Oxford Democrat., 1911-05-16
know what he told me to tell hsv-
about her not comm hareT
aL aa-~kol 18Th tt,a xuok nm

know what he told me to tell hss-
about her not comm hareT
Asaph fidgetsd with the wet cap.
"Aw,. that amt nothln'." he stam-
mered-"that Is. hope 1t amt ! did
say somethin' to him that-but Phoebe
understands. She's smart woman"
"You haven't told them boardin'
house tattletaIes about ths-Emmis,
you 70 fetch me card Of matches
from the kitchen, won't you-of what's
been found out about that Thomas
thingr
"Course I amt Didn't Peabody say
not to tell q soul till we was sureI
s'pose I'd tell Keturah and Angler
Nights well paint 1t on sign and be
done with It. No, no! I've kept mum.
and you do the same. Well, i must be
goin'. Hope to goodness We hear some
good news from Whit by tomorrer."
But when tomorrow came news OF
any kind was unobtainable. No trains
could get through. and the telephone
and telegraph wires were out Of COM
mission owing to the great storm. Bay
port was buried under white coverlet
three feet thick on a level. which
shone in the winter sun as II powdered
with diamond dust. The street shovel
ing brigade. meaning most Of the ac-
tive male citizens. was busy with
Il n
serted In the evening. for most Of the
regular habituss went to bed after sup
per tired out.
Two days of this; then Gabe Lum-
ley, his depot wagon replaced by a
sleigh. drove the painting Daniel Into
the yard of the Cy Whitaker place.
Gabe was much excited. He had news
Of Importance to communicate and was
puffed up In consequence.
"The wires all right again, Georgi-
anna" he said to the housekeeper. who
had hurried to the door to meet HIN.
"Fust message just come through
Guess who it's for?"
"Stop your foolishness, Gabe Lum-
leyw ordered Miss Taylor. Hand
over that telegram this minuteI Don't
you stop to talk! Hand It over"
Gabe didn't intend to be 'corked"
thus peremptorily.
"It's pretty important news. Georgi-
anna" he declared. "Kind Of bad
news too. ! think I'd ought to prepare
you for 1t sort of. When Cap'n Obed
Pepper died p
"Died! For the land sakes! What
are you sayin'l Give me that. you
fool head! Give 1t to me!
She snatched the telegram from him
and tore II open. 1t was not as bad as
It might have been. but 1t was bad
enough. Lawyer Peabody wired that
Captain Cyrus Whitaker was at his
home In Ostable sick In bed and threat
ened with pneumonia.
Captain Cy. hurrying homeward In
response to the attorneys former te!o,
gram. had reached Boston the day OF
the blizzard. He had taken the train
for Bayport that afternoon. The train
had reached Ostnble after o'clock
that night, but could get no farther.
The captain, burning with fever and
torn by chills. had wallowed through
the drifts to his lawyers home and
collapsed on his doorstep. Now be was
very Ill and ut times dellrious.
For two weeks he lay, lighting OF
the threatened attack Of pneumonia.
But hs won the fight and at last
word came to the anxious ones a.
Bayport that he was past the danger
point and would pull through. There
was rejoicing at the Cy Whitaker
place. The board Of strategy came and
performed an impromptu war dance
around the dining room table.
"Whe-e-e" shouted Bailey Bangs.
tossing Bos'n above his head. Your
| Uncle Cy's weathered the Horn and j.
bound for clear water now. Three
cheers for our side! Won't we give
him q reception when We get him hack
herer'
won't wsr' crowed Asaph. We'll
Just guess we will! You ought t.
hear Angie und the rest Of 'cm chant
hymns of glory about him. 4 bydy {
| think they always knew be WIS tht
salt Of the earth. Maybe don't rut
It In a little. heyi oh. no. maybe
notr'
"And Hemanw chimed In Mr. Bangs
And Heman, Would you ever believe
| he'd change 50 all Of sudden? Bully
old Whit! Gun mention his name
now without Ketury's landln' Oh to
me like q snowslide Whee! | say
| wh-e-e-e"
He continued to say It. and Geor.'
| anna and Asaph said what amounted
to the same thing. A change had como
over our Bayport sociar atmosphere. q
marvellous change. And at Simmons
and-mors wonderful still-at Tad
Simpsons barber shop plans were
being made and perfected for proceed
| lngs in which Cyrus Whitaker was to
play the most prominent part.
Meanwhile the convalescence went
on ut a rapid rate. As soon as he was
permitted to talk Captain Cy began
TO question his lawyer. How about
the appeal7 Had Atkins done any
thing further? The answers were sat
lsfaetory The case had been dropped
the Honorable Heman had announced
its withdrawal. He had said that he
| had changed his mind and should not
| continue to espouse the Thomas cause.
In fact, he seemed to have whirled
completely about on his pedestal and.
Ike a compass. now pointed only IN
one dIrection-toward his 'boyhood
friend" and present neighbor. Cyrus
Whitaker.
Its perfectly astounding" COM
mented Peabody. What In the world.
captain. did you do to him while you
were In Washington
"Oh. nothin' much" was the rather
disinterested answer. Him and me
had talk. and he saw the error OF bis
ways. I eal'late. How's Bos'n todayl
Did you give her my love when you
phonedr'
$50 far a. the case is concerned
went on the lawyer. II think We
should have won that, anyway. It's
10 curious thing. Thomas has disap'