The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1900-07-20
4 BROAD HINT,

1t was an early summer evening. too
warm to walk, and just comfortable for
| talking. So Capt. Bill and his brother
Jack sat contentedly on the shaded bench
in the captains garden, overlooking ten
miles of sea, from Sheppey cliffs to South
end. They smoked two pipes apiece over
the situation in China. and two more over
the decay of the mercantile marine. Dur
ing the fifth PIPE after tea, the ancient
female who did" for the captain sllufilctl
by with grunt and toiled slowly across
the fields to her home in the village of
| Minister. The captain followed her re-
| treating figure with shake of his head.
GIFTS more contrary every day, she do, "
he remarked, feelingly. "Wus an wus"'
'Wot you want" said Brother Jack,
lis wife,
The captain relit his pipe, and looked
thoughtfully at a trail of smoke strug-
Cling between sky and sea.
Lady of Lorne five minutes late,' he
observed, casually.
Il s'pose now" inquired Jack, persis-
tently. you've some one in your eye:
II won't say admitted Bill, "but
| might ave"
Keeps baccy shop?"
| been talkin'!''
"Talkin'r' retorted his brother: "Wen
you gives me 4 couple o pound o baccy.
! orl in 'arf-ounce bits! Nots the need O
talking"
The captain sighed as one confronted
with an insoluble problem.
You goes in,' continued Jack, wag-
ging the stem of his long clay pipe in ad-
monition, lin the mornin an as 'alf an
ounce The captain nodded: AN in
the afternoon an as another The cap
| tain growled assent. An in the even
in an as one more"
"Sometimes two" he said, solemnly.
THAT ere big chest wot came off the
Saucy Jane is most full already. You II
ave to set up shop yourself soon If you
don't stop it,
The chaplain reflled his pipe slowly.
low am | goin' to stop it! That's
the p int" Jack smiled the superior smile
of twice married wisdom.
'Harsk 'er wen she'll ave the chest
moved up to the shop?'
''S'poSe she won't?'
Then she won't There's otheS.'
"S'pose.' asked the captain as one who
puts an abstract argument, las | was set
on 'er?"
Mere season to settle it,
"Ay: hut not all at onst.' said the
captain, artfully. I've bin leadin up to
low long?'
laughed sccrnfully.
"Scmc men" he stated. would ave
married a dozen gals in two year.
"Ay." said the captain, enviously. 'des-
say they would. P'raps might give 'er
a int. if | knowed 'ow.'
IVY don't you send 'er somethnk out
CT the gardin? \ few flowers -
\ int got mono. only wprt,t hlt,S
Well" said Jack, "wegetables is
nouri>hin.'
"Ay. with bit O pork. If 'ad pig
now
But you ain't.'
No" He sighed. "Thats where it
u.s.; I; They ;;n smoked another couple of
We'll, matt said Jack, Il must be
goin'. So long
$50 long, Jack
Bill watched his brother till he had
gone over the hill. Then he walked in
| doors with an air Of resolution. Mar
rers an peas" he muttered, 1T shall be. y
set out with q jaunty air to the village,
where the widow Riley kept smart
little shop in which tobacco, sweetstuffs
and penny novelties predominated. After
few remarks upon the weather, he i'll
vested III his usual half ounce. and re-
paired to the Waterloo for his usual
whole pint Then he returned for an
other half ounce.
lust fer the mornin'," he explained.
,'Lor', captain. YOU don't love nothink
like yonr smoke said the widow, arch
| ~: She was nice looking, round faced
widow, and she had very pleasant
""ncn't You think that, Mrs. Riley"
said the captain, with sudden boldness.
1T ! was to tell you wot | liked best
you'd never believe me-"
'.'Oh, go on, captain!' said the widow
with laugh. But the captains courage
| He'd and took him With it.
awssomc delight las she knowed wot
| was in my mind to say
, Next morning when the ancient Mrs.
Grummidgc had gone down to the coast
guards houses for gossip, the captain
cut a couple of vegetable marrows and
p'c ha''o;a f few pecks of peas. lie added
carefully in big basket. Then he
hailed daft Tommy, who was busy
fris htening the crows from Farmer
| Jacksons field
- "ni, Tom. my ny; man" he called. Like
10 earn = pint!
" ..r, said Tom. grinning.
the shop, with my compliments, ave
see" Tom looked doubtful.
Who'll scare the birds p he asked.
1"Oh-er-I WILL" said the captain.
"Yu*.'' rom gazed lovingly at the
vegetables. ''Wot be they worth?' he
inquired, touching the marrows.
"a matter O ninepence,' said the cap
tain, boldly.
and t'others?'
"The peas be bettern they're sellin'
at slxpence in the town. stated the cap
tan, proudly, can taters, too"
"Lor'!' said crazy Tom; and off he
ran, leaving the captain waving his red
handkerchief wildly at the marauding
crows.
Tom was long time gone, and the
captain found the scarecrowing rather
warm work. He had an uncomfortable
feeling that the occasional passersby
were laughing at him, and Mrs Grum-
nudge told him frankly that he was
''hacting like born hijiotr' He had
muttered several nautical prayers to
empty basket.
You amt let none on 'em settle?" he
asked anxiously. Tom was an artist in
his profession.
IN. "No, no! What did she say?"
Too DEAR said Tom, briefly. can
SO they all said; but
What! roared the captain.
'"Too dear. Did best Oh could for 'ee
Two and thruppence the lot: an spent
MY tuppence'; an 'ere's the rest" The
captain grabbed the handful of corners
and rushed into his dwelling like whirl-
wind.
"Cap'n be crazier than OH! said Tom
with chuckle. 'An' if e knowed OF
got two-an'-six, and kept rest! Ho, no,
ho!''
That afternoon the captain bought four
half ounces before he cOmnlete6 his ox
PLANTATION to the widow. She was so
good tempered about it that he felt he
must do something. Moreover her hand
touched his for nearly two seconds when
he took the last half ounce.
'The question he reasoned with him
self, lis wot does woman expeck a man
to say. II Jack 'adn't gone back to