Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-26

TIE
snow, having nnlsneu wasnIng the
dishes-she allowed no one to assist
her In this operation since the time
when she caught Captain Jerry absent
mindedly using the dust rag instead Of
the dishcloth-went upstairs to her
patient. Shortly afterward Elsie came
down, wearing her hat and Jacket.
"I'm going out for little WHILE"
she said mo, don't want any one to
go with me. I'll be back soon"
Her back was turned to the three
captains as she spoke, but, as she
opened the door, the lamplignt shone
for an instant on her face, and Captain
Err noticed, or TANGLED that he did, that
she was paler than usual. He rose
and again offered to accompany her,
but net with such firm refusal that
he could not insist further
Now, that's kind of funny, amt it?"
remarked Perez. Il don't believe she's
been out alone afore after dark sence
she's been here"
Where did you git that letter, Jo-
siah ?" asked CAPTAIN Fri.
It may as we. be explained here
that Captain Perez's grandnephew was
a thorn IN the flesh of every one. in
Guiding his indulgent relative. He was
a little afraid. of Mrs. Snow, and
obeyed her better than he did any one
else, but that is not saying a great
deal. He was in mischief in school
two-thirds Of the time, and his reports,
made out by the teacher, were anything
but complimentary. He was a good
looking boy, the image of his mother,
who had been her uncle's favorite, and
he was popular with a certain class of
youngsters. Also, and this was worse.
his work at the livery stable had
thrown hin, in contact with a crowd
Of men like squealer Wixon, Web
Saunders and others of their class. and
they appreciated his New York street
training and made much Of him. Cap
tain Perez, mindful of his promise to
the boys mother, did not use the nee
essary measures to control him, and
Captain Fri and Captain Jerry did not
like to interfere.
Just now he was seated in the corner,
and he looked up with a start, hur-
riedly folded up the tattered paper
book he was reading, stuffed it into his
pocket and said, "What?"
"W'ho give you that letter that come
for Elsie?'
Miss Cahoon, up at the Office. 1t was
In our box" said the boy.
"Humph! What are you readin'
that's SO ipterestin'?'
ooh, nothln. A book, that's all.
LET me look at it,
Josiah hesitated, looked as though he
would like to refuse, and then sullenly
took the ragged volume from his pock-
ct and handed it to the captain, who
deliberately unfolded it and looked at
the cover.
'Fightin' Fred Starlight, the Boy
Rover of the Pacific" he read aloud.
"Humph! Is it good?"
BET your life It's redhot story
II want to know! Who was Mr..
Moonshine = what's his name Star
lightY
HE was sailor" was the ,sully an
swer. Josiah was no fool, and knew
when he was being made fun Of
The captain opened the book and
read q page or two to himself. Then
be said: II see he knocked the skipper
down cause he insulted him. Nice,
spunky chap. I'd like to have had him
aboard vessel of nine And he called
the old man 'caitif hound? Awful
thing to call Teller, that is. I'll bet
that skipper felt ashamed. Looks like
a good book. I'll borrow it tonight to
read while you're dom your lessons"
II amt got any lessons to do"
"Oh, amt you? l thought that was
'rithmetic over there"
"Well. I know 'em now. Besides,
you amt got any right to order me
around. You amt my uncle. Can't
read that book, Uncle Perez?"
| Poor Perez! He hesitated, swallowed
once or twice and answered: you can
read It after you've studied SPELL