The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1907-02-17

was it. You'd never guess in a mil
lion yearsl
Il swan TO man if it want Ez Tit
comb,
"'oh. it's the cap'nr squeaked Tenn
Ply and went down in a heap.
:" Hoo-rash-oo.' says Cap'n Ez, sort
of openin' the conversation.
Weir says i.
".For heavens sakesr says Brad
But Prissy stepped for'ard and took
command. She didn't looked scared
any more; only kind OF queer round
the mouth and snappy round the eyes.
'Cap'n Titcomb.' says She III you
please. what We're you hidin' In that
closet for? II you can stop sneezin'
long enough to answer, / should like
" Sneezer hollers Ez, gittin' ready
for another explosion 'Sneezei' says
he kind of through his nose and wavin'
his hand desp'rate. Il guess maybe
you'd sneeze if you'd upset the spice
box right into your face and eyes and
had your mustache full OF red PEPPER
Seemed a likely sort of guess, when
you come to think of it, but Prissy
didn't pay no attention
why was you hid in that closet?'
says she.
well. sir. that was the fust time in
my life that | ever see EZ Titcomh
clean cut Of soundin's. / snum. You
could see he didn't know what to say.
and when Ez gifts that way things
must be considerable mussed up. He
fdgeted and suffered and picked at
his watch chain.
'Prissy,' says he, and then he
stopped. 'Prissy,' he says again and
shut up like clam. 'Prissy'-
Well? says Prissy in a sort of
vinegar on ice voice.
'Prissy.' says Ez. He looked at
her and at Tempy and at Brad As
for Brad. there was twinkle in his
eye. Honest, he looked almost as
II he was havin' considerable fun out
of the show
Prissy,' says Ez once more: then
he let everything go with run and
hollers: oh, thunder! What's the use?
Clara, you know what come here for
Why don't you tell 'em and be done
with it?'
Course we all looked at Clara then
She blushed up pretty red, but she an
swered prompt
i s'pose you come here to see me-
says she. though why you should hide
| don't see.'
Cause l couldn't see you no other
way; that's why! I've tried hard
enough to speak with you for the last
week, but you've cleared out every
hight fore / got the chance. I thought
{ / waited till you come to fix the
bread I'd be here, and you'd have to
zee me and hear what 1 had 10 say.
So / come in the back door and waited.
Then 1 heard Prissy speak in the dinin'
Dom and-well, 1 got ratified and hid
n that da-that everlastin' closet
That's the whole fool yarn! There,'
''Prissy looked as if she was goin' to
ay something, but Clara cut in ahead
Il her. Yes says she. but what you
Iaven't explained are your actions last
sunday. When a man asks the lady
les engaged to to go out drivin' with
linn and then calmly ups and takes
omebody else. why
IT wrote you how it happened says
Iz. pleadin' like.
:" i never got the letter. says Clara.
Zone minute, if you please breaks
q Prissy, calm, but chilly. like a Jan
AIRY mornin'. Lets understand this
hing. Cap'n Titcomb. are you and !
lara engaged TO be marriedT
''Ez swallered once or twice and +
,oked round as if he was hopin' some I
ody'd heave a life line. But nobody /
id. Then he shoves his fists in his
ockets and says. Why. yes, we've
re-
We'll, neverv says Prissy.
II didn't say nothin', neither did
trad, but / caFlate we both looked
prised. Tempy, who'd been settin'
n the floor ever sence Ez was mate
allied, like one of the camp meetin'
oerits, out of that closet. spoke up as ,
she was talkin' in her sleep, and
avs she, And it was Clara he was
)min' to see all this timer
WE'LL says Prissy. Well, must
ay, Cap'n Titcomb, that 1 think it
'ould have been more manly if you'd
,me and seen Clara instead Of spend
7 your evenin's with us and lettin' US
link
Come and see herr bellers Ez.
Didn't 1 try to come to see her? But
7ery time l got to the kitchen door
III or Tempy ID take me in tow and
lad for the settin' room. / swan to
an 1 amt had a chance to breathe,
III watched me sov
Tempy started to say something, but
rissy was skipper jest then. Don't
y any more, Tempy,' she says. Now !
at we know the cap'n Is goin' to mar
our'-I guess she was goin' to say
rvant, but didn't hardly dast to-'our
'ung lady friend says she, well
eat him as her comp'ny, not ours.
,me, we amt wanted here
And helpin' Tempy up. she took her
the arm and sailed out, all canvas
t and colors flynn.
.Ez, he looked considerable like the /
Ter that stole the hens eggs and for ;
t and set down ON 'em.
Brad didn't speak. He jest looked !
TT of nournful at the partner and I
ook his head slow. I amt a mind
ader, but I'll bet he was thinkin'. :
me as I was. that, for chap who .