Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1905-10-25
Rv JOSEPH G. LINCOLN

1nu Wt.llt 10 inok OIL lof MN. Miss
! Davis, said Captain Fri. Hes the
most fAscillAi.n Noui gsler OF bis age
| ever see. Me an! .lel,ys been ,hinkin
we'd have to EuE9 fence round the
house 10 keep lie Iif.@ away when he's
EDme Why. VI l..s, Busteed fairly
"0h. give us Il rest Ell" exclaimed
Perez. witt even more indiYnat ION than
was nr'eSsary m !issy Busteed.'
Just 'len Ralph and Elsie came up,
and captain hi explained that he had
hailed them because 4 was time to be
going if ihey Wante; to get across to
the minlan'. without swimming. They
walked around 10 the back door of the
station and there found Mrs. Snow and
Captain Davis by the hen yard. The
lady from Nantucket had discovered a
sick chicken in tie collection, and she
was holding it in her lap and at the
same time discoursng learnedly on the
relative value of Plymouth Rocks and
Ithode Island Reds as layers.
See there exclaimed Captain Fri
Cel ghtedly, pointing to the suffering
pulet. What did tell you: D. you
wonder we picked her out fer nuss fo..
John, Lu1he.'? Even a Sick hen knows
enough to 81 10 her.
They harlcs@cd Daniel TO the carry
al and StDWe'! the living freight aboard
somehow. although captain Perez pro
.ested that h2 lad eaten SO much din.
Mer he didn't knows he'd be able 10
hang on the was lie dix! coming d>N-i
Then they s,i farewell to CAPITA ::
Davis and h:i sister ANA started foI
tome The Ee.ahars of'the crew. such
Of them as We're about the station.
waved good!H to them as they passed
Things kind Of average up in tHl&
world. don't theY?" said Captain Er
refleui:vely as he Steere,l Daniel along
lie s5ft he;2cl, toward tie ford. "Me'rt
"ll the time reaGin bout fellerS that
work for the yov nicnt glttin' high sal
ries and dom next 10 nothin'. Now,
there's Il giHg the life savin' crew, !
n"an-tlat Gees what You ana me
VOID c:,i almighty hard work and gil
l.eNt to nothin for it. Uncle sam GIT
"Vuare there, il seems to me. y few
collars . month and find yourself sin!
gilt edged wages for bein' froZe AN
tlroWndcd and blown to pieces to-.
months out of the year, is IT.
The tide was higher when they came
to The crossing than il had been when
hey drove over before, but they made
:le passage all right, although there.
was some nervousness displayed 10y the
feminine portion Of the party. When
they reached home they found Captain
Jerry contentedly smoking his pipe.
the sick rl"n was asleep, and every
thing was serene. Josiah appeared
from behind the barn. where he had
been smoking cigarette.
They pressed MIR. HaZeltine to stay
to supper but he declined, alleging
that he had been away from business
too long al"eady. Hc had been re-
markably silent during the homeward
ride. and Elsie. too. had seemed busy
with her thoughts. She was full Of
fun at the supper table, however, and
the meal WAS a Jolly one. Just as it
was finished Captain Jerry struck the
table a bang with his palm that made
the knives and forks Jump and SO
startled Captain Perez as to cause him
to spill half a cup Of tea over his shirt
bosom.
Land Of loyew calculated the vic
tim, mopping his chin and his tie
with his napkin. Its bad enough to
scare a feller to death. let alone
droWndin' aud scaldin him ut the same
time. What did you do that for:"
Il jest thought of somethin',' ex'
claimed Captain Jerry, going through
one pocket after the other.
Well l wish you'd have your think
in fits in the barn or somewheres else
next time put this shirt on clean
this mornin' and now look at it!'
His friend was too busy to pay any
attention to this advice. The pocket
search apparently being unsatisfactory
he rose from the table and hurriedly
made a round of the room, looking on
the mantelpiece and under chairs.
Il had it when come in.' he solilo-
OuZed. Il know l did, cause was
wearin' it when l went out to see to
the hens. l don't see where
IF rs yJar l.~t you IRE looking for.
observed Josiah. II saw Mrs. Snow
hang it Zip on the nail behind the door.
There it is now"
The reply to this was merely a
grunt. which may or may not have en-
pressed approval. At any rate. the
hat was apparently the object of his
search, for he took it from the nail
lookcd inside. and with a sigh of relief
took out crumpled envelope.
II knew l put it somewheres. he
said. Its letter for you. Elsie. 10
siah. here, he brought it down from the
postotfice when he come from school
this afternoon. meant to give it to
you afore."
,, Captain Fri, who sat next to the
young lady, noticed that the envelope
was addressed in an irregular. sprawl
ing hand to Miss Elizabeth Preston
Ornam. Mass" Elsie looked it over in
the absent way in which SO many OF
%ct1 Of OF