Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1909-01-27
COyeII' S Joke
By WILLIAM MORRIS, n.
Copyrighted. 1903. by Associated
Literary Press.

Dan Betterley and his sister, thought
Colonel Covell's joke good one The
Eetterleys were excepted because the
Joke was on Dan and the talk across
the rar Of the Brin,ile Pup saloon was
hushed en- those rare occasions when
Bettsrley favored the place with his
compar.'. at other times men slapped
each other on the back and roared as
Iovell detailed the progress Of events.
The joke had sprung from careless
renark made by Rob Henders when
arlie Betterley had refused to marry
Howard Wetton on the ground that
she did not want to leave Ben alone
to keep house In bachelor discomfort
Some one would do Wetton a per-
sonal favor by marrying of Ben," sug-
gested Henders and the rest Of the
crowd shouted with delight at the idea
of the silent Benjamin marrying.
"But he wouldn't know how to ask
girl" suggested Colonel Covell.
"Some one would have to pop the
question for him. BY John Rogers"
he added, II think I'll do 1t for him!
I've a maiden aunt back east who's
been crazy to get married for more
years than I've lived. Her names
Adora Dedrick. and she must be about
sixty now.
'She's got little money, and she
may think that he's marrying her for
that, but she'll take him. Well carry
along the game until we've proposed
for him, and then we'll let Ben get
the answer or els. well bring the old
lady on and let him light it out with
her"
THAT would be great" declared
Henders approvlngiy. LET her walk
right up to him and put her arms
around his neck and say 'Darlingr I'll
bet that will scare him Into talking"
'I'li be one to help pay the old lady's
travelling expenses on this here excur-
sion." broke In Denver Bill, who dealt
bank. "What will 1t COST"
"Say $40O." suggested Coveli as he
took of bis hat and threw in $50. In
few minutes more than the needed
sum had been realized, and. calling for
pens and paper, Covell wrote the first
letter, while the rest Of the crowd
looked on.
Betterley was not disliked In Bal
moral, but his taciturn ways and his
refusal to make one of the crowd that
nightly thronged the Brindle Pup
marked him a man apart from the rest
Hence the crowd was willing to pay
for the pleasure of seeing his amaze
ment when his undesirable bride elect
should appear.
Unmindful Of all postal regulations,
the postmaster agreed to let Coyell
have the letters addressed to Dan Bet
teriey should any come from the little
New England town where Miss Adora
Dedrick lived. Presently it came. a
heavy letter in which Miss Dedrick ex-
pressed q willingness to correspond
with q man 30 we'll recommended by
Cousin Covell
81 guess she's forgotten you. Co.."
suggested Henders when this line was
reached, but Covell merely grinned ap-
preciatively and continued to read.
There was little to laugh at in the
letter. Indeed. more than one in the
crowd wished there was some one
back east who would write letters like
that to him, but Oovell's vivid descrip-
ton Of Miss Dedrick's Overripe charms
and the thought of what Dan would
say when she arrived kept the joke
alive duriRg the correspondence that
followed. Finally when Miss Dedrick
wrote that she was sending her pic
ture and the accompanying photo
graph proved to be that Of comely
girl scarcely out Of her teens Covell
rolled on the floor in his delight.
'Cousin Adora was that old before
they knew how to take pictures" he
insisted "She must have begged this
Of photographer. l think that it's
time to spring the joke now. Wen
send her the money to come on with
and ask her to start at once. Dan will
see this picture. and when Cousin
Adora comes | reckon he'll be some
surprised"
CoveH laboriously indited lengthy
letter, in which he declared Dams in
dDulty u wall longer IOT Ills DFile anu
begging her to come west at once.
A few days later telegram tele-
phoned from the railroad town to
camp announced her start, and when
they had learned the sense Of the
message the plotters allowed it to be
delivered, while at the same time Miss
Adora's last letter and her picture, in
closed in the original letter, were
placed back in the postoffice and de-
livered to Dan that evening.
The Brindle Pup kept open until 4
o'clock In the morning that the earii-
est news might be learned. but Dan
gave no sign that he was disturbed.
A scout reported that his shack was
in darkness.
II don't think I'd lose sleep my
SELF" admitted Henders with regret.
81 suppose 1t took him rather sudden
that some ones done his counting for
hfvv, t,,< hos Willing tO mako good for