Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1902-01-21
McCulloch
) BORUM william.
! AND THE THIEF
Copyright, 1901,
BY Martha McCullOch Williams.

6<o<o>o>o<o<oo<o<o>o<o>o<
Old man Buckley, one Of Marshall
towns three inveterate topers, was
trying to sober up against his daugh-
ter's wedding. When he had his COM
plement of drinks, he was to outward
seeming as sober as judge. Lack of
them set him reeling upon his horse
and guiding the sagacious beast in let
ter SIS all over the road.
"Look~ Major Borum said to Molly,
his niece and adopted heiress. That's
what I'm trying to save you from-the
thing which biteth like a serpent and
stnseth like an adder"
"You needn't try to make out poor
Jink is n snake" Molly said spiritedly.
"I'm sure he wouldn't crawl, not even
to get me-"
"Oh, ho! You think 1t was his indie.
pendence that kept him from signing
the pledge when I demanded it of
him." the major said, with fine, lofty
scorn. Again Molly tossed her head
81 would have said no to him if he
had signed it," she said. "Why, Jink
was never drunk but once In his life,
and that was in the way OF business.
If he had not drunk to match that
Long Hollow crowd, his pa would have
lost all their trade, and it's worth a
thousand dollars clear profit every
year"
The major groaned. He was n
round, pursy man, rosy faced, with lit
tie eyes twinkling through smothering
fat. He had come back to his native
town the year before breathing cut a
vague aroma Of riches and ready to
give advice offhand to anything from
divine Providence to the town coun'
ell. Marshaltown folk said he was
cram full Of crank notions, which he
had had no chance to spend properly In
governing wife or bringing up chill
dren of his own.
He struck Marshalltown a teetotaler
of the first water, the second water
and also the third. Water was indeed
his creed and rallying cry for the time
being. His mind and heart were set
upon organizing temperance knight
hood after ideas peculiarly his own.
Marshalltown would have none OF
the knighthood. 1t was 80 temperate,
letting the single saloon languish eX'
cent at Christmas time and the Fourth
Of July, that 1t resented organized TEN
perance much as 1t might have resent
cd the organization Of an antistealing
brotherhood To its mind man ought
to drink when he felt like 1t and had
good liquor handy, but should never be
tempted into swallowing stuff he did
not really care for by giving 1t the tang
of forbidden fruit. So 1t heartily ap-
plauded Jink Travis refusal to become
the first fruits of the majors enthusi-
asm. 1t was fine thing, everybody
admitted, seeing how matters stood
Jink as good as engaged to Molly and
Molly's heiress-ship contingent on her
marrying to suit the major.
Jink and Molly had been lovers time
out of mind. 1t was all settled that
they should marry when Jink was TAX
en- into the firm. But the major came
down upon them three months before
the sign, Travis & Son, Groceries,
Hardware, Provisions, Liquors, Whole
sale and Retail" went up upon the big
block at the head Of the main street.
Molly had eight younger brothers and
sisters. Her father could not hope to
do more than feed and clothe them. So
the major and his fortune had to be
taken into account, especially when he
asked to have Molly the same as his
own child.
That was where the pinch came. For
herself and Jlnk, Molly could have bid,
den the fortune 60 hang. But the chill
dren! She could not shut out her moth,
er's anxious eyes, her fathers patient,
troubled face. AS long as she did not
rebel openly she was free to help with
both hands. So she contented herself
with vowing she would die an old maid
unless she might marry Jink and smil'
ing her sweetest at Jink himself when
ever she got the chance.
Jink could not well be SO patient.
He wanted wife, Il home Of his own
and Molly for that wife. He was ready
to do anything reasonable to get her.
He might have gone in for that knight
hood foolishness II he had not known