New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-03
I O

TetOrted the Gap n, Dr1dl11S-
You amt gentleman, and you amt mt to
taller his boots!' the widow snapped.
The fact that any person could class him below
anv human in the town of Smyrna the skipper
that had been king of the coast-strred all the old
sea-dog's pride and resentment. He was about to
enter into vigorous expostulation, when she picked
up a hay-fork and drove him out OF the barn-one
vigorous thrust that brought blood from his tough
palm showing him that she meant business
He heard her say once to Mullen: You're
a real man. and he scuffed down the road growing
oaths and medtating revenge
YOU'RE the man they call 'Mournful, amt your
asked the widow when the two were alone.
NV name is Mister Andrew Mullen, and if the
hectors in this place have tackled any nickname
onto me they amt got any right to do IT.
Well all | know is they say you never laughed
hearty in your whole life and couldn't ever stand
it to have man like that hangin round much No
wonder your first wife dledl'
The folks that is allus gOn' round tee-hee1n
amt got much brains us'1y," he retOrted.
mo surs at me-" she said srnartly. Il like fun,
and | know jest as much anyone. People that
can't laugh when there's call for it has got some
thin the matter with en- Then she sgnitied to
Mullen that she had enough of his society for that
dav and she did so by picking up hoe and going
out into the garden, leaving him without word.
Therefore the Capn trudged one way, consumed
by pique and rage that a woman should SO
slight him; ''Mournful" Mullen trudged the other
way, equally smarting under her contempt.
a
creased in each of those rugged breasts, until 1t
became a desire to show the cOntemptuous
woman that they such persons as she
had imagined.
Now all that Smyrna understood about the
matter was that both Capn lothian Sprague
and "Mournfu" Mullen were showing atten-
tons to Widow Briggs running on her errands,
spelling her at her teamwork and in general
acting like two rivals who were dead in love.
The Cap'n remained saturnine. Mullen
manned mournful
So it came along into August when the days
were hot and muggy, and the flies pestered the
bald heads and the careful housewives and
the COWS in the pasture.
For her Jersey that she had named May
belle the widow had developed almost
ssterly affection When she Maybele I
franticaly flashing herself in the pasture with i
her tail or stamping in the yard to dislodge 4
flies, her heart swelled with sympathy She 7
wondered why it was that farmers had never
invented anything to keep flies away from
COWS. She laid the negligence to their hard
hearts. 1t was the calousness, she /
flected, that took away the little calves and
gave them the butchers for few paltry dollars.
She didn't care what other people thought, she
made up her mind to do something to allay poor
Maybelle's tortures So she planned and stitched,
and at last her invention ready.
1t happened that the Cap'n the faithful +
servitor to present himself first that day.
The two men had arrived at that point in their 4
relationships that they gared at each other when
they met and ClenChed fists behind their backs. I
But as far as they could see the widow inclined
neither the other. If she praised the Cap'n
for his good nature and funny Stories she gave him
fits the next moment for his awkwardness.
A commentator of g Mournful' Mullen's han
diness was always followed by some such senti-
ment as this: But, oh, that face of yours would
sour cream! How a go through his
world and not laugh is more than | can under
stand No wonder your first wife couldn't stand it!
+J1, 20 hot 4,