an an hour
I found myself in a quaint little village (Hale) in which there was a
church then building. The houses were constructed principally of timber,
lath, and plaster and were apparently of great antiquity. Onward still I
went, the rain beating down heavily and the wind blowing. In about a
quarter of an hour I gained a sight of the river or the sea, I know not
which, but I still continued my road until I came up to a little cottage,
the door of which opened just as I was passing it. An old woman came out
and began to take down the shutters. Now, as I came along the road I had
made up my mind to personate a deaf and dumb person, which would preclude
the necessity of my speaking. I felt I could do this well and
successfully. I determined to try the experiment upon this old lady. I
walked quietly up to her, took the shutters out of her hands and laid
them in their proper places. I then took a broom and began sweeping away
the water which had accumulated in front of her cottage, and seeing a
kettle inside the door, I walked gravely into the house, took it, and
filled it at a pump close by. The old woman was dumb-struck. Not a word
did she say, but stood looking on with mute amazement, which was still
more intensely exhibited when I went to the fire-place, raked out the
cinders, took up some sticks and commenced making a fire. Not a word
passed between us. It was with great difficulty I could keep my
countenance. We must have looked a curious couple. The woman standing
staring at me, I sitting on a three-legged stool, with my elbows on my
knees looking steadfastly at her. At length she broke this unnatural
silence. Speaking in her broad Lancashire dialect I could scarcely make
her out. My own deficiency in not understanding much English increased
my difficulty, but I understood her to ask "Who I was, and whither I was
going." This she repeated until, having sufficiently excited her
curiosity, I opened my mouth very wide, kept my tongue quite close so
that it might seem as if I had none, and with my fingers to my ears made
a gesture that I was deaf and dumb. She then said, "Poor man, poor man,"
with great feeling and gave me a welcome. So I sat before the fire, and
commenced drying my clothes, which were saturated during my walk. I
suppose I must have fallen asleep, for the next thing I noticed was a
substantial meal laid on the table, consisting of bread, cold bacon, and
beer. Pointing to the food t