The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-22
AUNT CHARETTE.

swer to repeated complaints from the re-
spectacle element in Fort Kent the officers
had come up there and had swooped on the
liquor dealers was Aunt Charette In
fact. she was the local wholesaler. She
was thrifty. was Aunt Charette. She had
credit. she could roll in $500 worth OF
''morson," OF white rum, at one time.
The smaller dealers up and down the st.
John from st. Francis to Frenchville found
it more convenient to buy OF her.
Gold beads and a black silk dress o.
Sundays did Aunt Charette wear Broad
was she, with amplitude OF waist and
scarcity of lap She sat all day long IN
her little sitting room and interrupted her
knitting only long enough to answer calls
at the door. Sometimes the caller would
be a man from Connor with grey wool
trousers and peaked cap Another would
be Frenehvilie citizen with empty jugs
under the seat OF his narrow blackboard.
They told her whether they wanted NOR
son o. cherry rum or "wheesk" or aleo-
hol Then Aunt Charette went out in the
little dark lean-to shed and ratified the
tunnel and clinked the jugs, and at last
came pudging back with broad smile be-
tween her big gold earrings.
And she always knew whether to give
or refuse credit. All sorts of queer ac
counts had she-scattered all over the
countryside.
Uncle Charette was a very silent partner
in the firm. He used to tell the priest that
.he had tried and tried to induce Aunt Cha
rette to give up the business OF selling
liquor Still Uncle Charette had lowered
years before that he would not have to go
into the woods winters any more; that
there was always spare change for him to
buy his tobacco: that he was never asked
to earn any money for the groceries. Twice
year Aunt Charette purchased new wool
trousers of Canadian grey. AS for his long
tailed coat. Uncle Charette seemed unable
to wear that out for the reason that most
Of the time he went about in his shirt
sleeves.
And though Uncle Charette never went
out into the dark leanto. still on corner
of the kitchen shelf stood little earthen
jug that Aunt Charette never allowed to
be less than half full OF brandy. She had
to pour some into 1t from the key every
day. Uncle Charette declared that it help
ed his rheumatism
When the officers came riding up TO the
door on a big sled drawn by two horses
and ran in without knocking, Aunt Cha
rette chung to the arms Of her chair.
lie bon Dieu, wat ees eet?' she cried.
aunt Charette, you've been complained
against" said the local deputy sheriff,
and we've got to take what stuff you've
got on the premises. l suppose it's all in
the leanto, as usual"
When the discovery is made in prohibit
ton Maine that there is liquor selling In
community the local deputy is usually well
acquainted with the location Of all the Ii
quor deposits.
wat" screamed Aunt Charette. but in
sorrow. not in anger. Watt tax
ma leetIe stock? Why, m'sieu, yo' can't do
nottains lax dat. l geet ma pairmeet from
dat man-w'at yo' call heem, de Comfy
Attornee. Here-here-here it be- and
with trembling hand she poked under the
deputy's nose the receipt showing that she
had paid a fine at the last term of court.
She insisted that it was a permit TO sell
liquor Aunt Charette believed that 1t was.
II hain't got anything to with that"
said the deputy. I've got search war
rant. and I'm ordered to search and seize"
He dueked past and started for the
leanto. And Aunt Charette, her keys
jangling, her hands appraised, her tongue |
flying like a shuttle, followed on his heels. |
Uncle Charette sat wholly silent in -.r-
aer The only sign OF emotion he displayed
was to blink every thirty seconds. So alb |
solutely impassive was he that |, unseen, |
took his photograph in a twenty seconds |
exposure, and there wasn't smooeh on |
the negative.
Aunt Charette protested against opening |
the door. The deputy, with one blow Of !
his boot. shattered the lock. Then he and |
his men rolled out the barrels and the kegs
~ Ann q a fhaV |
aid their hands on each article, screamed, .
All, mon Dieui Non! non. You've taken
,noughi Leeve dat wan-leeye dat want
But the officers were inexorable. They |
oiled everything out They had to send |
or another sled. There were loads fer |
wo heavy teams. The last man to go out
vas the deputy with jug. the last he |
,ould find. He had dug out the remotest |
.orner. AS he went through the kitchen
lis eyes fell. on the jug on the shelf. He /
ook it down and smelled of it.
"Ah, offeecaire! offeecaire.' walled Aunt
Iharette. dat be Just de little SUP of
brandy for poor M'sieu Charette. dat poor
nan dat set dere. Don TAX dat"
Uncle Charette, pulling at his pipe. only
linked an extra time or so.
"Eef yo' TAX dat, offeecaire, wat d1t
,oor man do 70 bees dreept tomorrow
nornin? Please leeve dat" The ofncer
ould appreciate the situation He left it
Aunt Charette stood at the door until
he teams disappeared in the dusk far down
he street
A rough inventory at the storehouse that
vening indicated that Aunt Charette had
7c0 worth Of liquor in stock.
The officers left word that Aunt Charette
must be at the office of the local trial jus
ice the next forenoon at o'clock
At O'Clock Uncle Charette eased aer
own out of the old-fashioned chaise onto
he platform before the Justices office. 1t
'as slow and tedious job. for Aunt Cha
cites avoirdupois is disposed in most I'M
'ieldy fashion. She was arrayed in her |
est black dress. Uncle Charette-this be- |
lg state occasion-had on his long-tailei
lack coat. The faces of both were per-
sctly expressionless. Evidently Aunt Cha