The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1911-01-26
TWO DEAF
MUTES
BY MOLLlE K. WETHERELL
Copyright by ASnerican Press Assoc
citation. 1911.

two young men. No sooner had the
girls seated themselves than the young
men began TO work their fingers in the
sign language Of deaf mutes. They
were well dressed. gentlemanlike fel
lows. and it was evident from the rap
idity with which they talked with their
hands that they could neither hear nor
speak.
isn't it pity. Grace?" said one of
the girls to the other that these
young men are deaf mutes:'
"And so handsome. tool"
The words were spoken in too low a
tone for their vis-a-vis to hear. even if
they had been endowed with hearing.
for the girls could not quite feel sure
of their condition. As the train got
under way. making more and more of
a rattle. the girls gained confidence
and raised their voice.. Since no heed
was paid to them by the young men,
no matter what they said. they finally
became used to speaking in their natu-
| raj voices
isn't it funny. Belle" said Grace,
ito be talking about people before their
faces and they not being able to hear
q wOrd?''
There's fascination about it," re-
piled the other do you know, l am
| possessed with desire to say some
thing l wouldn't have them hear for
| the universe"
"Why so?''
"Oh. on account of the novelty of the
thing. Didn't you ever say all sorts of
things to some deaf person.
"Yes. indeed. My aunt Margaret is
deaf as post. delight to call her
names right under her nose
Which do you think the handsomer
of the two menu
THE one with the blue eyes and
light hair"
HE hasn't mustache. You know
what they say about kissing man
without a mustache-like eating an
egg without salt
81 wouldn't mind kiss from him
even if he has no mustache."
At that moment the two young men
| ceased their silent communication. and
the one with blue eyes. light hair and
| no mustache looked through the win
dow. His companion was seized with
a slight coughing and put his handler
! chief to his mouth. But in a few
! minutes they were wriggling their fin
gers again.
"For my part" said Grace. II pre-
fer the one with that soft black beard
l think a beard that has not Ions
grown is very becoming to a young
man."
"Why don't you tell him SO loud
enough for him to hear yOu-that is. il
he wasn't deaf as a manikin?"
do you dare me-"
Dare you? There's nothing to dare
Don't you know that the reason these
people can't talk is that they are born
without the slightest ability to hear?
| Not being able to hear, they can't learn
| how to talk"
lis that it?'
Eyes"
"Well, Mr.. Man, your black beard is
very becoming, and you with blue eyes
my friend wouldn't mind your kissing
| her."
Then the girls looked at each other
| and laughed. 1t was great fun to be
| able to talk this way to two nice loos-
| ing young men who couldn't hear a
| word they were saying. Nor could
| they help looking at the subjects of
| their remarks to note the absolutely
unconscious look on their faces.
Then the conductor came around to
| take up tickets. and the girls saw
| that the young mems were for the
same station as their own. When the
| conductor had passed Grace said to
| Belle:
| "How would it do to ask them to
come and see us tonight?"
! "You can ask them what you like. 1t
| won't make any difference. Indeed,
I you might screech in their ears and
they wouldn't hear you"
/ "Well, then, Pm going to do it just
for fun
| Don't"
"Why not?"
"Oh. it seems as if they ought to
hear US, even if they don't"
"Do you suppose if they had heard
what we had said about them they
could help showing it?'
| "Of course not"
"Well, then, what are you afraid Of?
"I'm not afraid. Young gentlemen
we are very much pleased with your
| appearance. We live at 81 North
| Adams street We would be very glad
to have you call upon us this evening.
| She said all this looking straight al
her friend. The young mea's fingers
were going like lightning They seemed
to have found new subject of mutual
interest.
/ ssWhat would be the use or tnelf
| coming to see u.s." said Belle. They
couldn't talk to us nor we to them.
perhaps they carry states to write
II essages on.
When the train stopped at the station
where all were to alight one of the
Young men said to the other in sono-
rous bass voice:
! "Goodby. Redmond I'll meet you at
/ q