Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1910-02-15
Queer ehavior
by " The Captain y

shawl and Strengthened her bonnet
she was the dried apricot kind, and
smoked in her lips so hard that she
spoke with a lisp 1t was a wonder
that her quick, nervous movements
never made her bones rattle.
Miss Tabitha was just the other
way, like a pin cushion. There was a
double chin under her face and rat
over II, and the latter was the more
apparent because It was reddish in
color. whereas the three wisps Of hair
that held 1t on were brown.
Certainly / come right away" La
Vfnia' reafirmed. "and 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"
s'Tha captain amt had a spell has
As?"
"Somethin pretty like It, l should
say, and II he hasn't, why then. l
have"
"Do tell"
''Yes, it's just as ! say. I'm that
nervous / can't make a cup of tea, and
the captains in disgrace"
"Ain't taken to drlnkin', has he?'
The visiting spinster went off in a
titter.
'Lavinia Merkle! Well, no. But he
would If 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 l, across the street?"
"Well, It's a mercy you didn't. l
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, l noticed the captain was eyin'
me pretty sharp.
D no, Mr. captain, won't stand
for none of your nonsense" says. "lf
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 a word, so turned out the
light and got into bed"
THAT all?"
81 should say not! lay there and
/ 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 terrible screech."
'Tabitha Mowscripsl"
Yes l was Mr.. Captain, says,
sTynY,'n crof xyo,,rc cnp1a YooOrY,{V, covo
And with that he let out a screech
worse than other. That time just
passed it over SOS he'd think wasn't
panyin' any attention to him. It
worked good, too. There wasn't a
sound out of him for long time, but
just as ] was dozin' off again he let
out another yell that made me sit
right up in bed. And what do you
FBpose he said?"
"What?"
whisky"
"Tabitha Mowscripts!"
"Fetch the whisky he hollers.
Wasn't it scandalous? Fetch the
whisky-whisky whisky, whisky"
"You wicked old bird!' l 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 everythin' 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 mocking me-"
"Ain't he full of the mischief"
rs he! Then he started in again.
Fetch the whisky-peppermint, hot
water, smelling salts, Jamaica gin.
ger, ainsette-' When he'd kept it up
half an hour got up and threw a
skirt over the cage. That shut him
up and I 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'tl"
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 the
bottom of the cage lay a pale green
egg.
The captain cooked his head on one
side and leered ironically at the two
old maids.
We'll, / don't wonder he was
s'prised, remarked Layinia.
"S'prised?
"Yes, sprised Amt It rather out
OF the ordinary for captains?"
Straight Advice.
Millionaire Ito attorney)-It is my