The Washington times., 1906-06-24

DdCh nEll.
Ginger Dick coUghed and began TO
think as 'Ow old Sam was sfa,Dar
than he 'ad given I'm credit for but
afoTe he could think OF ANYTHING else
TO say Mrs Finch looked ~ Old San
and began 10 talk about IS shin and
70 say 'ow much she should Ike 20
sec over it.
II wish 7 could take Won" SOS Cav,
looking ct the other two out o. the 80
ner of his eve. ''but my ship-s over :.
Dunkirk. IN France. I've 3ust run Owe
to London for week or two to look
round"
And mines there too" eos peter
Russet speaking Almost afo-e old sam
'ad finished: "stde by side they lay IN
the harbour"
oh dear" eos Mrs. Finch, foIdiry
her 'auds and shaking her cad. u
SHOULD Ike n 90 over shin orc arto--
noon. Fd unite made i1p my mind to
II knowing three carti7s"
She smiled apd Iool-e,s at Cinper:
aDd sam a-1 Potn- looked at ~, TOO
"o"de-ing vvhefhe- DO v-..~ yot--- ~
hN-th his ship 1T Dunlzirk aIonq.-de q.
theirs.
All. Wish 7 - met Won - fort
ni@ht Hro." Ses Cfir-,er very sad IT
g7ve ~ my chin. the ITIghnve- tror.
Hnd I'm waif'nE for orc my nyv0o-s
PRE- 'avin@ built for mo at Nevvc7stIe-
They said the Hishfiver aSn't bfe-
enough for mo She was a nice ii'tIa
ship. though. believe I've got -er
picture somewhere about me-
lIe felt n IS pOcllet and pulled 7--+ p
little. crumple7-up Photograph CT a
ship he'd been fireman aboard nr some
years afore. and showed u n -
That's mo standing on the r-idve."
he sos. pointing ont a little dot with
the stem Of 'fs ripe
TITS your hgger." ses Mrs. Finch.
Rnvwhere"
You've got wonderful eyes. rna'arn."
ses OH Sam. choking IS pipe.
Anybody can see that ses CI7per
They're the 1argest and the bIuest
I've ever seem
Mrs. Finch told I'm not 20 talk no--
sense. but both Sam and Peter Russet
could see 'ow pleased she was.
Truth IS truth ses Ginger. I'm
plain man. and sneak my mind"
Blue is nv fav'rit' colour sez old
Sam In a tender voice True blue"
Peter Russett began TO feel out OF e.
II thought brown was" he ses
''Hor ses Sam. turning on I'm; and
WHY"
''r 'ad my reasons" ses Peter. nod
ding. and shutting IS mouth very
firm
II thought brown was IS fav.rit'
color too" SOS Ginger. "T don't know
why. It's no use asking me: because
II you I'D 7 couldn't tell yo4''
Browns very nice color ses
Mrs. Finch. wondering wot was TIE
matter with old Sam.
Blue" ses Ginger: big bl1-e eyes
they're the ones for me Other people
may ave their blacks and tSair
browns" he ses. looking at Sam I'd
Peter Russet. but give me blue"
They went on Ike that al the even
Ing. and every time the shop-bell went
and the widow 'ad TO go out 70 serve a
customer they said IN w'ispers wot
they thought Of each other: and once
when she came back rather su1sen
Ginger 'ad 20 explain that e vas
showing Peter Russet a scratch on his
knuCkle
Ginger Dick was the fust there next
night. ard took 'er a little chinev -ea-
pot he 'ad picked up dirt che4p be-
cause IL was cracked right acrost the
middle: but. as he explained that he
'ad dropped II IN hUrrying u see 'er.
she was Just as pleased She stuck Z
up on the mantelpiece. and the things
= she said about GizSer's kindness and
generosity made Peter Russet spend
good money that he wanted for i'm
self on 4 painted hower-pot next even
ing.
With three men all courting 'er AZ
the same time. Mrs. Finch had 'er
hands fuu but she took 20 Il wonder
fUl considering She was so nice and
kind 10 'em all that even arter a
weeks ard work none Of EN- was
really certain which she liked best.
They took 20 going IN az odd times
o the day for tobacco and such-like-
They used 10 go alone then. but they
all met and did the polite 10 each
othe- there cf an evening. and then
quarrellcd all the way 'ome.
Then all of a sudden. without any
warning. Ginger Dick and Peter Rus
set lcft of going there The fUst even
ing sam sat expecting them every
minute and We 50 surprised that he
couldn't take any advantage of il;
but on tho second. beginning by
squeezing Mr.. Finch's and at ha'-
PAST seven. ne 'ad got best part OF his
arm round 'er waist ~ quarter 10
ten. He didn't do more that night
because she told him to be'ave I'M
self. ard threatened To scream II he
didn't leave of.
lie was arf-way home afore e
thought Of the reason for Ginger Dick
and Peter RusSct giving up. and then
he went along smiling TO 'imsclf 20
such an extent that people thought =
was mad. He went Off TO sleep with
the smile still on Is lips. and when
Peter and Ginger came in soon arter
closing tirne and e woke up and asked
Them where they'd been, e was sun
smiling.
Il didn't ave the pleasure O. seeing
YOU at Mrs Fiuch's tonight" he ses.
NO. SOS Ginger. very short. we
got tired OF it,"
SO un'ealthy sitting in that stufTy
little room every evening" ses Peter
Old sam put his cad under the bed