Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1878-06-04

good-humored hand on the lock. Th'
act was instantly detected by one OF the
party, who coolly locked the door and pu
the key on the table. "Ye can't slir
outer this, Rats" he said; ''ye must si
down here with the rest of us, and see
what's to be DONE"
Captain Rats weakly succumbed and
began to apologize. al warn't goin' back
on ye. Horton" he began. "l only reck-
oI,d ez ye all seemed to be getting along
famous a-tLinking, I'd jest slip out and
tend to some business, and allow ye TO
make up Yer miud without me-countin'
me out, and yourselves as my proxies
Fer wol's agreeable to you is agreeable
to me. Pm no sharp at this game"
You're guardian" responded Hor-
ton decisively.
"In course. Thel's so. But allow it
amt no valid appin,ment. The very fact
thet the ole man appointed ID fool
like me shows he warn't in his right
mind
"TheI's so, boys" calculated the eldest
of the four with sudden gleam of hope
fulness. THE old man was sorter flighty
Just afoIe be went of. and we can slip
our heads outer this lasso he flung over
US by allowin' insanity, You know"
1--WE can't slouch out of this kind of q
trus, though. Colonel said Joe Fleet. the
youngest of the party. yet with leader =
peremptoriness. at amt whiteto do it "
The CLEAN faded from the Colonel's
face. "Thers so. i, wouldn't be the
sQusr thing" he said dejectedly; kick
me, boys"
"Couldn', we sorter club together and
aPpint kind OF sub-guardian to take
care O. tho whole thing on high salary
I'll come down heavy" suggested HoF-
ton.
III 70 could get chap 10 do your
feelin' tor you at the same figure, don't
know but it might suit" said Fleet with
decided sarcasm. LAS for me | ain't rich
enough to buy up any chaps conscience. +"
"Ye may as well quit this foolin'.
broke in the Colonel with a groan. The
games msde. and we're goin TO wade in
like men. Mebeee suthin' may turn up.
Afore long some one OF US may get sho,
or buried in tunnel, and so get excused
on the squar. But just now We must
wade in"
"Oh yes, wade in - said Horton deri-
sivelY. "Do you know the first thing
we've got to do? Why. write to that gal
and tell her thei her father was a id old
liar. and thet her mothers been dead Il
year, and thet now he's dead too, and
thet the d-d old FOOLS property won't
bring $500. and that we're goin' 10 give
her s., 900 for charity. and adopt her, and
il she's a loving sort of gal. and high
spirited gal. she'll like il, and Ike US all
the better. Oh yes :" he continued with
sArdouic shrilluess. tits easy enough TO
do sill that, OF course. Wade ia Yes
Wade in-drop right out o. the ford into
deep water over yer head the first thing"
The men looked sghast at each other.
and there was another ominous silence.
Couldn't sc let it on easy suggested
the Colonel, despairingly. "sor.er begin
to-day with the mother, aud next month,
when she's feeln' better and more able
to bear it. kinder light gently down on
her with the decease OF her 'atber. and
so on ontil, in the course of year or so,
she'll take the charity quite peacefulP'
But Joe Fleet dismissed the ides
fercely. "Ef she's got any.pluck she'll
take it in lump. You go to work drift
in into her feelings like that instead o
sinking your shaft straight down and
you'll hev her crazy here on your hands
In q week P'
The latter idea was 81 awful as 10 COM
pei another gloomy silence for its stesn
contemplation. Couldn't ye drop it on
her all in lump-money, deceased pa
rients, ct cettery." suggested Capt. Rats.
with vague and imbecile good-humor,
"kinder brisk and business-like.
"Irs a GAL" said the Colonel. shaking
his head, "over IA"
Hold on and give Cap'n Rats show. "
interrupted Fleet. "Ei there's man az
can do ii, IFS him. Didn't ne edit the
Record up at Murphy's' Wade in and
give US specimen" :"
The suggestion met with unanimous
favor. Capt. Rats, not entirely displessed
with this confidence in bis rhetorical skill,
slid angularly into chair with almost
audible creaking OF his joints, dipped q
pen in the ink. and then put 1t IN his
mouth. Then softly Withdrawing it and
waving it before him, as if tracing an
imaginary epistle in space, he began:
.'In the midst OF life we are in death,
and not KNOWN what day may bring
forth, We beg to inform you-No," re-
flected the Captain slowly, feeling some
unfavorable criticism in the air; mo,
that won't do. Let's see All d! The
death of your mother, followed by the
illness of your father, resulting in his de-
cease, and the entire loss"
AMT them bricks ioilerin' each other