Casco Bay breeze. [volume] (South Harpswell, Me.) 1901-1917, 1906-08-02
"xS"


A figure OF haggard and bewil-
dered inebr alton came IN through
the swinging doors OF the Seaman's
GLORY Saloor, and camc to an I'M
steady halt against the bar. 81 didn't
leave a SNAIL tin bucket in here, did
II! the newcomer asked of the bar
tender.
This official cast a bleared eye
rpon the questioner, and shook his
head. No, you amt .seft no such
pail around here. Bill. Maybe 1t was
at the Bowhead?"
Il Just came from there" said the
other, thickly. 1T amt there. do
wonder now what I did with them
there remains" He threw a fiutter-
tns glance at the bartender, and then
dug deep into a pocket. "Lemme
have some Gin." he continued. ME
bTiskly.
The barkeeper set the bottle out,
and watched his customer imbibe.
AS he put the bottle away again, lie
said: Maybe you'll find 'em at
Smiths. Look there?"
That's so. may have left them
remains right here" He smiled
family, and wavered on his legs. by
gum, I'll jest bet that's where they
are. I'll go see" And with labored
gait Bill departed.
"Porr chap" said Twizzle. THAT
misfortune did for BILL"
What misfortune?" I asked.
who's Bin?"
bill was terribly unlucky." was
the response. Fill lost his mother
in-law"
go don't see how that should af-
fict him." 1 -etorted.
Twizzla drained his beer glass, and
shook his head with an understand
in5 laok a. the bartender. The lat
ter also shook his head, and both
seeDed stricken with a sad and poig-
ant memory. Its a terrible mis-
fortune, nlurmured the barkeeper.
TO taink," continued Twizzle, "of
what Bill has suffered every night
when he goes home and his wife
says, Bill, where's mother?' and Bill
don't know. Awful"
'Orrible!" assented the other.
Lost his nother-in-lav in a tin
bucket" Twizzle went on, raising his
voice.
And set It down without ever
known where he left IT," exclaimed
the bartender.
Awful" doomed Twizzle.
/ Orrihle" the bartender respond
ed.
plucked Twizzle strongly by the
sleeve. Look here" protested,
I'm all in the dark. Tell me how
Bill lost his nother-in-law. What's
all this nonsense about a tin pail?"
1T was an awful misfortune"
Twizzle answered, solemly. ct did
BIZ up. He amt never held his head
up since"
since what?" cried, in vexation.
Since he lost his mother-in-law
In tin bucket" roared Twizzly.
fiercely. What do you suppose /
mean"
Easy now, SAM" urged the bar
tender. THE gent don't know the
partic'lers."
Il DON'T" said ]. land I'm anx-
ious to learn them"
Why didn't you say so before?"
Twizzle demanded, Susp'ciously, land
not go a-dou6ting of my: word?"
~ pr5testations OF credulity near
ly La-tici--ted another furry on
Twizzle's part, but the bartender
came to my aid. and between us we
soothed I'm into n narrative mood.
"Bill was my mate on the Dom
Paul." he explained, and he got
married to little woman living on
Russian Hill here in San Francisco.
Bill was terrible pleased. Never
saw such a woman, Cap'p,' says he.
And she and her mother run that
house shipshnpe a. Won please
Mo:her-fn-law living with your
] asks.
Bill sort OF edges away. of
course says he. 4 couldn't expect
Mary to live all by her lone while I'm
at sea. She needs company
But Bill didn'S cotton to that
mother-in-law the way he wanted TO.
She sat heavy on his digestion. He
couldn't warm up the way he .onght
TO and the way HIS wife thought he
should. But Bill didn't say much ex-
'Spt one day before we got into port
he says, 'Cap'n, I wonder IL my moth
er-in-law likes me-
DO you like her?' I demands,
real blunt
- try to 20 my duty says he.
IAN unpleasant duty?' sug-
gests.
She SIS % sorf of hoodoo me, :
he blnrts opt. I'm afraid she'll be
.misfey uoe % ne yet AID which
same she was. Poor Bill, he tasted
what was coming.
80 things went on for voyages
several. 3ill he seems sad IN his
bosom when he thinks OF his vife's
ma. and speaks considerable about
mist rsunes. You see she W.. n
small, tIack-eyed woman with idSas.
One voyage We got back to San
francisco. I'd ELI leaves for Rus
sian Hill in his best clothes. In a