The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-10-11

| tue uluiBJer,
Well, come to know Catesweli pret.
| ty intimate after q little. | guess folks
had told him | was chap that could
keep things under my hat, and 40 he
made quite free IN telling me things.
no had to quit living at tho hotel after
d week or two. Bill I'wIcheII, that runs
It. swore 80 the parson couldn't stand
IL Bits got voice that you can hear
over in the next township when he's
speaking as usual, and when he swears
he raises Il q little. 80 II didn't do
Categwcll any good 10 shut himself up
Id bis room. He could hear II up there
Just tle same. RE gave Bill d talking
TO about II. Bill got mad. He doesn't
know half the time when DO swears.
It's as natural to him as eating and al
most AZ natural as drinking.
Something's got to bc allowed foF
the innrmity OF human nature, STR
says the minister, "but such profanity
NJ yours u inexcusable. It n not mere.
" that II violates the prccopts Of reli.
gion. It's against common deccncy."
''If you don't like IT," says Bill, ''you
can move"
30 Cateswell moved.
He done something like tho governor
did when the county attorney resign
cd. There was about fourteen candi-
dates planning to get the nomination
The governor didn't want to take
sides, and 10 not to give any Of them
an advantage over the others he said
he'd appoint Judge Wilson, It being
understood and agreed that the Judge
wouldn't be a candidate for the nomi-
nation. When the convention come to
meet, the judge said he'd found there
was such widespread desire to have
him continue In the Office that he felt
he'd be shirklug bis duty to the public
II he didn't accept the nomination and
that the convention would be Sinking
theirs II they didn't give It to him.
30 he's county attorney yet, and that's
more than fourteen years ago.
Cateswell went on the same princI.
pie as the governor. He figured that
because the Widow Mcleod was most
forty, with a son going on nineteen.
she wouldn't be a candidate.
"She's just like a mother TO me-"
Cateswell says TO mo after he'd been
rooming at her house O little while.
always cautlonlng mo about going
out In wet weather without my over,
shoes and worrying II have a little
headache"
/ didn't say anything, Just smiled.
But he caught on.
"You don't think she's got designs
on me, too. do your" says he.
.Well, amt blind" says I.
But OF course the widow didn't real
ly count, and It want long before the
race narrowed down to Susie Remick
and Ida Sargent. Susie was a dark
ish complicated girl, with large, sort Of
sorrowful eyes. She was pretty strong
on book learning, though; could write
poetry even. A real deep girl she was,
but not much at putting herself for
ward. The Sargent girl was different.
She was one OF the light fluffy haired.
rosy checked, blue eyed kind that can
talk you deaf, dumb and blind IN ten
minutes. OF course In a way she had
an advantage, not being bashful, like
Susie. But experience counts for a
whole lot in q game like that. That's
where girls mother comes in handy.
Mrs. Sargent was an invalid, and,
while she could post Ida ut home,
that WANT like being right on the
spot and whispering instructions In
the girls ear at Just the proper mo-
ment Mrs. Remlck was q pretty slick
campalgner too. She'd married of
three daughters, and she knew how
the trick was done II anybody did.
The fellows at the store used to lay
wagen on who was going to win.
Most Of 'em gambled on the Sargent
girl, but I'd just shut my left eye and
say, "You wait and see." Then they'd
get stuffy and say l was always put
ting on airs and pretending to know
more'n other folks and they guessed
l hadn't got no second sight and want
no prophet either, all Of which l took
good natured, not being given to wor-
rying.
Cateswell used to talk the situation
over with me quite frank.
Il believe ! could be happy with ell
ther Of 'em," he'd say. 'In fact, I'm
quite sure Of 1t. But | can't make up
my mind which to choose. Miss Re-
mick appeals to the intellectual side Of
me; but, on the other hand, like Miss
Sargent's vivacity and her unfalling
good nature"
! thought to myself, III you'd heard
Ida 90 jawlng around the house like
some Of the nelghbors have you'd
change your notion about her unfall-
ing good nature" But I didn't con-
slider It any part Of my business to
butt in and spoil Ida's game, so kept
my mouth shut about It.
Flip up cent" ! says. That's the
easiest way to settle It."
II couldn't think Of treating such q
matter In tilppant way" says he.
So things ran along that fashion till
the day Of the Sunday school picnic,
Twas held over to Hexham lake that
year. In them days everybody went
to the Sunday school picnic, old codg-
ers and all, You'd 20 iolting over