Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-28

them attached much Importance to the
letter which she had received, although
Captain Perez did ask Mrs. Snow if
she knew from whom it came.
The lady from Nantucket was not
so easily satisfied. At her first oppor.
tunity she cornered Captain Fri, and
they discussed the whole affair from
beginning to end There was nothing
Unusual in this proceeding. for dis
cussions concerning household matters
and questions OF domestic policy were
between these two getting to be more
and more frequent. hrs. Snow was
now accepted by ell ms one of the
family, and Captain Err had co1ne to
bold a high opinion Of her and her
views.
The marriage idea, that which had
brought the housekeeper to Orhanl, was
now seldom mentioned. In fact, Cap
tain Fri had almost entirely ceased to
rufhe Jerry's feelings with reference
to 1T. Mrs. Snow of course said moth
ing about it, But for that matter she
said very little about herself or her
affairs.
1t was a curious fact that the lady
from Nantucket had never referred ex-
cept in casual way to her past his
tory. She had never told how she came
to answer the advertisement in the
Nuptial Chime nor to explain how so
matter of fact person as she was had
ever seen that famous sheet.
Mrs Snow was certain that Elsie's
reason for wishing to obtain the po-
sition of schoolteacher was something
more specific than the one advanced.
She was also certain that the girl was
troubled about something The root
Of the matter, she believed, was con
tanned in the mysterious letter. AS
Captain Fri was of precisely the same
opinion, speculation between the two
as to what that letter might have con-
tanned was as lively as it was unfruit-
full.
One thing was certain--Elsie was not
as she had formerly been. She did her
best to appear the same, but she was
much more quiet and had fits Of alb
sentmindedness that the captain and
the housekeeper noticed. She had no
more evening "errands," but she oc-
casionally took long walks in the after
moons, and on these walks she evident
~ preferred to be alone.
Whether Mr.. Hazeltine noticed this
change in her was question The
captain thought he did, but at any rate
his calls were none the less frequent,
and he showed no marked objection
when Captain Jerry, who now consid-
cred himself bound in honor to bring
about the union he had SO actively
championed, brought to bear his art
full schemes for leaving the young
apparent that Elsie had more than
once betrayed some symptoms Of an
noyance, all Of which were lost on the
jealous matchmaker. Ralph, like the
others, was much surprised at Miss
Preston's application for employment,
but as it was manifestly none of his
business he Of course said nothing.
At the next committee meeting Elsie
was unanimously chosen to fill Miss
Nixon's shoes asi trainer Of the young
idea at the grammar school, and, as
Miss Nixon was very anxious to be rid
Of her responsibilities in order that she
might become the care free bride of
Whoever with two small children, the
Oh %,1 Ill H., s<~h&
From her first days labors Elsie re-
turned calm and unruf11ed. She had
met the usual small rebellion against
a new teacher and had conquered it.
She said she believed she had a good
class and she should get on with them
very nicely. 1t should be mentioned in
passing, however, that Josiah Bartlett,
usually the ringleader in all sorts Of
trouble, was trife upset because the
new schoolmistress lived in the same
house with him. and SO had not yet de-
cided just how far it was safe to go
in trespassing against law and order.
Thanksgiving day came, and the cap
tains entertained Miss Patience Davis
and her brother and Ralph Hazeltine
at dinner. That dinner was an event.
Captain Fri and Mrs. Snow spent full
twenty minutes with the driver of the
butchers cart, giving him directions
concerning the exact breed Of turkey
that was to be delivered, and apparent
ly these orders were effectual, for Cap
tain Luther, who was obliged to hur-
ry back to the life saving station as
soon as dinner was over, said that he
was so full Of white meat and stuffing
that he callated he should "gobble"
all the way to the beach. His sister
stayed until the next day, and this
was very pleasing to all hands, par
ticularly Captain Perez.
They had games in the evening, and
here the captains distinguished them
selves. Seth Wingate and his wife
and Mr.. and Mrs. Obed Nickersoa
came in, as did several other retired
mariners and their better halves.
Even John Baxter was better that
day. He seemed trifle more rational
and apparently understood when they
told him that it was Thanksgiving.