Year: 1865

: I
THE MAN WHO TRAVELLED ON HIS


EARS"


1t was cold night for camping out: snow
was falling lightly through the leafless trees OF
the forest, and the silence was broken bv the
occasional hooting of the horned owl, who sat
in some hemlock tree not far of, and scolded
mOodily at us, the intruders on his domain.
The venison steaks had been disposed of: joe
our guide, piled up pyramid of fresh logs on
the f1re in front OF the tent; we Lit our pipes,
stretched ourselves lazily upon our Mackinaw
blankets, and listened to the following little
story elected by special request from the man
OF anecdote OF our party, whose name was
Smithcoe: aM 4 hgssli4ss


Several years ago / was travelling on horse
back through the remote part of the State of
New York, IN company with two artist friends.
The district was noted for its tront-stream
and at the neat little roadside tavern where
we stopped to refresh ourselves and our
horses, one day we met two very sociable.
gentemanly young men, who were putting up
for the sake of the fishing. Through the me
dunn of cigars and late news from the city.
we soon became acquainted with them: they
asked us to join them at their private table,
and we found them such pleasant company
that we decided to remain where we were for
couple OF days, and try our hands at the
speckled trout. gig4 a
tln The day after our arrival, as I was sitting
on the stoop, chaffering with an Indian for a
pair of embroidered moccasins. a man on a
grey horse rode up, and, dismounting, threw
the bride to the stable-boy, and desired him
70 make the horse up for the night 4 shall
sleep here tonight. and start of early in the
morning. ~


Amt no use putting up the horse, boss,'
salu LINE ens ossler aos there amt no place for you
Certainly rejoined the stranger: won win
give him plenty of oats, of course, and see that
you dry his fetlocks thoroughly the very first
thing. Ostlers hard cases to deal WITH added
he, casting humorous look at me: 4 think
the word ostler is only a contraction of oat
stealer.' iitHt aaiHr iaAig


"'Guess that ere chap must have just broke
out Of 'syium, remarked the ostler, as the
stranger strobe into the kitchen: the don't
seem to have no respect for folks. I've good
mind 70 turn this beast Of his loose into the
road es @.I


@'You had better not said L: put the horse
up in the stable, at any rate, and you'll be
sure to find him when he's wanted land SO
saying followed the stranger into the kitch-
en-, where found him in full controversy
with the landlady. 80 3 a 3sst


"sYou had better make-tracls for the next
tavern, at the Corners said she. we amt got
spare bed in the house, and the party stop
ping here don't want no strangers to room
with Them ggis4 H5sa4i


"Not at al, ma'am, said the stranger. I'm
not in the least afraid of draughts, and beg
you won't shut the window on my account,
though I'm much oh liged to you for your con-
sideration. see by the pipes on the dresser
yonder, that smoking is tolerated on these
premises, and if you'll allow me I'll take
Whit, just to kill time while supper's getting
ready And SO saying he filed pipe, and
having lit at the stove, stretched himself out
on three chairs, and went off into fit ofmed-
itative musing. f1asla aaaa


My companions had now returned from the
river, and joining them on the stoop, I told
them what had happened, at which they were
much amused, though none of them laughed
SO loudly as did at the embarrassment INTO
which our landlady was thrown by the mysteri-
Gus stranger. / might not have been SO jocose
on the occasion, perhaps, had known /, too,
was marked out by him as victim for his
deliberate misconceptions. ss ssslaaafi


sThe bell rang for supper, and on going into
our little parl0r, there sat the stranger, at the
lower end Of the table, solemn as the ghost of
Banquo, and glaring fendishly at the viands.
This annoyed us all, as we did not care for his
company; and one of the party addressing him
in loud voice, requested him to leave the
room, as it was altogether private one, and
we did not wish our conversation to be inter-
rupted. 9
sOh, not at all, sirp cried the stranger; sby
no means / couldn't think of it for the
world! When a chance traveller, as / am
drops in at tavern dinner, he ought to know
better than to plant himself in the place of
honor, at the head of the table. It was kind
of you to make the offer, however, and Pm
"a obliged to you all the same 3
HE must be quite deaf said another, better
let him remain. As he can't hear our conver-
sation, his presence is of but little Consequence
to us, and he looks like a respectable person,
after ALL asg s.4


Silently and steadily the stranger PLAYED
away with his knife and fork, helping himself
liberally, also to the cool claret with which the
elegant young fishermen were amply provided.
He uttered not word during the repast, nor
did his eye once alight upon any of us, SO that
we quite ignored his presence, except that
now and then made facetious remarks at his
expense, as freely as though he had been q
dumb waiter, or the lay figure In one OF our
studios.


Supper over the stranger retired to the
kitchen, leaving us to our pipes and grog, anc
we heard no more of him until the buxom
brown-armed servant girl came rushing int
the room, and addressing me, said had bet
-oa ter look to my bed, as the strange gentleman
was taking possession of it, The missus struN
to hinder him. added she, but he only sale
the room was quite big enough for him, anC
wouldn't go sleep in the best room not on nc
account but was obleeged to her all the same.
we proceeded in Indian file to my room
which was small one at the further end o
the house. The door was fastened inside, ant
the occupant appeared to be engaged in form
ing barTicade against it with such pieces o
furniture as the room contained. This done
all was quiet for moment, when the deer
voice OF the stranger broke forth in the follow
ing solilOquy:


'Oh, it is an internal thing to be deafl CAM
walk on railway track without being run
over and mashed up, as was once. Cam
converse; can't enjoy music. Afraid to prom
enade on the sea-shore lest you miphtn,t hea
the waves roaring, and they'd whip Won ont I.
sea before YOU knew it. Can't hear the fire
bells, and may get burned up to charcoal he
fore you wake up. Can't hear the guns an,
crackers going off on the Fourth of July, whicl
is, perhass, the greatest privation OF all. Har
is the lot of the deaf man. Here am /, now
in strange house, among lot of strangers
every one of whom may be burglars, lor all
know. These burglars from New York al
heavy swells nowadays, according to the p
pers, and do large summer business IN u
country hotels; and what would a deaf ma
know about their breaking into his room, III
til he found his money-belt gone and b
throat cut from ear to ear? So the only thiI
for it is to barricade my door, as I've done, an
keep my pistols ready for immediate action
Ihe cnck OF pistol was occasionally i
troduced by way of punctuating this little S
hhnuy. Was the man lunatic or what? "
decided that tcds a lunatic and dangero-
one at that, and, unwilling to risk any valu
bic life IN dealing with such o character, Y
aln left him in possession of the room, and ma,
such a camp-down of il for the night as
could at short notice.


~Next morning the stranger was mounte