Evening journal., 1910-02-18
Queer Behavior
by "The Captain

80 you come after ALL" observed
Tabitha in a tone of reproof.
Il come right away. soon's 7 got
your message" returned Lavinia.
The visiting spinster laid aside her
shawl and Strengthened her bonnet.
She was the dried apricot kind. and
sucked in her lips so hard that she
spoke with lisp. II 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
double chin under her face and Q rat
over IL, and the latter was the more
apparent because It was reddish in
color, whereas the three wisps of hair
that held it on we're brown.
Certainly ] come right away" La
vinia reaffirmed, "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"
THE captain amt had spell has
he?"
"somethin' pretty like II. I should
say. and il he hasn't, why then,
have"
DO tell"
"Yes, it's just as I say. I'm that
nervous l can't make a cup Of tea, and
the captains in disgrace"
"Ain't taken to drinkin', has he?"
The visiting spinster went off in a
litter.
"Lavinia Merkle! Well, no. But he
would if he could, right enough. He's
the worst parrot in Greenwich viii
lage."
THAT why you've got the cage COW
ered?"
That's it. Didn't you hear nothin'
in the night?"
"How would 7, across the street,"
well. it's mercy you didn't.
thought all the neighbors would
hear"
What's he done?"
"Just listen to this. Come nine
o'clock last night when was thinkin'
Of bed, I noticed the captain was eyin'
me pretty sharp.
20 no, Mr.. captain. 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. I said Good night but he never
answered a word, so turned out the
light and got into bed"
That all?"
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
was walked up by a terrible screech.'
"Tabitha Mowscripsl"
"Yes I was MIR. Captain I says
you'll get yours, some mornin,' says
And with that he let out a screect
worse than other. That time I JUS
passed It over SOS he'd think WASH
, panyin' any attention TO him.
worked good. too. There wasn't I
sound out of him for a long time, bu
just as I was dozin' off again he le
out another yell that made me 81
right up in bed And what 90 yol
s'spose he said7"
"What?"
: Whisky"
z "Tabitha Mowscriptsl"
Fetch the whisky he hollers
o Wasn't it scandalous? Fetch tn
whisky-whisky, whisky, whisky"
you wicked old bird! says, 'yo
shut your trap. The neighbors'n hea
you Then he changes his tune an
calls for the peppermint"
Peppermint"
"Yes and hot water and smelliH
n salts and anisette and Jamaica gingei
and everythin you could think Of"
My goodnessi What allied hint"
"Cussedness. That's all. He r.
membered the spell had last Thank
d giving. and he was just mocking me
o "Ain't he full OF the mischief"
d "Is he! Then he started in agail
d Fetch the whisky-peppermint, he
. water. smelling salts, Jamaica gin
ger, ainsette-' When he'd kept it u
: half an hour got up and threw
= skirt over the cage. That shut hil
up and l finally got a little sleep
Going to keep him covered over a
day?"
1T would serve him good and right
Might be sometin' the matter wit
him"
Course there isn'tl"
Nevertheless Miss Tabitha stoope
down and peeped under the skirt
MY landi" gssped Miss Tabith
Strengthening up suddenly with sta
ing eyes.
D.. Miss Lavinis shot one glance at ht
friend. and with a frenzied clutc
whisked the skirt of the cage. At th
bottom of the cage lay a pale gree
egg
The captain cooked his head on on
side and leered ironically at the tw
old maids.
7