The Forrest City times., 1906-02-09
WeeMacgreegor
 on the Pier
lCopJright. Ioa5, by joseph E. Bowles. !
By J. J. BELL

HetE. Mac tSiteSolr " Ie 2olH too quick fur mo gasped MT Purdie. as he youngster whose hand he held hur- rfed along the Rothesay Esplanade in tlrs early afternoon sunshine
 T could go quicker, granpaw
 Deed. ay. We're young an supple! But the boat II not be in for more than haif an hour. So we'll just take seat for a wee. I'm gettin' old. Mae zreegor. I'm settin' old.
 "Ay. we're very old. said Mac. Eregor. agreeably.
 But I'm not that old" said Mir Pur- die. hastily.
 They took seat facing the bay Naceregor proceeded to haul in tin steamboat which he had been dragging after him since they started on their yak. while his grandfather drew from Its case welEseasoned meerschaum.
 I see boat eomin'. exclaimed Haegregor ere they had been seated for are minutes.
 "Wherc2 Gin. ay But that's not The right boat Wait till ye sec a boat VI two yellow tunnels
 T like red tunnels better thau vel. low ones. Why is ma~ eomin' in a boat wi yellow funnels2"
 Yer nav disna like the water. an The boats wi yellow tunnels don't come 90 far as the boats with red fun uefs. Hesei Put this in your mouth
 T ike peppermint lozengers.1 ob- served Maegregor, drawing in his breath 10 get the fall effect. I like lemonade also he added. presently.
 Are ye dry?
 "Ay."
 @Weli. yell maybe get bottle be. fore We go to the pier What ha.e ye been doin to yer steamboat2 Its all smashed see.
 "A laddic stepped on it said Mae greeor. holding up his toy. "But the string went round his leg an eat him an he went away weepin Why is tbere mol a band?' he inquired look iug round at the bandstaad
 aI's not the season yet
 .'Why isn't it the season. Ike 2 hand wi a big drum VII there be a taHd in the morning. granpaw2
 No. no. Not till the summer. If ny coughs no better I'll mayhe hlde n Rothesay li1l the summer. and then YeH come back an stay with=yer gran. uy an me. an hear the band
 Is yer eoug. bad now?s
 "Ay: it's very bad at nieht Mac. Rreegor'.
 T once had an awful bad cough said Macgregor, thoughtfulK T took oil. If you was takin oil ye might be better before the summer, gran paw"
 Mir Purdie smiled Would ye like any cough to he better before the sum mer Maegreegor?"
 "Ay I-I would like to bide in Rothesay. too"
 I'm thinkin' I'll try the oil, Mae, gceegor'
 Its real nasty to take. But it might make your cough better before he summer. Rothesays nice place. isn't it? I'm goia' =over te look al the water Macgregor slipped off the seat. and dragging his steamboat behind him went over to the r3ilings of the esplanade
 4e're not 10 climb up cried MT. Purdie rising in alarm If ye was feHia 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.
 @Ay ye see the tides in "
 I'm going 10 sail my boat now"
 Ie cannot sail it there
 ". can I. See" Maceregor low cred his toy with the string ull it .oHehed the water yard beneath them. At5er several partial sWampiugs il was Induced 10 float on comparatively even keel. Its swimming," he ex- elamed in triumph. as be jerked it ahom. And hen the string slipped from his fingers. He turned 10 his grandfather in dire disruay
 Poor laddie," said Mr i-urdie look fns about for help in The shape of a rowing craft.
 My boat. my boat" walled Ma gt s0r. softly.
 Old Mr. Purlie went down on his Knees, suppressing a sroan as he did ao. laid his pipe on the ground. and. leaning over the edge endeayored to secure the string with his walking suck For several minutes he wrought. Dnt all in vain, and then Maegreeor Cried out that his boat was sinking. 1t Was too true, Damaged. doubtless. b& many a stormy passage on dry tahd, and also by being tramped upon, the ihckless vessel had gradually filled and now it was being slowly but sure submerged. Mr Purdie in great Hstress, endeavored te save it with his stick by getting q hold of the helal rigging, but his sight was poor and his hand shaky. and he only sue eeeded in giving it prod amidships. Which precipitated the disaster. Down. down, in ten feet of clear water it qhetly sank. while its owner could do hahght but watch and vail; My boat, my hoatu