The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1917-12-20

! Itself was incapable OF Wagglng. Sne
was pretty and she was young, but her
dumbness and her very somber and
demure mode of dressing were a pro-
lection against SANDER or less mali
cious gossip.
More than if Mardy had expressed
herself in words, did the congressman
make a habit of studying her face,
and before many months had passed
there was need for very little tablet
writing in their conversation. He
could detect in the most minute varia-
ton of expression her meaning, and
this constant studying of her face
came to be as much pleasure to him
as anything else that made up his
busy days.
Then, as spring came on, the con-
gresham became more than ordinarily
pensive. Even at the capitol it was
commented on that Pragg had some
cause to worry, and Mardy's most in
quiring and sympathetic look of en-
treaty did not draw his secret from
| his lips.
One day when Mardy arrived in the
morning, she found the congressman
| already at his desk-something entire
/ ly unprecedented-and Mardy seemed
to know when she first caught his
glance, that at last the time had come
for her to know his secret care.
II have something to tell yOu," he
began, abruptly, not looking at her
though he usually studied her face
with such keen interest. Il have Sc
cured the services of one of the great
est of throat specialists-Doctor Spig-
genheim-perhaps you have heard OF
him. He is coming down to Washing
ton as special concession. He'll be
here this morning. / want him to ex-
anime your vocal cords, and see it
something cannot be done for them.
He says it is a marvellous case-that
your dumbness hasn't affected your
hearing or any of your other senses"
Had the congressman been watch
ing Mardy's face then he might have
seen that she started and then turned
perceptibly paler. She made no writ
ten reply or acknowledgment of her
gratitude to her would-be benefactor,
and they were both uncommunicative
for the rest Of the morning.
At Mardy's written. request she saw
the great specialist alone, and then
the specialist saw the congressman
alone, and then the congressman, hav-
ing handed the specialist his thousand
dollar fee, saw Mardy alone.
The congressman looked pensive
and grave. Very tenderly and, trying
to conceal his own disappointment, he
told Mardy of the specialists verdict
that, strangely enough, Mardy's
speechlessness was incurable. This
time the congressman studied Mardy's
face, but it showed nothing save a
studied immObility.
They both tried to go back to the
work of the day, but unsuccessfully,
and then the congressman broke the
silence. ''Ill have to tell you what Is
worrying me-and torturing me-" he
said. I'll tell you, and then you can
decide what we ought to do. Mardy,
I want to marry you. I had never
thought of marrying before, and I
don't want to make you my wife I'M
less it is going to make you happier.
am tortured with the doubt wheth-
err your infirmity wouldn't be such a
handicap in your life as my wife, with
all the social duties that it would be
bound to bring you, that we would
both be unhappy because of it. I had
hoped Spiggenheim would be able to
hold out hope, but he tells me there
is none. Mardy, what shall do?"
There was short pause, and then,
in soft. low voice, Mardy answered
his question. Forgive me-" Then
she went on talking rapidly and fluent
ly, and the congressman hung upon
each word as If hearing a woman talk
had always been the joy of his life.
81 came to Washington, hoping to get
a position In one of the departments,
but others more influential crowded
me out. Then l saw your advertise
ment. My funds were exhausted, and
1 couldn't go home and tell the family
had lost out. had promised to send
home part of my salary-and-well,
pretended / was dumb, and everyone
in Washington thinks / am. / have
never spoken to anyone, though / do
talk to myself il my room at night,
SOS not to forget how. Then when
you spoke of Spiggenheim, 1 thought
you suspected me, and would despiSe
me for the deception and would dis
miss me if you thought 1 really could
talk. So-well, told Spiggenheim the
truth and promised him hundred dol
lars-all my savings-if he would tell
you the case was hopeless"
The congressman sat back in his
chair and let out hearty laugh that
showed his melancholy had been for
ever dispelled, and for the first time
he heard the contagious tones of
Mardy's laugh. which she had been
suppresSing for months.
Zone thousand, one hundred dol
lars" he reflected; "well it was worth
that ten times Overland a hundred
times over, if had 1t. never thought
that it would take a throat specialist
to cure me of a lifelong melancholy
for, Mardy, 1 have never been COM
pletely happy in my life until this
minute"
CrueIties in STAGE Life