Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1906-01-09


ITS always seemed funny to me, !"
remarked the lady. "that you men, all
sailors and used to doin' for your.
selves, should have had such time
when you come to try keepin' house."
"It does, don't It? I've thought Of
that myself. Anybody ID think we was
the most shif'less lot that ever lived
but we want. Even Jerry-an' he's
the wust one Of the three when II
comes to leavin' things at loose ends
always had mighty neat vessel and
had the name Of maxim his crews Toe
the mark. | honestly b'lieve it come OF
us bein' on shore an runnin' the She
bang on q share and share alike idee.
II there'd been skipper, a feller to
boss things, we'd have done better. but
when all hands was boss nobody felt
like doin' anything.
"Now, take that marryM idee." he
went on. II laughed at that good
deal at fust and didn't really take any
stock In it, but | guess twas real boss
sense after all. Anyhow it brought you
down here, and what we'd done with.
out you when John was took sick !
don't know. You've been so mighty
good and put up with so many things
that must have fretted you like the
nation, and the way you've Managed
myw
The whole souled admiration in the
captains voice made the housekecper
blush like girl.
Don't say word, Cap'n Fri" she
protested. It's been jest a pleasure
to me, honest. I've had more comfort
and-well, peace, you might say, sence
I've been in this house than I've had
afore for years. don't know what
you must think Of me answerin' an ad-
vertisement for husband that way.
1t makes me 'shamed Of myself when
l think Of it, l declare. And in that
kind Of paper too"
1--WE wondered more times than q
few how you ever got hold Of that
paper. 'Tain't one you'd see every day
naturally, you know"
Mrs. Snow paused before she an-
swered. Then she said slowly: "Well,
I'm s'prised you amt asked that afore.
I haven't said much about myself
sence I've been here, for no p'tic'lar
reason that I know of except that
there wasn't much to tell and it wasn't
a very interestin' yarn to other folks.
My husbands name was Jubal
Snow
You don't sayw exclaimed the cap
tain. "Why, Jerry used to know him"
II shouldn't wonder. Jubal knew a
lot Of folks on the Cape here. He was
a good husband-no better anywheres
and he and I had good life togeth-
er long as he was well. I've sailed a
good many wages with him and /
feel pretty nigh as much at home on
the water as do OH land. Our trouble
was the same that good many folks
have-we didn't cal'late that fair wealth
er wouldn't last all the time, that's all.
ut wasn't his fault any more than
twas mine. We saved little money,
but not enough. as It turned out. Well,
he was took down sick ana had to give
I'D goin' to sea, and we had little
place over in Nantucket and settled
down on ii. FuSt along. Jubal was
able to do a little farmin' and so on,
and we got along pretty well, but by
and by he got so he want able to
work, and then twas harder. What
little we'd saved went for Doctors bills
and this. that and t'other. He Gidn't
like to have me leave him, 50 couldn't
earn much of anything. and !inliy we
come to where somethin' lad 10 be
done right away. and we talked the
thing over and decided to mortgage the
house. The money we got Oh the mort
gage lasted until he died.
HE had little life insurance. not
enough, Of course, but little. Ike was
plannin' to take ON more, but somehow
It never seemed as If he could die, he
so big and strong and we put II Oh
until he got so he couldn't pass the
examination. When the Insurance
money come / took it to Jedge Briar, II
mighty good friend Of JubaIs ana mine
and the one that held the mortgage OH
the house, and told him wanted t.
pay off the mortgage with it. sos Id
have the house free and clear. But the
jedge advised me not to, said the mort
gage was costin' me only per cent
and why didn't put the money where
twas likely to be Il good investment
that would pay me eight or ten per
cent? Then I'd be maxim money. he
said. | asked him to invest 1t for me
and he put it into the Bay Shore Land
company, where most OF his own was.
"Sho! want to know" broke In
the captain. "IIe did, hey. We'll,
had some there, too, and so did Perez
Precious few families OH the Cape that
didn't"
"Yes, he thought twas the safest and
best place he knew OF. lne oihcers
bein' sons Of Cape people and Their
fathers such fine men, everybody said
twas all right. / got my dividends
reg'lar for awhile, and | went out
nussin' and did SEWN ana got along
reel well. kept thinkin' some day I'd
be able to pay off the mortgage and
put away what little l could toward it.
but then was took sick and that
money went. and then the land com
pany went up the spout"
The captain nodded. The failure OF
the company had brought poverty to
hundreds of widows. Mrs. Shows case
was but another instance.
lro BE ooHT5uEp.l
Evil Enough.
There is evil enough in man, God
knows. But II Is not the mission OF