The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1902-05-14
An Idyl of Oyster Point.
BY ANNIE sTEoER WINSTON.

twain't what wedding would have
been. don't care what anybody saysl"
With all his practically Mr.. Car.
ruthers had not been business sue
| cess. and II was to her own thrift and
industry that his widow owed her
| present condition Of modest comfort
| particularly to her exquisite mastery
of the art OF pickle making. To her
| Justly celebrated pickles. in process of
manufacture. the neighborhood was in
| debted for spicy fragrance, which
| modified most agreably the indigenous
| flavor OF marine delicacies In an i'm
| perfect state of preservation.
A slight alcoholic infusion was also
occasionally observable In the atmos.
| phere of oyster Point. and chroni-
cally inilamed nose marked more than
one prominent citizen-notably the
mayor. who was also the doctor. both
horse and human, of the village But
whatever drunkenness there was-anl
| do not now recall any means of di
version beyond alcoholic indulgence
which the place presented-was car.
ried on. as II rule. with n sobriety. so
W Sptdh, anu utttnl ltStTNt, WHICH
precluded scandal and offense.
One day heard Mrs. Carruthers. MS
| thought, declining chickens or other
household supplies at her back door.
and Idly looking out at my window.
then saw that she was speaking to Mr..
Sprockett. who, standing on the step.
with his hat pushed back upon his
hna \ at iat lxs, ,,,,Ia ,t,,.. 10
listened wit a countenance absolutely
devoid of any expression whatsoever.
I'm nightly obliged to you. Mr..
Sprockett.' she was saying. land IL
was thinking about getting married."
drew back with such illconsidered
haste rs to bump my head loudly
against the window sash. and so doubt
less made my unintended eavesdrop-
ping perfectly apparent. apologized
when she came over later in the day.
"Oh. that's all right" she said.
good naturedly; there want much to
near-you know Mr.. Sprocketts
mighty quiet. But certainly was sur
prised. He's been after me more than
once lately about going into the pickle
business on big scale: but I didn't
know he wanted to be taken in or was
thinking about me. Mr. Sprockett's
mighty inoffensve-I'd just as soon
marry him as anybody-but | kind o.
think marrying amt what it's held out
TO be. And so thought I'd better let
well enough alone-'specially as he
want very pressing!"
The next morning he did not appear
at breakfast, and upon investigation
it was found that he had not come
home the previous night.
II don't think could have hurt his
feelings" Mrs. Carruthers said to me
over the back fence: "and he didn't
seem to be bit set on 1t! just hope
he alma sick off somewhere"
The potato man arrived as we were
talking.
"Mr. Sprockett?' he said, with a
grin "Mr. Sprockett got shut up for
being drunk last night. They say he
carried on terrible. He'll be ND before
the, mayor this morning. He'll be up
before the mayor this morning He's
up now. | reckon
Mrs. Carruthers had dropped the tu-
bers she was examining. Shut up for
being drunk last night" She looked Mt
me in way that did not in the least
understand. but saw that she was
strongly moved. Shut up!" she re-
peated Before the mayor this morn
ing! Go long! | don't want any po-
tatoes!"
/ had never seen her in a towering
rage. should have believed her as in
capable of 1t as Mr.. Sprockett of the
outrageous. violent and truculent con-
duct of which | learned he had been
guilty while under spirituous excita-
tion-conduct of which the guardians
of the law could but take cognizance in
the interest of public safety. But
could not help suspecting that If 1t
had been comparatively mice Of
fense" 1t would have met its com
| ment." What bushes did he have get
ting drunk, when he never had been
drunk before In his life, so far as ap-
peared?
That Mrs. Carruthers was in tower
ing rage her very back showed as she
hurried into the house. saw her
emerge in a moment, with her bon
net strings tied very tightly under her
chin, and rapidly disappear up the
street. TO the (unsolicited) kindness
Of the milkman | owe an account OF
what followed.
Things was most over when she
got there he said, "all out of breath;
the mayor was Just fixing to fine him
heavy-anybody could see that-when
sue walked right up and looked him In
the eye( there was a crowd there. but
they gave way). and she says, says
she, Look ahere. Doctor Blanks, she
says, you let Mr.. Sprocket alone she
says. What say is she says, them
that live in glass houses shouldn't
throw stones, she says. You amt the
one.' she says. with that nose. to be
setting in judgment on anybody for
getting drunk she says. and you
know it. You ought to be ashamed of