The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-10-17
Croaker
By MARTHA v. MONROE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

"Why notT
Hes well named He's croaker,
true enough. Besides. he's a grumbler.
always snariing. The incest man in
this town is Ernest Schoefied. He al.
ways has a pleasant word for every
one, is always smiling, and
Il have no use for him."
why notT
II prefer Croaker. Somehow never
feel sure of Schoefleld's nice sayings.
When Croaker growls at me / know
what I'm getting"
Il reckon that's because yoa're kiDd
o. queer yourself.
Mrs. Croaker had trouble ut tines
with her husband. When sbs asked
him for SIS to buy sone needed article
he would say, with a gTumbing tone:
you can't get anything but the cheap
est for So, and there Is no economy in
cheap things If you're going to get
1t at all. get the best" Then he would
hand her double the amount she
asked"
A little daughter, Alice. the only
child OF the Croakers, would occasion.
ally get a pleasant word from her
father, but she was the only one who
ever succeeded in doing so. Andy
Schoefeld, son of the Schoefield men
toned by Mrs. Busby, was school
mate of Alice's, and the children were
growing up to be lovers. Andy's father
didn't like the match and warned his
boy against II. As for Croaker, he
simply croalsed as to the horrible
future in store for the couple. since
neither OF them would have anything
on which TO begin life.
Why, Ernest Schoefield is rich"
protested Mrs. Croaker.
"How do you known snarled her
husband.
"Why, everybody says he is, and he's
Just bought a $1,000 automobile"
"oh. he has, has he7 Has he paid
for it7"
When Andy Schoefeld became of
age and Alice was nineteen It was evi-
dent that their hearts were set upon
each other. 1t was about this tige that
Mrs. Busby and Mrs Emmons met one
morning at the greengrocer's.
isn't it awful about Mr.. SchoefeldY"
said Mrs. Busby.
What's awful?"
"Why. haven't you heard7 He's
failed and stuck all hts intimate
friends And such a nice man tool'
well, Mrs Busby. you know don't
fancy these people that are so nice to
everybody. Their niceness is usually
only skin deep"
They say he was living beyond his
means"
Just so. That kind o. persons usual
ly do. It's their disposition to lock on
the best side O. everything, so they
don't see the dark side. III they'd keep
an eye on the dark side they'd come
out better I'm the end. The bright side
don't need watchin'"
And Just think how hard 1t Is on
the young lovers. Andy Schoeheld and
Alice Croaker. Everybody said what
a nice thing her being engaged to Andy
was. Mr. Schoefleld gave out only
day or two before he skipped that he
was goin' TO give the couple a house"
Reckon that was to keep up conf
dence."
well, I'm sorry for Alice. should
think she'd want to get married If only
TO get away from that crusty old
father of hers"
ooh, don't think Mr.. Crackers so
badl | kind o. like TO have him snarl
at me once in awhile. know he amt
foollp' me, and that's more than
know of these people who are always
givin' me soft solder Good mornin'.
Mrs. Busbyw
Mrs. Busby went away muttering.
THE reason she likes old Croaker is
she's one o. the same kind herself"
The Sehoefeld failure threw the
Schoefleld and the Croaker families
both into a painful condition. First
there was the disgrace attached TO
Andy's father running away to get
rid of criminal proceedings against
him; second, Andy hadn't cent laid
up; third, to mention marriage under
the circumstances TO Mr.. Croaker was
considered by Mrs. Croaker and Alice
to be equivalent to shaking red rag
before a mad bull.
However, Andy bad position pay
ing him 500 O week, and on this the
two resolved to be married. Mrs.
Croaker broke the news to her hus
band, expecting some violent express
sions, and she got them,
They're going to be married on $50
o week, are they? That's about
enough to pay house rent"
'They can board at first, and IL you
can spare, say. 800 for clothes for
Alice she won't need to spend any
thing In that way for a year or two"
"a hundred dollarsi That's all rot"
"Well, fifty then"
Mr.. Croaker went off to his den,
where he kept his desk, and. coming
back, handed his wife a check for
$1,000.
"Why, pa, what does this meanp
""Trousseau." grunted the old man
and went away grumbling about the
folly of young people trying to bite
of more than they could chew.
A third meeting occurred between
Mrs. Busby and Mrs. Emmons.
"Mornin', Mrs. Emmons Have you