Rensselaer Union, Volume 6, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 March 1874 — A Dumb Dialogue. [ARTICLE]

A Dumb Dialogue.

It wrenches one badly to step on the wrong stair, but few can help laughing at the awkward stride he makes. It n equally funny to see a man meet the wrong “ customer,” and go to talking and gesticulating at him as if he were somebody else. Jones went out to the deaf and dumb asylum the other day to inspect the institution. Upon entering he encountered a man, evidently an inmate, and he at once endeavored to explain to the man by making signs upon his fingers that he wanted to look through the place. The man also made signs which Jones could not comprehend. Then Jones made other and more elaborate motions, which set the man at work with greater violence, and for the next ten minutes they stood in the hall gesticulating and twisting thei fingers without either being able to comprehend what the other meant. Finally Jones became angry, and in an outburst of wrath exclaimed: “Oh, get out,you idiot! I’m tired of bothering with you!” Thereupon the man said: "That’s Just what I was going to say about you.” “ Oh, you can speak, can you ? Then why didn’t you do so, and not keep me standing here motioning to you ? I thought you were deaf ana dumb.” “Andi thought you were,”, said the man. “ I came here to inspect the asylum,” said Jones, “ and I took you for a patient” “That’swhat I came here for, and I thought you were an attendant,” said the man. Here Jones and the man shook hands and hunted up a genuine attendant, and went away happy. After this Jones will always use his tongue, no matter where he is.— Youth.’! Companion.