had been seated, bent his head and began to speak in low tone.
 ''What's that?' asked Blobson.
 The host paused, somewhat discon- certed, then, without noticing the in- terruption, began again. -
 Speak louder. I'm hard of hearing" persisted Blobson. .#..
 The Scotchman raised his head and spoke as loud as his impaired voice would admit. But 1t was no use. Blobson drowned his words with his demands for louder speech. .#
 "Ye irreverent monI" MacAlister ex- claimed angrily, "rm saying grace"
 It seemed as though all the deaf tourists in Europe were destined to meet at MacAlister's boarding house.
 Sir Douglas McCracken, born deaf and dumb, ar old friend of the domi- l4lCf no0 NADN@-lSd bO NlolA ANoHANo anu during his stay was to be a member of the household. Alice Harzer, who was used to talking with her mother by the finger sign language, was asked to assist fin entertaining him. One morning on coming in from sightsee- ing she was told that Sir Douglas had arrived. Entering the drawing room, she saw man with a young face and bald head reading a guidebook Seeing a pretty girl, he rose deferen- tally She addressed him in the sign language, and he replied in kind.
 Now, it happened that this meeting involved a case of love at first sight. For an hour the two piled their fin gers in mutual entertainment and Miss Harker began to think how sin gular 1t would be if she succeeded in marrying her mother to the deaf Mir. BlQbson and she herself should marry the deaf and dumb Sir Douglas. Pres ently the dominic came in with a man as old as himself and introduced him as the real, original and only Sir Doug las McCracken.
 And this gentleman?" Alice asked. pointing to the man she had been con- versing with. He's Sir Douglas son, Angus" And I've been talking to the young lady" said Angus, "supposing her to be a deaf mute"
 There's nothing like sightseeing eX- cursions for lovemaking. Angus Me Cracken and Alice Harker walked to- gether on the hills overlooking Naples and its picturesque bay, sailed to the | island of Capri. spooned in its celebrat- ed blue grotte and drove from Sorren- to over the most beautiful drive in the world to Amalh. Proposals often come at opportune moments, and in this case l the declaration was made while the two were looking down into the crater of Yesuvius. However, Alice was ready for it, and while giving her reply she was meditating upon a plan to bring about the union of her mother with MT. Blobson.s She told Angus McCracken that while her mother was on her hands she could not marry, but she hoped to make match for the old lady. after which she would be pleased to become | his wife. Angus, realizing that his happiness depended on the success of the scheme, forthwith devoted himself to MT. Blobson, sounding all the while Mrs. Harker's praises and suggesting what fine thing it would be for him if he could secure her for q wife. Blobson was finally convinced and told Angus that he would propose. Angus communicated the news to Alice. Alice in turn confided it to her mother.
 Angus McCracken and Alice Harker, although they had plighted their troth coughing up the fumes of volcano, considered that a romantic situation would be most effective in closing the matter between the elder lovers. The party were at Sorrento at the time. On a road winding up the cliff a short distance from their hotel is a house of entertainment with q square open cu- pola overlooking the enticing bay and surrounding mountains. The young sters drove their elders there one moon