The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1906-10-12

And Capt. AmOs-With a deep-Water
sailors unerring spring, landed square,
ly on the boats half-deck.
The red of the sunset faded into
pearl-and darkening gray. From the
lighthouse on Fort Point golden fin
ger shoe seaward and the frosted edge
of the full moon crept gradually into
the c]cudless sky. An inexplicable
spell, conjured perhaps by the half
mysterious peace brooding under the
wings of the coming night, flooded
Capt. Amos soul, awakening old and
potent memories.
"Lem?" he said dift1dently-uncon-
sciously using the familiar diminutiye
that had not passed his lips for years
-"j'you notice how terribly pretty the
sky looks over there to the west'ard?
I amt seen it look like that for years,
an it sorter reminds me of the time
we was young fellers-with old man
Bragg in the Dreadnaught-in 49," ;
"Yes," assented Capt Lemuel,
thoughtfully, IAN speakin' bout the
Dreadnaught, do you remember how
d
bein' too young to hev' any, regular.
Blamed if I don't wish I had that OF
tin pannikin O. mine here now, with
some i'll it,
Capt. Amos heart gave a sudden
throb Of anticipation.
"Say?" he remarked deprecatingly,
"'course l amt a-sayin' there is any,
thing O. that sort aboard this dory; but
s'posin' there wuz? Would you prom
ise-on the Bible it we had one-not
to say anything to-to-Fairport, bout
my beln' capsizec-if I gin you
sOme?"
Capt. Higgins stopped his oar and
reaching forth, grasped his dory-
mates shoulder, whfrling him around
tremendously.
do you mean to say you've got
some Ticker, Amos Stubbs?" he de-
mandei sternly.
Capt. Stubs explained and produced
the flask.
Capt. Higgins elevated il for a long
minute and returned it with a deep
sigh Of satisfaction.
Its curious how set some women
is agin' little licker," he commented,
with glistening eyes; ':all foolishness,
too."
$50 'tis-so ''tis," concurred Capt
Amos, raising the flask in turn. Il al
lus said so; specially if their fust hus-:
bands couldn't stand much; women is
alfred queer, anyhow
"They certainly be-" acknowledged
the tall captain, cycling the flask hope
fully, AN that's one reason I've been
so everlastin' s'prised at seem you a.
chasin' one OF 'em at your time of life,
THROWN over OF friends an actin
stubborn an cont'ray-'s if you was a
young Teller o. TO-"
"Me a-chasin' of 'em!" retorted Capt.
Amos Indignantly. What hev' you
been dcin' yourself, I'd like to know?
Amt you been a-goin' up to the wild
der's every Thursday night for the
last three years? An tryin' to pizen
her mind agin' me? 'Tain't your fault
she amt Mis- Lemuel Higgins this
mint, nuther-why don't you say
suthin?'
Capt. Higgins mOlstened his lips
If 'twan't for things bein' as they
be- he ventured hesitatingly, Il dunno
but I'd be tempted to make sorter
proposition TO you, Am Stubs; but l
spose it wouldn't be no use-you bein'
SO set on marryin' Mis- Tompkins.'
II Cont sees I'm any more set on
MARVIN of her than you be-" Capt.
| Amos retorted, with asperity. What
| kind Of a proposition was you thinkin'
O. makin'?"
"Well,' returned Lemuel, moving his
oar aimlessly, 81 was goin' to say that
if things was the same between us as
| they was once-I mean if there want
no widder-I'd ask you if you didn't
| want to come in with me on my new
| lobster contract? There'd be good
money for both of us in it, an I've
got 10 hev' somebody"
Capt. Amos rubbed his chin, staring
ahead at the wide and scintillating
fairway the moon had flung down
clear TO the dory's bow.
Look here, Lem!" he blurted husk-
lily over his shoulder s*mebbe I'm, a
fool; but somehow, talkin' over old
times same's we've been dom, has
kinder made me feel different from the
way I've been a-feelin'. It seems to me
l amt SO ALFRED set on the wilder as
I thought I was. I'm gettin' along In
years an I'm good deal more set in
my ways than you be-you hev'ing
been riarried once-so-so-s des-
perately-"I'll come to the weddin'.
amt sayin' this on account o. the Offer
you made me, nuther-though I'd be
more'n glad to take up with it an dc
the cookin'," he concluded resolutely.
DO you mean to say that you'll give
up the wilder to me?" faltered Capt
Lem IN a curiously shaky voice.
THAT'S jest what I meant; replied
Capt. Amos, steadily. I've made hur
my mind that there's some things tina,
is more precious to an OF Teller like
me than the love O. any woman; OIL
times an OF friends-an'-an'-'
"Then we won't neither on us hev