Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1910-02-24

my dear fellow he whispers to JOna-
dab, IF you want to please her-er-
nightly congratulate her upon her
boys success in the laundry business.
You understand" he says, winking,
only son and self made man, don't
you know"
Mrs. CRANKY was roosting all by her
self on Il Sofy in the Darlor. She was
feshy, but terrible stiff and proud, and
when she moved the diamonds on her
shook till her head and neck looked
like one OF them set pieces at the
Fourth of July fireworks. She was
def, too, and used an ear trumpet
pretty nigh as big as a steamers venti-
lator.
Maybe she was dying to know u.s.
but she didn't have Il TT trying to
show it. Me and Jouudab felt we'd
ought to be sociable, and so we set,
n IN each side of her on the Sofy,
and bellered How dye do" and
Fine day, amt it," into that ear
trumpet. She didn't say much, but
she'd couple on the trumpet and turn
to whichever one Of us had hailed,
heeling over to that side as if her bal
last had shifted. She acted to me kind
of uneasy, but everybody that come
into that parlor-and they kept piling
in all the time-looked more II mid
ding joyful. They kept pretty quiet,
too, so that every yell we let out
echoed, as you might say, all round.
1 begun to git shaky at the knees. as
If l was preaching to a big congrega-
ton.
After a spell Jonadab, not being able
to think of anything more to say and
remembering Pills orders, leans over
and whoops into the trumpet.
I'm real glad your son done so we'll
with his laundry" he says.
Well, sir, Phil had give us to under
stand that them congratulations would
make a hit, and they lone it.
Old Lady Granby-whew! She got
redder'n she was afore, which was a
miracle, pretty nigh. She couldn't
speak for a m~inute-just cackled like
a hen. Then she busts out with, GLOW
dare you'll" and iounces out of that
room like q hurricane. And it was
still as could be for a minute, and then
two OF three of the girls begun to
sQueal and giggle behind their hand
kerchiefs.
Jonadab and me went away too. We
didn't hounce any to speak Of. | guess
4 sneak would come nearer to tell
ing how we quit.
Course we knew we'd put our foot
in it somewheres, but we didn't see
iJ1St how, JNy-o,, tI,o,, 1,n 1,-o,,>+ ,o,JI,
on to Pills game. But we was sus-
picious q little.
"Barzilla," says Jonadab, getting
ready to turn in, "'tain't possible that
that Teller with the sprained last name
is having fun with us, is it?'
"Jonadab," says l, give been won
dering that myself"
And we wondered for an hour and
finally decided to wait awhile and say
nothing till we could ask Ebenezer.
And the next morning Il Of the stew
ards comes up to our room with some
coffee and grub and says that Mr..
Catesby-Stuart requested the pleasure
of u comp'ny on u afore breakfast
iceboat sail and would meet us at the
pier in half an hour.
Phil and the iceboat met us on time.
I s'pose it twas style, but il I hadn't
known I'd have swore he'd run short
Of buds and had dressed up in the bed
clothes. I felt Of his coat when he
want noticing, and If it want made
out Of a blanket then I never slept I'M
der one.
Phil said he was sorry we turned in
so early the night afore. Said he'd
planned to entertain us all the even.
ing. We didn't hurrah much at this
being suspicious, as 1 said, and he
changed the subject to iceboats.
That iceboat was a bird. l cal'lated
to know a boat when 1 sighted one,
but a flatiron on skates was something
brand new. I didn't think much Of it.
and I could see that Jonadab didn't
neither.
But in about three shakes of a lambs
tail I was ready to take it all back and
say l never said it. I done enough
praying in the next half hour to square
up for every Friday night meeting I'd
missed sence [ was a boy. Phil got
sail on to her, and we moved out kind
Of slow.
"Now, them says he, well take a
little jaunt up the river. Course this
isn't like one of your Cape Cod cats,
but still'-
And hen l dug my finger nails into
the deck and commenced, 'Now 1 lay
me-" Talk about going! Twas
"F-a-s-s-s-t!" and we was a mile from
home. "Bu-z-z-z!'' and we was just get,
ting ready to climb a bank, but fore
she nosed the shore Phil would put
the helm over, and we'd whirl round
like a windmill, with me and Jonadat
biting the planking and hanging on fol
dear life and my heart, that had beer
up in my mouth, knocking the soles OF
my boots off. And Cap'n Catesby.
Stuart would grin and drawl: Course
this amt like a Orham catboat, but
she does fairly we~ll-er-fairly. Now
for instance, how does this strike
Won 7J