Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1906-04-23


The sole compensation is the pleasure
derived from the sense of duty done.
Mr. Squealer Wixon, a lifelong |
member Of this committee, was the |
first TO sight Captain Err as the latter |
strolled across the tracks into the cir |
Gle or light from the station lamps. |
The captain had moored Daniel to a |
picket in the fence over by the freight |
house. He had heard the clock in the |
belfry of the Methodist church strike
s as he drove by that edifce, but he
heard no whistle from the direction of
the West Orham woods, so he knew
that the down train would arrive at
It's usual time-that is, from fifteen 10
twenty minutes behind its schedule.
"Hey!' shouted Mr.. Wixon, with en-
thusiasm. Here's Cap'n Fri! Well,
| cap, how's she headin?''
Bout no'theast by no'th," was the
calS reply. "Runnin' fair, but with
lookout for wind ahead"
''Hain't got a spare chaw nowheres
about you, have you, cap'nF anx-
iously inquired Bluey Batcheldor. Mr..
Batcheldor is called "Bluey' for the
same reason that Mr. Wixon is called
"Squealer," and that reason has been
forgotten for years
Captain Fri obligingly produced a
black plug of smoking tobacco, and Mr..
Batcheldor bit off two-thirds and re-
turned the balance. After adjusting
the morsel so that it might interfere in
the least degree with his vocal ma
chinery he drawled:
81 callate you amt heard the news,
Err. Web Saunders has got his orig
inal package license. 1t come on the
noon mail"
The captain turned sharply toward
the speaker. as that a fact" he
asked. ''Who told you?"
"See it myself So did Squealer and
a whole lot more. Web was shown it
round"
1--WE was wonderin'," said Jabez
Smalley, member Of the committee
whose standing was somewhat impair
ed, inasmuch as he went fishing occa-
sionally and was therefore obliged to
> miss some Of the meetings, what kind
> Of a fit John Baxter would have now
: He's been pretty nigh distracted ever
: sence Web started his billiard roCm
: callin' it a 'ha'nt of sin and a whole
lot more names. There amt been a
i Come Cutters meetin'' sence | DOM
l know when that he amt pitched into
t that saloon Now, when he hears thai
/ Webs goin' to sell rum he'll bust {
: b'iler sure"
$ The committee received this proph
ecy with a hilarious shout Of approx
IL al and each member began to talk
Il Captain Err took advantage Of this 81
1t multaneous expression Of opinion tt
walk away.
L From the clump of blackness that in
- dicated the beginning Of the West Or
y ham woods came long drawn, disma
''toot," then two shorter ones. Tn
u committee sprang to it's feet and look
e. ed interested Sam Hardy came out o
" his ticket office. The stage driver,
u, sharp looking boy Of about fourteen
~ with a disa greeable air Of cheap smar1
D. ness sticking out all over him, left hi
:. seat in the shadow of Mr.. Batcheldor'
~ ~ manly form, tossed cigarette STUN
~ away and loafed over to the Vfc1nlt
y Of the depot wagon, which was back
ed up against the platform. Captaf
Fri knocked the ashes from his pip
- and put that service stained Vetera
49, in his pocket. The train was reall
- coming in at last.
ny If this had been an August eyen1n
instead of a September one, both trai
Gu and platform would have been GROVE
We ed But the. butterfly summer Made
W had fitted. and. as is his wont, tt
summer. man had fitted after her, S
the passengers who alighted from Il
tUo coaches that, with the freight ca
ei- made up the Orham branch train wei
-, few in number and homely in favo
! - There was slim, not to say gawk
Gu individual with a chin beard and ri
III Ter boots, whom the committee halle
JIG as Andy and welcomed to its boso1
-iiu There were two young men, drumme
'he evidently, who nodded to Hardy al
seemed very much at home Ais
on there was. another young man. smoo
'ng shaven and square shouldered. W.
Aet, deposited a suit case on the platfor
1t and looked about him with the air
40. being very far from home indeed.
ap- The drummers got into the stas
TED The young man with the suit ca
De picked up the latter and walked
rvs ward the same vehicle. He accost
ez the sharp boy, who had lighted 6
;ap- other cigarette.
' th Can you direct me to the cable s
lie tion?" he asked. :.
Sure thingr' said the youth, a
zap there was no Cape Cod twist to
accent "Git aboard"
ms 81 didn't intend to ride" said
'no stranger.
ave what was you goin' to do? Wall
vent YES, if it's not far
The boy grinned, and the members
Ain the committee, who had been star
one. with all their might, grinned also I
ONE 900 mans mention of +he cable
Il