The Lamar register., 1910-02-09
Queer Beh avior
by "1he Captain

so you come after ALL" observed
Tabitha in a tone of reproof.
II come right away, soon's I got
your message" returned LAvinia.
The visiting spinster laid aside hes
shawl and Strengthened her bonnet.
She was the dried apricot kind. and
sucked in her lips SO hard that she
spoke with a lisp. It was q wonder
that her quick, nervous movements
never made her bones rattle.
Miss Tabitha was Just the other
way. like a pin cushion. There was .
double chin under her face and . rat
over It, and the latter was the more
apparent because 1t was reddish In
color. whereas the three wisps Of hair
that held it on were brown.
Certainly come right away" La
vinia reafirmed. land I'd just like to
know why you're sending for me at
this hour of the morning. I've hardly
ate breakfast. What's happened?"
wait till you hear"
"The captain amt had . spell has
he?"
"Somethin' pretty like It. ! should
say. and II he hasn't. why then. I
have"
DO tell"
Eyes. it's just as say. I'm that
nervous can't make cup Of tea. and
the captains In disgrace"
Amt taken to drinkin'. has he,"
The visiting spinster went on in .
litter.
n,.s 4
would II he could, right enough. He's
the worst parrot In Greenwich vii
lage."
That why you've got the cage COW
ered?"
That's it. Didn't you hear nothin'
in the night?"
How would !. across the street,"
well, it's Q mercy you didn't I
thought all the neighbors would
hear"
whats he done?"
Just listen to this. Come nine
o'clock last night when I was thinkin'
Of bed. noticed the captain was Gym
me pretty sharp.
20 no. Mr.. captain. I won't stand
for none Of your nonsense" says. IF
you're up to mischief. you can take
the mornin' for it. And he cooked his
head on one side and kept his eye on
me. said Good night but he never
answered . word. SO turned out the
light and got into bed"
THAT al?"
II should say not! lay there and
I lay there. wonderin' what he was
goin' to do. At last. after midnight.
hadn't no more than got to sleep when
I was walked up by a terrible screech.-
"Tabitha Mowscrips!"
Yes l was Mr.. Captain. I says.
| you'll get yours. some NORMA I says
worse than other. That time Just
passed II over SOS he'd think wasn't
panyin' any attention to him. I,
worked good. too. There wasn't q
sound out Of him for . long time. but
Just a. was dozin' on again he lei
out another yell that made me sit
right up in bed. And what do you
s'spose he saidf"
"What?"
Whisky"
"Tabitha Mowscripts!s
Fetch the whisky he Aollsra
Wasn't 1t scandalous! Fetch tAs
whisky-whisky. whisky. whisky!"
You wicked old bird!' I says. you
shut your trap. The neighborsll hear
you Then he changes his tune and
calls for the peppermint"
Peppermint"
Yes and hot water and smellin
salts and anisette and Jamaica ginger
and eyerythin' you could think Of"
MY goodness! What allied him!"
"Cussedness. That's all. He re-
membered the spell had last Thanks.
| giving, and he was Just knocking me"
Amt he full Of the mischief"
rs he! Then he started in again
Fetch the whisky-peppermint. no,
water. smelling salts. Jamaica gin
| ger. ainsette-' When he'd kent It up
half an hour I got up and threw q
skirt over the cage. That shut hin,
up and finally got . little sleep"
Going to keep him covered over all
day?"
1T would serve him good and right. "
Might be sometin' the matter with
him"
Course there isn't!"
Nevertheless Miss Tabitha stopped
down and peeped under the skirt.
my land!" gasped Miss Tabitha,
Strengthening up suddenly with star.
ing eyes.
Miss Lavinia shot one glance at her
friend. and with a frenzied clutch
whisked the skirt of the cage. At he
bottom of the cage lay . lals sroan