The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-01-16
TWO DEAF
MUTES
BY MOLLIE K. WETHEREIL
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

hands that they could neither hear nor
speak.
isn't it a pity, Grace?" said one of
the girls to the other, "that these
young men are deaf mutesT
"And so handsome, too!n
The words were spoken in too low a
tone for their vis-a-vis TO hear, even IL
they had been endowed with hearing
for the girls could not quite feel sure
of their condition. AS the train got
nnder way, making more and more of
a rattle, the girls gained confidence
and raised their voices. 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-
sal voices,
isn't It funny, Belle" said Grace,
ITO be talking about people before their
faces and they not being able to hear
a word7"
'SThere's a fascination about it," re.
piled the other. ''Do you know, am
possessed with desire to say some
shing l wouldn't have them hear for
the universe"
"Why soT'
"oh, ON account Of the novelty of the
thing. Didn't you ever say all sorts OF
things to some deaf person.
Yes, indeed, Ny aunt Margaret is
deaf as a post. l delight to call her
names right under her nose"
Which do you think the handsomer
of the two menY
'Srhe one with the blue eyes and
light hair"
"He hasn't mustache You know
what they say about kissing a man
without mustache-like eating an
egg without salt"
u wouldn't mind a 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 handker
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,
/ think a beard that has not long
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 manikinf"
"Do you dare meY
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"
"Is that it?7
"Yes."
''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, II was great fun to be
able to talk this way to two nice look
ing young men who couldn't hear
word they were saying. Nor could
they help looking at the subjects of
their remarks to note the absolutely T
unconscious look on their faces.
Then the conductor came around TO
take up tickets, and the girls saw
A. Ar v,o,,Y, raavf g ,yara Gov 4l,a
same station as their own, When the I
conductor had passed Grace said to
Belle;
How would 1t do to ask them to
come and see us tonight"
You can ask them what you like 1t
won't make any difference. Indeed,
you might screech in their ears and /
they wouldn't hear you"
well, then, I'm going to do it just
for fun"
Don't"
'Why notF"
"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 itT'
"Of course not"
"Well, then, what are you afraid OFF,
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 at
her friend The young mems fingers
were going like lightning. They seemed
TO have found a new subject of mutual !
interest.
what would be the use Of their
coming to see us?' said Belle. "They
couldn't talk to us nor we to them"
Perhaps they carry states TO write
messages on"
When the train stopped at the station
where all were to alight one Of the
young men said TO the other in a sono-
rous bass voice:
"Goodby. Redmond III meet you at
g at your room
The girls went home in a carriage,
using smelling. salts by the way. f
The time came when the young men
made the girls acquaintance and the
rail- as well, but Il was an done with
sut reference to their first meeting.
An Incorugible.