The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-11
The EVENING STORY
Deaf and Dumb.
(By Harriet Lumnis Sn1ii

round table in the little open-air res |
taurant had kept up desultory flow
Of talk, such as was compatible with
doing justice to the delicious soft
shelled crabs. for which the sea gull is
noted. But it was soundless CONVEX
sation. inarticulate. for the fingers
talked rather than the lips George La
veton was a deaf mute, and his cousin,
Allan Merrifield, though less proficient
in the sign language, had mastered
enough Of it's intricacies to enable him
to sustain a part in the conversation.
Deaf and dumb. poor things! Isn't
it dreadful?"
It was a girls voice coming from the
table at the right.
Eyes, dreadful! And especially for
the handsome one." replied her COM
panion.
Now, which of us does she mean?"
wondered Allan. His uncertainty was
credit to his modesty, for Georges
lean, brown face, in spite of an ex-
preston Of alertt intelligence, lacked
every element of beauty. Fortunately
the speaker settled the question by adj
ding, What dark beautiful eyes lie
has! I never care for blue eyes in a
man."
Allan heaved sigh of relief. Georges
eyes were gray. He improved the first
opportunity to glance at the other table.
The girl in blue was beautiful Her
oval face was tinted like a seashe1l and
the big violet eyes with their long
lashes, were bewitchfng in their frank
pity.
George nudged his friend, and his
nimble fingers spelled out warning,
Don't stare SO. It's rude"
1.-THE worst of it isl remarked the
girl who had spoken first, that such an
affection shuts them out of everything
OF course. they can't marry. No wo-
man in her senses would consider such
thing
81 don't know why" cried the girl in
You don't?" The exclamation of her
companion indicated mingled disap-
proval and surprise.
We'll, for one reason, he couldn't
make love to you.''
HE wouldn't need to-" declared the
girl in blue, trifie sentimentally. eff
only he looked she broke off with a
laugh. and her companion said reprov-
! ingly:
"Weu. winifred, I don't wonder Won
blush"
Allan longed to see how she looked
when she was blushing, but he did not
dare to raise his eyes. And her name
was Winifred. Somehow he liked the
to himself.
The talk at the table on the right
turned into other channels, but though
Allan listened eagerly for a clue to
the IDENTITY OF the speakers, none
Well leave or they'll leave" he re-
Hected, land I'll never see her again."
1t seemed TO him that 1t was a piece
OF malice on the part of fate to have
placed the girl in such tanta1izing
proximity. at the same time setting
between them the barbed wire fence
iof social convention. Why couldn't
he have met ner? He wished for a
hurricane or an earthquake, something
i'm 50.
hurrylng to her side, and proffering
his aid But nothing happened except
that George finished his crabs and
asked on his fingers the leading CUES
why have you lost your appetizer"
Allan took final glance at the girl
as he rose to go. She was even pref
tier than he had imagined-and
sweeter. What pensive little mouth
was hers, dropping at the corners! And
what a brave, tender hearted little
girl she had proved herself in her i'm
petuous challenge to her friend. 1t
seemed hard that he was turning away
from her without any assurance that
he would ever see her again As he
stepped aboard the street car he had
so burdensome a sense of heaviness of
| heart that the ludicrous side of the
situation forced itself on his attention
and he laughed aloud.
In the nature of the case, an ener-
getic young lawyer who is also a so
sentimental regrets. But somehow the
| memory of the girl whose name was
| Winifred, came back to Allan often in
his hours of relaxation. or when he
heard sweet music. Sometimes, he
dreamed of seeing her, and the joy of
recognition invariably awoke him. And
\ So things were one crisp fall morning,
when Fate agein took a hand in the
/ game.
| Allan came out of his Office in a
rush. He had some important matters
| to attend to before meeting a client.
He had not yet reached the point in
his profession when he could safely
keep clients waiting. Accordingly he
i started to cross the street, despite the
fact that touring car was bearing
down upon him. heralding it's advance
| by the aggressive toots by the modern
| motoriSt asserts his pre-eminent claim
to the public highway. Allan believed
(, that he had time enough to get across
before the car should strike him, and
that. anyway, it was the chauffeur's
business to look out.
At the critical moment, his calcula-
tons were upset bv a hand that clutch
ed his arm He stopped and pulled
violently back from under the very
| wheels of the swerving car.
Allan got back to the sidewalk with
out knowing just what had happened
except that tie hand that had first
! clutched him, still held fast to his arm.
Then looking Town he saw that it was
/ a little hand in a blue glove.
| The hand released its hold on him,
touched his shoulder. as If to attract
his attention, and pointed in the direc-
ton of the now vanishing car. Allan
understood that an effort had been
made to save him from the consequent
ces of his own recklessness, and he
tried to seem grateful
Eyes. see." he stammered at sup
pose it was rather close. AwfuIly good
of you"
The brim of the big hat was tilted
with startling suddenness, disclosing a
; face, winsome in spite of it's pallor
''You-you can speak?'' gasped the girl