Year: 1865

SPEECH WITHOUT WORDS.


III tell you story of how l once saved


my life entirely through having learned
the deaf and dumb alphabet.


There were two little boys who used to
come and stay with Frank and me, when


we were first married; and they could


neither hear nor speak.


They were deaf and dumb; they could


not speak except with their fingers-so-


only never so much quicker.


Frank and learned this foreign alpha


bet on purpose that we might understand
what these poor lads had to say. They


were quick and clever; they could read


and write, ay, and draw and sew, and do


many other things which most boys would


make but very poor hand at.


They could play at draughts and back
CANNON, and chess, and at fox and geese,


as well as any boys. They could almost


see what we said, though they could not


hear, with such quick eager eyes did they


watch every movement of our lips. We


soon, however, got to talk as easily with
our fingers as our tongues; and some
times, when the lads were not with us,


Frank and used to converse in that mali-
ner when we were alone, for practice.


1t happened upon one occasion that he
had to so to London on important busi-
ness. He was to have gone by an afternoon
train, but something delayed him, so that
he was not able to leave before the night
express. | was not in very good health,
and retired to my bed room about two
hours before his departure; he promised,
however, to come up and bid me goodbye
before he started, which would be between
twelve and one o'clock in the morning.
The matter which called him away was
connected with the bank here, which had
just been burned down, and my husband,
it seems, though l did not know it at the
time-so great secret had he endeavored
to keep it-had many thousand pounds
belonging to the firm in bis temporary pos
session, locked up in the iron safe in our
bedroom, where the plate was kept. He
was bank manager, and responsible for the
whole oft. 1t was winter time, and there
was fire in the room, so bright and COM
Portable that | was in no hurry to leave it
and get into bed, but sat up looking into
the fiery Goals, and thinking about all sorts
ofthings-upon the long journey Frank had
to take that night, and of how dreary the
days would seem until he returned, and,
in particular, how lonely 1 should feel in
that great room all by myself when he
would be away-for | was dreadful cow
ard. 1t was little after eleven o'clock
when got into bed, but I did not feel the
least inclined for sleep even then. l knew
Frank would be coming to bid me good
bye presently, and, besides, there seemed
to be all sorts of noises about the room,
which my foolish ears always used to hear
whenever was alone at night time.


If little SCOT fell down the chimney, it
was, l thought, great black crow at least,
which would soon be flying about the room,
and settling on my pillow; if mouse
squeaked in the wsinscot, it was the creak-
ing of some dreadful persons shoes, COM
ing up stairs to kill me with a carving
knife; and if the wind blew at the case
ment, it was somebody else trying to get
in at the window, although it was two sto-
ries high.


You may imagine, then, my horror, when
l heard atremendous sneeze within quar-
ter of an inch of me, just behind the head
board of the bed, and between that and
the wall, where there was considerable
space. | had, as usual, taken the precau-
ton, before put the candle out, of look
ing everywhere in the room where it was
quite impossible any person could be hid,
but in the little alcove into which the bed
was pushed l had never so much as thought
of looking, although that was a capital
hiding place for anybody. Ever since l
had slept in that room, in short, had
been like the ostrich who puts his head
in the sand, and then imagines himself in
perfect security. | had piqued myself
upon precautionary measures that, after
all, might just as well have been omitted.
The only thing, as believe, which saved
my reason from departing altogether, when
[ first heard that terrible sound, was that
my mind chung to the hope that it might
be, after all, only the sneeze of cat.-I
Fifty cats together could not have made
half such disturbance, it is true, for it |
was the sneeze of man who sneezes in
spite of himself, and almost shook the
house; but the idea sustained me over the |
irst shock. The next instant the wretch
lad sneezed again, and pushing aside the
bed, which rolled on casters, l felt was
standing beside my pillow looking at me.
If he had only given just one sneeze, he !
night perhaps have believed me, as l lay |
luite still, breathing as regularly as /
,ould, and pretending to be asleep; but
le reasoned very justly, that, unless | was
leaf or dumb l must have been awakened
~ the second.


you're awake, marm," said he in
ruff voice, "and it's no use shamming!-
f you don't want tap with this life-pre-
eryer. lust look alive.n