The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1915-03-05
HER VIEW
Failed to Be Funny When Con.
fronted With Facts, Not
Gossip.
BY LAWRENCE ALFRED CLAY.


.rorvright- 1915, by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate.)
II was o piece Of good luck for
Robin Bennett.
The young city OF Hillsdale was go.
ing to bring its water supply a dis
lance of three miles and construct q
reservoir, and 1t was his first job as a
civil engineer.
II was a matter that interested the
whole town-the taxpayers, because
they had to pay the bills; the female
nopulation. because the coming of
Young Bennett almost at once gave
rise to strange reports.
Gossip had 1t that he was a very
rich man; that he was born dumb.
and that later on he had been deaf
ened by an explosion OF dynamite. 1t
said also that the girl he was to marry
went back on him when that dyna-
mite went on. She said that a hus-
band who couldn't hear her say she
loved him was no husband for her.
And the story went on to the effect
that owing to his misfortunes he had
soured on the whole world and intend.
ed to commit suicide the day the reser-
yoir was completed. There were a
few other things that could be brought
up for discussion when the above had
been threshed out, and taken alto
eether Mr.. Bennett was a valuable as
eet to the town of Hillsdale.
And not one single female, wife,
widow, old maid or maiden, made one
single effort to find out the truth or
falsity OF these reports. or course
not. A woman can weave a romance
around even a reservoir, and this
crowd continued to weave. There
were 50 men who could have knocked
that romance into a cooked hat, but
hey were not appealed to.
Mr. Bennett had his Office near the
liver that was to be tapped, and
boarded with farmer. and thus gave
khe sociriy Of the town no emporium
lty to get acquainted with him. He
had too much TO think Of and to do
DO care about society matters. The
hrst inkling he had as to the gossip
about him was in street car. It was
eossip between two young ladies. He
bad his notebook out and was making
bgures and puzzling over inlets, out
cts, valves and siphons when the
Poice Of one Of the girls reached his
BARS
NO" answered the other. but
hey say he's quite good looking"
"And both deaf and dumb?"
yes
isn't 1t too bad?"
1T certainly Isl
IT wish some one that knew him
could introduce u.s."
You might invite him to call, but
Fould he? And IL he did, how could
e talk with any Of your"
II hadn't ought to say so, but
ant helm but see the humorous side
b 1t. Suppose he was counting a
<irl. and each had to have pencil and
pad Instead Of talking, he writes
nd she writes"
"A proposal in writing would look
hther funny"
1T would that"
Mr. Bennett stole a furtive look at
pth, but was most impressed by the
st speaker. He had carried an ideal
pr two or three years, and here it
las. They were talking about him,
nt was he the man? He wasn't deaf
pd dumb. and he didn't boast of his
pod looks. He felt sure that the
Fix couldn't be about him, but was
peasy about 1t Two hours later a
sident of the town came into his
pee to make some inquiries.
Do you know that you are a real
essing to the gossip of Hillsdale?'
In what respect?"
They have 1t that you are deaf
ID dumb"
But I'm talking all day to a hun
led men"
Sure you are"
And I'm hearing you very plainly |
Nv. How could they start such a |
rn?'
Oh, every town must have it's ro-
Pnce It's your keeping to yourself
much that gives color to the
prizes. You shouldn't let it bother
a."
IN making a short cut to town from
site Of the reservoir, one had to
ss the residence Of Judge Brewster,
one day as he made the trip the
png engineer had seen young lady
Fconced among the plants and
es OF the veranda. He had not
red at her. but he had caught the
e wen enough to wonder IL he
unit met it on q street car. II
oid be the one that said she saw
nor in the situation. So did Mr..
nnett-after thinking things over.
Two o'clock one afternoon Miss
Gle Brewster sat on the veranda
oing book. She was so inter
20 that the first thing she knew