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Deaf House Agent

That deaf old man
With his hand to his ear—
His hand to his head stood out like a shell,
Horny and hollow. He said, “I can't hear.”
He muttered, “Don't shout,
I can hear very well!”
He mumbled, “I can't catch a word;
I can't follow.”
Then Jack with a voice like a Protestant bell
Roared—” Particulars ! Farmhouse! At ten quid a year !”
“I dunno wot place you are talking about,”
Said the deaf old man.
Said Jack, “What the Hell!”
But the deaf old man took a pin from his desk, picked a piece of wool the size of a hen's egg from his ear, had a good look at it, decided in its favour and replaced it in the aforementioned organ.

1914.