Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1905-11-07

We're ShroGdeu IN very reallStlc IoG
Of tie same dust. Even the imposing
.ilt lettered set Of Lives Of Great Ma.
val Commanders" purchased by Cap,
] tain Perez some months before and be-
ing slowly paid for on an apparently
never ending installme plan. was
cloaked with it. The heap of newspa'
ners showed under the couch to get
/ them out of the way peeped forth in q
telltale manner. The windows were
not too clean, and the floor needed
sweeping. incidentally the supper ta-
bic had not been cleared. Each one OF
the three noted these things, and each
sighed. Then Captain Fri said, as II
to change the subject, though no one
had spoken:
What started you talkin' about the
grave, Perez? Was it them clam frlt'
| ters Of Jerry's"
no" answered the ex-skipper Of the
Flying Duck. pulling at his grizzled
scrap of throat whisker and looking
rather shamefaced. "You see, MISSY
Busteed dropped in few minutes this
mornin' while you fellers was out,
and
Both Captain Fri and Captain Jerry
set up hilarious shout.
"Haw, haw" roared the former, slap
ping his knee. 81 wouldn't be so fasci.
natin' as you be for no money, Perez.
She'll have you yit; you can't git away!
But, say, l don't wonder you got to
thinkin' bout the grave. Ten minutes
Of MISSY gifts me thinkin' of things
way t'other side of that!'
"Aw, beiay there, Eri!' protested
Captain Perez testify. "'Twant my
fault. didn't see her comm or I'D
have got out Of sight"
What was it this time" asked Cap
tain Jerry.
"Oh, u little of everything. She be.
gun about the beautiful sermon that
Mr.. Perley preached ut the last Come
Cutters meetin'. That was what start
ed me thinkin' about the grave, | guess.
Then she pitched into Seth Wingate's $
wife for havin' new bunnit this sea-
son when tie old one want ha'f wore
out. She talked for ten minutes or so
OH that, and then she begun about Par
ker bein' let so over ut the cable sta
ton and about the new feller that's
been signed to take his place. She's
ull for Parker. Says he was per
fectly lovely man and that twas out
rageous the way he was treated, and
all that sort of thing"
She amt the only one that thinks
so," observed Captain Jerry. There's
heap of folks in this town that think
Parker was a mighty fine feller."
YES" said Captain Fri, ''and it's
worth while noticin' who they be.
perez's friend MISSY thinks so, and
Squealer Wixon and his gang think
so, and Web Saunders thinks SO, and
lot more like 'em. Parker was too
good felier, that's what was the mat.
Ter with him. His talk always remind
ed me of wash day ut the poorhouse-
lots of soft soap with plenty Of lye in
it."
"Well, MISSY says that the men over
TO the station-all except Langley, OF
course-are mad US all git-Out because
Parker was let go, and she says some
Lody told somebody else, and somebody
else told somebody else, and somebody
else told her-she says 1t come reel
straight-that the men are goin' to
make it hot for the new feller when he
comes. She says his names uaZeltine,
or somethin' like that, and that he's
goin' to get here tomorrer or next day"
"Well," said Captain Fri. Its mer-
cy MISSY found it out. If that man
should git here and she not know 1t
aforehand 'twould kill her sure rs fate,
and think what blow that would be
to you. Perez"
He took his old fashioned watch from
his pocket and glanced at the dial.
81 mustn't be scttin' round here
much longer" he added John BaX-
ter's goin' to have that little patch Of
cranberry swamp Of his picked to-
morrer and he's expectln' some barrels
down on tonight's train. John asked
me to git Zoeth Cahoon to cart 'em
lown for him. but I amt got nothin'
special to do tonight, 90 I thought I'd
hitch up and 60 and git 'em myself.
You and Jerry can match cents to see
who does the dishes. did 'em last
night. so it's my watch below"
We'll, shan't do 'em," declared
Captlin Perez. Blessed II I'd do the
,iurn things tonight If the president OF
The United States asked me to-"
"Humph! sputtered Captain Jerry.
81 s'pose you fellers think I'll do 'em
all the time. II you do you're mistook.
that's all. 'Twan't last night you done
'em, Fri; twas the night afore. l
done 'em last night and I'm ready to
take my chances ag'in II we match,
but I'm jiggered If let you shove the
whole thing off on to me. l didn't
shin for cook no more'n the rest OF
YOU"
Neither Of the others saw fit to an
swer this declaration Of independence
and there was pause In the conversa'
ton. Then Captain Jerry said mood
lily:
"It amt no use. 1t don't work."
"What don't work? asked Captain
Fri.
"Why, this plan Of ours. l thought
when we fellers give up goin' to sea
rer'lar and settled down here to keep
house ourselves and live economical
and all that. that twas goin' to be
fine. / thought I wouldn't mind dom
my share Of the work a bit. thought
'twould be kind Of fun to swab decks
and all that. Well, twas for a spell,
but 'tain't now. I'm 30 sick Of 1t that
I don't know what to do. And I'm
sick Of livin' in pigpen too. LOOK
at them headlights! They're 80 dirty
that when turn out in the mornin'
and 60 to look through 'em can't tell
whether it's foul weather or fair"
Captain Erl looked at the windows
toward which his friend pointed and
signed assent.
'erhcre's 10 use talkin'." he observed,
we've got to have steward aboard
this craft"
"Yes," said Captain Perez emphat'
ical.y, "a steward Of woman. One
of us IL have to git married. that's
uE."
"Marr;ed!' roared the two in chorus
That's what l said, married, and
| ,ol.o tI,a o4ho.s fO hourfl In this house