A LONG SILENCE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2338, 2 April 1892, Page 4

A LONG SILENCE.

There live in Ottawa, Kans., a man awl wife who have what is probably the unique existence to be found aaywhere. These are Mr and Mrs John B. Stetaou. They have been married forty years, and have a family of seven children, all grown. They are considered good Christians and are charitable. Their grandchildren play around their yard, and to all outward appearances they are as happy an old couple as could be found in the country. Yet with all this they have not spoken to each other for over twenty years, with the exception of once, when Stetson was badly hurt and was thought to be dying, when he bade his wife good-bye. They are both in converse with everybody else except each other. Twenty years ago the father attempted to correct the youngest child, and the mother interfered and placed herself between them. Stetson became violently enraged at her action, and talked very harshly to his wife, telling her that he would not speak to her again until she apologised for what she did. Mrs Stetson was as stubborn as her husband, and replied that she would not speak to her husband until he spoke first. From that time on they have kept their vows, and all communications between them have been by signs and through the intervention of other members of the family. Both are experts with the deaf-and-dumb alphabet, and converse readily in this way. Neither , will taik of their action, nor will they allow anyone else to broach the the subject to them. They appear to be even more loving towards each other ihan ordinary married couples, snd show each other great attention at all times. They visit their neighbours together, and in fact, carry on all the usual amenities of life as well, if not better, than if they talked. They have never had a quarrel since their great one, and this is attributed to the fict that they do not talk.