The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1906-04-20
WeeMacgreegor
on the Pier
Copyright, 1905, by Joseph B. Bowlss.)
BY J. J. BELL


"Hech! Macgreegor, ye're goin' too
quick fur. me-" gasped Mr.. Purdte, "A
the youngster whose hand he held hur'
ried along the Rothesay Esplanade In
the early afternoon sunshine.
II could go quicker. granpaw."
"'Deed, ay! Ye're young an supple!
But the boat III not be in for more
than half an hour. So we'll just take
seat for wee. I'm gettin' old, Mac
greegor, I'm gettin' DID,
"Ay, ye're very DID," said Mac
gregor, agreeably.
But I'm not that DID," said Mr.. Pur'
die, hastily.
They took a seat facing the bay.
Macgregor proceeded to haul in tin
steamboat which he had been dragging
after him since they started on theil
walk, while his grandfather drew from
its case a well-seasoned meerschaum.
II see boat comm" exclaimed
Macgregor ere they had been seated for
FIVE minutes.
where? Oh, ay. But that's. not
the right boat. Wait till ye see boat
wi two yellow tunnels"
II like red tunnels better than vel
low ones. Why is nav comm IN a
boat wi yellow funnels?"
Eyer NAV disna like the water, an
the boats wi yellow tunnels don't
come so far as the boats with red fun
nels. Here! Put this in your mouth.
Il like peppermint lozengers,' OBJ
served Macgregor, drawing In his
breath to get the full effect. Il like
lemonade Also" he added, presently.
Are ye dry?"
"Ay."
"Well, yell maybe get bottle be"
fore we go to the pier. What haze ye
been dom to yer steamboat? It's all
smashed-see!"
"A laddie stepped on it," said Mac
gregor, holding up his toy. But thu
string went round his leg an cut him
an he went away weepin'. Why II
there not a band?" he inquired, look
ing round at the bandstand.
TITS not the season yet"
"Why isn't 1t the season? I like
band wi 4 big drum. Will there be .
band in the morning, granpaw?
mo, no. Not till the summer. II
my coughs no better I'll maybe blde
in Rothesay till the summer. and then
Yell come back an stay with yer gran
ny an me, an hear the band"
"Ts YER cough bad now"
"Ay; it's very bad at night, Mac
sreegor."
II once had an awful bad cough "
said Macgregor, thoughtfully. II took
oil. If you was takin' oil ye mign
be better before the summer, graz
paw"
Mr. Purdie smiled. would We like
my cough to be better before the sum-
mer Macgreegor?"
"Ay. IL would like to bide In
Rothesay, too"
I'm thinkin' I'll try the oil, Mac
ereegor."
Its real nasty to take. But 1t
might make your cough better before
the summer. Rothesays q
nice place, isn't it? I'm goin'
over to look at the water" Macgregor
slipped OF the seat, and, dragging his
steamboat behind him.. went over to
the ratings of the esplanade.
"Yere not to climb up," cried Mr..
Purdie, rising in alarm. If ye was
fallin' in there ye would be drowned"
There's an awful lot of water to-
day." remarked the boy, as his grand
father put an arm around him.
: LAY, We see, the tides in.'
I'm going to sail my boat now"
Eye cannot sail it there"
"Ay, can l! See!" Macgregor low.
cred his toy with the string till 1t
touched the water yard beneath them.
After several partial swampings it was
induced to float on a comparatively
even keel. 'It's swimming!" he ex-
claimed in triumph, as he jerked it
about. And then the string slipped
from his fingers. He turned to his
grandfather in dire dismay.
poor laddie," said Mr.. Purdie, look
Ing dUOuI LII ACAp AL tAO oAdpC VI q
rowing craft.
MY boat, my boat" walled Mac
gregor, softly.
Old Mr.. Purdie went down on his
knees, suppressing groan as he did
so, laid his pipe on the ground, and,
leaning over the edge, endeavored to
secure the string with his walking
stick For several minutes he wrought,
but all in vain, and then Macgregor
cried out that his boat was sinking.
1t was too true! Damaged, doubtless,
by many a stormy passage on dry
land, and also by being tramped upon,
the luckless vessel had gradually filled
and now it was being slowly but sure
ly submerged. Mr.. Purdie, in great
distress, endeavored to save it with
his stick by getting hold of the
metal rigging, but his sight was poor
and his hand shaky. and he only sue
ceeded in giving it a prod amidships,
which precipitated the disaster. Down.
down, in ten feet of clear water it
quietly sank, while its owner could do
n o,,ob+ h,,t uotoh opd u,o;l. HNI,y hoot