St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1911-04-19
WHITIAkER'S
PLACE
BY JOSEPH c. LINCOLN


would her associates be under the au-
thority of a father such as hers?
Phoebe Dawes had come to be his
chief reliance. He saw a great deal
of her. Often when she walked home
from school she found him hanging
over the front gate. and they talked Of
various things-of Bos'n's progress
with her studies. of the school work
and similar topics. He called her by
her first name now. although in this
there was nothing unusual. After a
few weeks acquaintance we Bayport-
ers almost invariably address people
by their ''front" names. Sometimes
she came to the house with Emily.
Phoebe was in good spirits. She was
as hopeful as Captain Cy was despond-
ent. She seemed to have little fear
of the outcome of the legal proceed
ings, the appeals and the rest Her
optimism was the best sort of bracer
for the captains failing courage.
One cold, rainy afternoon early in
February she came in with Bos'n. who
had availed herself of the shelter Of
the teachers umbrella. Georgianna
was in the kitchen baking. and Emily
had been promised saucer pie" So
the child went out to superintend the
construction of that treat.
''Set down, teacher" said Captain
Cy. whats the news-anything?'
'sWhy, no. replied Phoebe, throwing
open her wet jacket. There's no
news in particular. But | wanted to
ask if you had seen the Breeze"
''Um-hump' was the listless an
swer. 81 presume likely you mean
the news about the appropriation and
the editorial dig at yours truly? Yes,
I've seen it. They don't bother me
much. I've got more important things
on my mind just now"
Congressman Atkins pledge in his
farewell speech concerning the mighty
effort he was to make toward secur-
ing the appropriation for Bayport har-
Dor was in process of fulfllment-so.
he had written to the local paper.
But, alas. the mighty effort was likely
to prove unavailing. In spite of the
Honorable Heman's battle for his con-
stituents' rights it seemed certain that
the bill would not provide the $4,000
for Bayport-at least not this years
bill. Other and more powerful inter
ests would win out and, instead. an
other section of the coast be improved
at the public expense.
So, at Simmons and the sewing
circle and after meeting on Sunday,
Cy Whitaker was again discussed and
derided. And this weeks Breeze, out
that morning, contained a sarcastic
cd oil ms
but limited at "a certain now notorious
person. who had boosted loudly. but
who had again been weighed in the
balance of public opinion and found
wanting, for he had been a self app
pointed committee of one, who had
promised to succeed if Atkins might
fall
Miss Dawes did not seem pleased
with the captains nonchalant attitude
toward the Breeze and its editorial.
Captain Cyrus" she said, IF you
intended doing nothing toward secur-
ing that appropriation. why did you
accept the responsibility for it at the
meeting?"
Captain Cy looked up.
''Well,'' he said. "afore this Thomas
business happened. to knock all my
plans on their beam ends, I'd done
considerable thinkin' about that appro-
priation. 1t seemed to me that there
must be some reason for Heman's
comm about so sudden. He was sar-
tin sure of the thirty thousand for
spell; then, all to once, he begun to
take in sail and go on t'other tack.
don't know much about~politics, but
know he knows all the politics there
is. And it seemed to me that if live
man. one with eyes in his head, went
to Washington and looked around he
might find the reason"
"But you still believe that you might
help if you went to Washington?'
Eyes, / guess / do. Anyhow, I'd
ask some pretty p'inted questions.
You see, 1 amt lived here in Bay
port all my life. and l don't swaller
all the bait Heman heaves overheard"
"Then why don't you go?"
"Hey? Why don't go? And leave
Bos'n and'-
Emily would be all right and per-
fectly safe. Georgianna thinks the
world of her. And, Captain Whit
taker, don't like to hear these people
talk of you as they do. I don't like
to read such things in the paper-that
you were only Dragging in order to be
popular and meant to shirk when the
time came for action. l know they're
not true. l knew it."
Captain Cy was gratifed, and his
qualification showed in his voice.
Thank you, Phoebe" he said. 81
am much obliged to you. But. you
see, l don't take any interest in such
things any more. When / realize that
pretty soon Pve-got to give up that
little girl for good / can't bear to be
away from her a minute hardly. l
don't like to leave her here alone with
Georgianna and'-
st viii keep an eye on her. You
trust me. don't you?''
Trust you? By the big dipper,
you're about the only one 1 can trust