Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1906-06-11
CAP'N Err
BY JOSEPH c. LINCOLN
Copyright 1904. BY A. s. Bsrnes q Co. Pub
hsbcrs. $50 Filth AVenDe. New Yort.
An RIGHT Reserved
BY JOSEPH c. LINCOLN

rom his tongue. came briskly UP,
milling as If the burning of his place
business was but trining Incl
ent, a little annoying of course. but
OF worth fretting about. He thanked
he captain and Hazeltine effusively
or their service OF the previous night
nd piled the weight of his obligations
pom them until. as Captain Fri said
iterward," ''the strip fairly dripped
his chin" The captain broke in
pom the sugary .silow as soon as he
ould.
How d'you think it started, WEBB"
e asked
Weils replied Mr.. Saunders slow
Kind Of cal'late she started her
eli. There was some of the boys in
ere most Of the evenin', and jest likes
lot a cigar butt or match or some
Mn dropped somewheres and got TO
molderin' and smoldered along till
pimeby-puffw An expressive wave
pr fat hand finished the sentence.
"Humph" grunted the captain.
'Changed your mind sence last night.
Seems TO me l heard you then swearin'
Tou knew twas set and who set it,"
well, ye-es. l was considerable
shook up last night, and maybe 1 said
hings l hadn't ought to. You seq,
there's been good deal of hard feel
ms toward me in town, and for a
spell / thought some Teller d tried to
burn me out. But | guess mott guess
pot. More l think of it, more l think
t catched itself. Seems to me / re-
member smellin' sort Of a scorchin'
smell when was lockin' up. Oh, say!
was mighty sorry to hear bout Cap'n
Baxter bein' took sick. How's he git
tin along?"
Captain Fri brusquely replied that
his friend was "'bout the same" and
asked if Mr.. Saunders intended to re-
lbuild. Web didn't know just yet. He
was a poor man, didn't carry much
Insurance, and so on. Thought likely
he should fix up again If it didn't cost
too much. Did the doctor say whether
" Captain Baxter would pull through or
not?
Captain Fri gave an evasive answer
and turned away. He was silent for
some little time. and when Ralph COM
mented on Webs overnight change
of manner his rejoinder was to the
effect that 'fle was bound to rise, but
that didn't mean there want dirty
water underneath" On the way home
he asked Hazeltine concerning the trou-
lble at the cable station and how Mr..
ILangley had treated the matter
Ralph replied that Mr.. Langley had
said nothing to him about it. 1t was
his opinion that the old gentleman I'M
derstood the affair pretty we'll and was
mot disposed to blame him. As for the
men. they had been as docile as lambs
and he thought the feeling toward him
self was not as bitter as it had been
all of which his companion said hC
was glad TO hear.
They Separated at the gate, and thu
captain entered the house to find Mrs
Snow welding a broom and surround
he'd bySa cloud of dust. Perez was UP
nfairs with the patient, and Captain
.forrv. whose habits had been consid
erably upset by the sweeping, was on
in the barn.
That evening the situation was e1
planned toA Mrs. Snow by Captain III
i'm accordance with the talk at tn
breakfast table. The lady from Nal
tucket understood and respected Cal
tain Jerry's unwillingness to discus
the marriage question while John Bal
ter's condition continued critical, an
she agreed to act as nurse and hous
keeper for awhile at least for the SUI
of So week This price was fixed o.
lv after considerable discussion by II
three mariners, for Captain Fri VIZ
Inclined to offer IS and Captain Jerl
but 81.
When Ralph Hazeltine called late
fhe afternoon of the following day Il
dining room was so transformed tn
he scarcely knew it. The dust had di
appeared. the chronometer was polls
ed till ii shone, the table was covers
with cloth that was snow whit
and everything movable had the a
pearance Of being in itssplace. Alt
rether there was an evideneeso of ord
that was almost startling.s
Captain Fri came to the door in
sponse to his knock and grinned
preciatively at his callers look of VIC
der.
ct don't wonder you're s'prised,"
said. with a chackle. Il amt begun
Git over ii yit myself, and Lorenzo's
shook up he amt been in the hou
sence breakfast time. He's out in
barn keepin' Dan1 comp'ny and wa
in for the end Of the world to stril
1 carlate."
Ralph laughed. "Mrs. SnowT he
quired.
Mrs. Snow" answered the capita
at beats all what a woman can
when she's that kind of a wom
She's done more swabbin decks a
oyerhaulin' runnin' riggin' than a n
mate on a clipper. The place is so
fred clean that l feel like brushin' 4
self every time go to set down.
"How's Captain Baxter?' asked I
zeltine.