St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1911-03-08
WHITTAKER'S
PLACE
BY JOSEPH c. LINCOLN

room and-yes. even the front parlor
Not since the days when that sacred
! apartment had been desecrated by the
| irreyerent city boarders. during the
/ Howes regime had its walls echoed to
| such whoops and shouts of laughter
The ch4dren played 'postoff1ce" and
! .'Copeplagen' and "clap in. clap out
while the grown folks looked on.
Amt they havin' a fine time. cap'n?''
| gushed Miss Phinney. Don't it make
you wish you was young again?''
Angie" replied Captain Cy solemn
| ly, don't tempt me-don'ti If they
/ keep on playin' that Copenhagen and
| you stand right alongside of me there's
no tellin' what'll happen.
Angelina declared that he was "tur-
rible." but she faced the threatened
danger nevertheless and braveiy re-
manned where she was.
Mr.. Atkins went home early in the
evening, taking Alicia with him. He
explained that his long railroad jour
ney had-er-somewha fatigued him
and. though he hated to leave such
-er-delightful gathering. he really
| felt that under the circumstances his
| departure would be forgiven. Captain
| Cy opened the door for him and stood
watching as, holding his daughter by
the hand, he marched majestically
down the path.
"Hum!' unused the captain aloud
''I guess he has been travelin' nights
| Thought he ought to be here quick, l
shouldn't wonder. He does look tired,
that's fact, and kind of pale, seemed
to me-
well. there. nowY' exclaimed Mrs
Trip. who was looking over his shout
der. tsDid you see that?"
Ne What was it?"
why. when be went to open his
gate one of them arbor witty bushes he
set out this spring knocked his hat off
And he never seemed to notice, but
went right on If Licia hadn't picked
it up that nice new hat would have
been layin' there yet. That's the most
undignified thing ever l see Heman
Atkins do, He must be tired out, poor
manY'
The next day Cyrus was sitting at
| home comforting with his supporters
There came a knock at the door of the
dining room. The captain went to
answer the knock They heard the
door open. and then a mans voice
asked:
rs this Cap'n Whitaker
Yes was the short answer.
well, cap'n. | guess you don't know
me. though maybe you know some of
my family. Ha. ha! Don't understand
| that, hey? Well, you let me in aud
I'll explain the joke"
The captains reply was calm and de
liberate.
II shouldn't wonder if understood
it. received your letter today from
Concord" he said. Come in Don't
The remainder OF the sentence was
whispered. and the listeners on the
sofa could not hear it. moment later
Captain Cy entered the sitting room.
followed by his caller
The latter was stranger. He was
broad shouldered man of medium
height, with yellowish mustache and
| brown hair. He was dressed in rather
shabby clothes. without an overceat
and he had a soft fest hat in his hand.
He carried himself with a swagger.
and after his entrance there was
percepfible aroma of alcohol in the
room.
He stared at the board of strategy.
and the stare was returned in full
measure. Bailey and Asaph were
wildly curious. They. of course, con-
nected the strangers arrival with a
mysterious letter and the captains
perturbation of the day
But their curiosity was mot to be
satisfied, at least not then
How are you, gents?' hailed the
newcomer cheerfHlly. Like the looks
of me. do your"
Captain Cy cut off further CONVEX
sation.
'Ase," he said, -this-er-gentlem
and l have got some business to talk
over. know you're good enough
friends of mine not to mind if | ask
you to clear out You'll understand
you will understand. boys, won't your"
he added almost entreatingly.
"Sartin surer' replied Mr.. Tidditt.
rising hurriedly. Don't say another
word. Whit" And the Justified
Bangs concurred with a Yves, yes
why, Of course! Didn't have nothin'
that amounts to nothin' to stay for
anyhow. See you tomorrer. Cy."
Outside and at the gate they stopped
and looked at each other.
ttWell!' exclaimed Asaph. IF that
amt the strangest thing! who was
that Teller? Where'd he come from?
Did you notice how Cy acted? Seem
ed to be holdin' himself in by main
strength
did you smell the rum on aim,''
returned Bailey-"on that t'other chap 1
mean? Didn't he look like a reg'1ar
no account to you? And, say, Ase. /
didn't he remind you of somebody |
you'd seen somewheres-kind of, in
wayT'
They walked home in dazed state.
asking unanswerable questions and |