The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1902-05-02

With all his practicability Mr.. Car
ruthers had not been a business sue
cess, and It 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 a spicy fragrance, which
modified most agreeably the indigen-
GUS flavor Of marine dellcacies in an
imperfect state of preservation.
A slight alcoholic infusion was also
OCCASIONALLY observable in the atmos-
phere of Oyster Point, and chemically
inflamed nose marked more than one
prominent citizen-notably the mayor,
who was also the doctor, both horse
and human, Of the village. But what
ever drunkenness there was-and l do
not now recall any means Of diversion
beyond alcoholic indulgence which the
place presented-was carried on, as
rule, with sobriety, so to speak, and
decent reserve, which precluded scan
dial and offense.
One day heard Mrs. Carruthers, as
thought, declining chickens or other
household supplies at her back door,
and idly looked out at my window.
then saw that she was speaking to Mr..
Sprockett, who, standing on the steps,
with his hat pushed back upon his
head at peculiarly unbecoming an
gle, listened with countenance abso-
lutely devoid Of any expression whatso-
ever.
I'm mighty obliged to you, Mr.
Sprockett," she was saying, land If l
was thinking about getting married."
drew back with such ill-considered
haste as to bump my head loudly
against the window-sash, and so
doubtless made my unintended caves
dropping perfectly apparent. apollo
gized when she came over later in the
day.
"Oh, that's all right" she said, good
naturally; there want much to hear
you know Mr.. Sprockett's mighty
quiet But I certainly was surprised
He's been after me more than once
here lately about going into the pickle
business on big scale; but l didn't
know he wanted to be taken in or was
thinking about me. Mr.. Sprockett's
mighty inoffensive I'D just as soon
marry him as anybody-but l kind O
think marrying amt what it's held out
to be. And so 1 thought I'd better
let we'll enough alone-'specially as he
want very pressing!"
The next morning he did not appear
at breakfast, and upon investigation 1t
was found that he had not come home
the previous night.
81 don't think / could have hurt his
feelings" Mrs. Carruthers said to me
over the back fence; land he didn't
seem to be bit set on it! just hope
he amt 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 up before
the mayor this morning. He's up now,
| reckon"
Mrs. Carruthers had dropped the
tubers she was examining. Shut up
for being drunk last night" She
looked at me in way that | did not
in the least understand, but l saw that
she was strongly moved "Shut up!"
she repeated. Before the mayor this
morning! Go long I don't want any
potatoes!"
l had never seen her in a towering
rage. l should have believed her as
incapable of it as Mr.. Sprockett of the
outrageous, violent and truculent con-
duct of which I 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 it had
been a comparatively mice offense" it
would have met its comment" What
business did he have getting drunk,
when he never had been drunk before
in his life, so far as appeared?
That Mrs. Carruthers was in tow
ering rage her very back showed as
she hurried into the house. saw her
emerge in moment, with her bonnet
strings tied very tightly under her
chin, and rapidly disappeared up the
street. To the (unsolicited) kindness
Of the mill1man 1 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
she, walked right up and looked him in
the eye (there was a crowd there, but
they gave way), and she says, says she,
Look a-here, Doctor Blanks she says,
you let Mr.. Sprockett alone she says.
What I 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.
/ w., o,,xbt - ho ocbopnad 0f you're If I,