Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1889-01-09
.'Nc, 'tain't none OF them, Laban.
It's worse than any of 'em. d"

not without a mild satisfaction in the
curiosity which he excited. The in
trinity of his friends temper made it
somewhat hazardous to prolong this,
however, and he FASTENED to say:
''1t's something Tn a-goin' to try to
do for Caddy's sake. You know there
amt nothing wouldn't do for her
sake-nothing in natter. I yum if this
amt clean out of natur; but I'm a-goin'
to try it! You don't understand the
teelin's OF father. Laban; and it amt
to be expected that you should, bein' q
bachelor"
Cap'n Laban emitted slight con-
temptuous ejaculation. The superior
ity which Cap'n Sander assumed on
account of his marital experience was
particularly offensive to him. He was
apt to retaliate by referring to the far
wider and more important experiences
OF q man who, like him. possessed a
wooden leg. 1t was only his strong
curiosity to know what was coming
which induced him ON this occasion to
let such a remark pass unanswered.
"Seein' Caddy's my only child, and
the daughter of my old age. don't ex-
pect but what my feelin's is different
and stronger than common; in fact I
know they be. can put up with sor-
rers and Affections. but when it comes
to hevin' her feelin's hurt, seems as if
twas more than I could stand; and
when it's me that hurts 'em. why, I
can't stand it, no matter how much of
a wrastle have to go through with. ="
LAND sakes! how have you been a.
hursin' of Caddy's feelin's? Has she
been a-wantin' the moon for bosom
pin, and you hain't elm up and got it?
Folks does make fools of themselves
about their children, even the sensi-
blest is apt to; and there's Joe, my
nephew Joe, that's more to me than
most folks sons is to 'em-and sons is
more than daughters-it stands to
reason that they bel don't expect
folks would b'lieve how near I've come
sometimes to maxim fool Of myself
about him. I guess there hain't no
need of your worryin' about what you
hain't done for Caddy."
I've give her real good eddica-
ton, and it wouldn't have made no
difference if I'd had to scrimp myself
ten times as mnch to do it; 'twa'n't
never nothin' but pleasure to think I
was goin' without so's't she could have
more. And she hadn't no need to keep
school 'thout she was a mind to. !
wanted to keep her to home, only twas
so kind Of dull for her with her aunt
M'randy's tic-doloroo and all. Some
times I've been sorry she ever did 90
| over there to Pinkham. She was al
ways sensertive, Caddy was; and now
she seems to feel every thing about us
and our ways that amt jest what
they'd ought to be more'n what she
used to. And there's some friends
a-comin' home with her long about
Thanksgivin' time, expect. There's
| a doctor that she's wrote about con-
sid'able-''
1--WE been expectin' that nobody
here to Plumport wouldn't be good
enough for her," said Cap'n Laban.
"'Twould have suited me if she and
Joe had fixed it up betwixt 'em; 'twould
have suited me frst-rate,' said Cap'n
Sander, with a sigh.
Il don't calc'late that Joe will have
to go a-beggin' for a wife," said Capri
Laban- But I've always set by Caddy,
and that's a fact,'' he added. more
gently. IF there ever was a hand tc
read you the news out of paper"
''Ain't she now?' exclaimed Caddv's
father, his care-worn face brighten.
ing. Seems as if she clapped hel
eyes right on to it, and never made 6
miss, while I might be searchin' AND
| searchin'. That's eddication-and
mater too. She jest like Cl'rissy."
Cap'n Laban uttered an audible sniff,
trying, however, with better prompt.
ing, to repress it. He had never ap.
proved of Crrissy. She was a self
reliant and opinionated spinster who
had married Cap'n Sander (that was
VIC "oJ LII LID 1I10uOS
when he was past fifty. She had
| achieved the reputation of keeping
the gentle captain we'll under hel
thumb; she held strong views as to the
duty of husbands to stay at home even
|: ings, and his old companions were
| quite deprived of the captains society.
When she died, five years after hel
marriage, Cap'n Sander was inconsol-
able, and every year had added Writ
ues to her memory, until now there
was no grace possible to humanity
which he did not attribute to Cl'rissy,
Capn Laban had scanty patience with
these illusions, but he had never but
once permitted himself to go beyond q
sniff by way of remonstrance. On the
single occasion when he had frankly
expressed a scepticism concerning
Crrissy's PROJECTIONS, the grieved as
tonishment on his friends face touched
even Cap'n Laban's tough old heart.
| ''Caddy is sensertiye about consid'a,
BILE many things" pursued Cap'n San.
! der, ''but seems as if her most senser.
~ graf