Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-08-20


by Just consider yourself engaged
TIL you hear from rs"
They walked Of and left me think
ing. Thinks T. IT'S a fair bot that
that keeper don't let you two go boat
ing by yourselves again"
SO the next day about ha'fpost nine,
when I'd Just about decided TO let
some Of the boarders have the Dora
Bassett. looked up from my fish
lines and here was fclcr coming
down the wharf.
He was n kind Of an exhibit for
Wellmouth as you might soy. Least
ways he was bran-new for me. Six
foot two over nll should Judge, and
about two foot in the beam. Cast
shadow Hike a rake handle. Dressed
up and precise. and prim an Sunday
school superintendent. He looked sort
OF gospelly too, with his smooth upper
lip and tnrned-down mouth. ard little.
twofor.a.cent side whiskcrs at half
mast on his cheeks. But his eyes was
fshy. Thinks T. mo stree. I don't
want to subscribe TO no Temperance
Advocate, nor buy The Life Of Moses
and the Ten Commandments. nor
don't want to have my tintype took
neither"
He stock still by the stringpiece OK
the wharf and looked me over. kind
of grand but wellmeaning. same as
the prince OF Wales might look at
hoptoad.
"El!o," says he
Hello, yourself" says I, keeping on
with my WORK.
Mr. Edward as ordered the boat
for 'alf past H." he says.
Il want to know" says I. How'll
he have it-fricd?"
BEG pardon" says he
You're welcome" says l. can
stand being patronized. sometimes. II
I'm paid for 1t. but l didn't see this
critter developing no cash symptoms.
MY coed man." he says; you don't
understand me. said that Mr. Ed
ward od ordered the boat for alt
past H.
Il know you did And ] asked If he'd
have Il fried"
He seemcd to be turning this over
in his mind. And with every turn he
got more muddcd. I'd concluded by
this time that he want book agent.
What he was though I couldn't make
out nor l didn't much care. He riled
me. this Teller did.
Look ere" says he, after a minute.
us your name Pratt?"
"Yup," says. "On Thursdays it Is"
"Thursdays?" says he. Thursdays
What--what is II On Fridays?'
Mister Pratt" says l, pretty aver
age brisk.
He seemed TO be more muddled than
ever He looked back towards the
hotel and then at me again ! had a
notion he was going to sing out for
help.
MY man." he says, again. MY
man"
"Humph!" interrupted We'll, II
I'm your man whose man are you?'
And, by time. he seemed to under
stand that! I'm Mr. Edward Van
Brunts man" says he. and Mr.. Ed.
ward as ordered the boat for 'alf--'
And then begun TO understandings
thought did Twas the keeper. Well,
In some ways he looked his job.
"O-oh." says l. All right. Yes,
yes. I heard you was coming, Mr.
Mr."
copper" says he; James 'Opper."
Proud to know you, Mr.. Opper.
says l. which was lie I'm afraid
Not Hopper" he says. "Oppcr."
Sure. Opper's what l said." says I.
He got red in the face. Upper" he
says. 'Haitch-op-p-e-r"
oh, Hopper" says.
"Of course. 'Oppcr," he says
felt as II Id been sailing a race
and had male lcp and got back to
the starting buoy
IAN right" says I. What's an II
or two between friends? How's your
patients Mr., Oppcr Hopper
Loo; ere. my fine Teller" he says.
You're too fresh. For a.pcnny I'd
come down and put cad on you"
And right then | give up the idea
|
don't talk like that.
You woulG?" says I. Well, you 80
on putting 'eads on the poor iunatics
You have TO take care Of and don I
try any OF your asylum games with
me. 'Twould be safer for you and
wouldn't Interfere with my work
What do You want"
I'm Mr. Edward Van Brunt's vally
-" he says-"ls man-scrvant; and g
as ordered yoU to"
His man-scrvant" sung out, set
ting mp straight
"Of course. Didn't says so? His
vally; an"
Well, Id made mistake, |
judged. II he was a servant he couldn I
be the keeper. calated twas best to
be little moro sociable Besides,
was curious.
"Humph!" says I. 81 guess I'd ought
to beg your pardon. Mr., Orper-'
copper" he fairly hollered II,
All right Never mind. Come on
aboard end let's talk it over"
So aboard he come, making a land
lubbcr's Job Of II. and come to anchor
on the bench In the cockpit, setting up
as stiff and straight a. II hcd swal-
lowed a marlln-.rikc. Then we com
EIEyl,2 =. 81, isaa
- l. ! :s.-:.'