Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-04-18

But the teacher shook her head.
'That doesn't seem reason enough to
me-" she declared. Just see what
Mr.. Atkins has done. He never open.
ly advocated anything In town meet.
ing before. You said 80 yourself.
Even when he must have realized that
you had the votes for committeeman
he kept still. He might have taken
many Of them from you by simply
coming out and declaring for Mr..
Snow. but he didn't. And then all at
once he takes this astonishing stand.
Captain Whitaker, Mr.. Tidditt says
that the night Of Emily's birthday par
ty you and he told who she was by ac-
cident and that Mr.. Atkins seemed
very much surprised and upset. Is
that so?'
Captain Cy laughed.
"His lemonade was upset. That's
all / noticed special. Oh, yes! And
he lost his hat of goin' home. But
what of It? What are you drivin' at
nowT'
81 was wondering if-if 1t could be
that for some reason Mr.. Atkins had
spite against Emily or her people or II
he had any reason to fear her"
"Fear! Fear Bos'n? Oh. my. that's
funny! You've been readin' novels,
I'm afraid. teacher, though didn't
suspect It Of you"
He laughed heartily. Miss Dawes
smiled. too. but she still persisted.
"Well," she said. II don't know. Per
haps It is because I'm a woman and
politics doesn't mean as much to me as
to you men, but to me political reasons
don't seem strong enough to account
for such actions as those Of Mr.. At
kins. Emily's mother was Thayer,
wasn't she? And the Thayers once
lived In Orham. wish we could find
out more about them while they lived
there"
Asaph Tidditt pulled his beard
thoughtfully.
WELL" he observed, II was kind Of
cal'latin' to go to Orham next week on
little visit. Seth Wingate over there
-Barzilla Wingate's cousin, Whit-is a
sort of relation Of mine. Seth's been
Orham town clerk about as long as
I've been the Bayport one, and he's
lived there all his life. What he don't
know about Orham folks amt wuth
KNOWN. II you say so I'll pump him
about the Thayers and the Richards"
So 1t was settled that Mr.. Wingate
should he subjected to the pumping"
process when Asaph visited him. he
departed for this visit the following
week and remained away for ten days.
Meanwhile several things happened In
Bayport.
One Of these things was the farewell
Of the Hon. Heman Atkins. Congress
was to open at Washington. and the
honorable needed the call Of duty.
Alicia and the housekeeper went with
him, and the big house was closed for
the winter.
And on the day following Mr.. Thom-
as, the prodigal father, also left town.
A position in Boston had been offered
him, he said. and he felt that he must
accept It.
position offered him! Um-ya-as?
quoth Dimick. the cynical. In conversa'
ton with Captain Cy. inspector OF
sidewalks. | shouldn't wonder. Well.
please don't ask me II think Heman
sent him to Boston sos to have him
out Of the way and cause he'd feel
considerable safer than If he was loose
down here. Don't ask ME that. for.
with my strict scruples against the
truth I might say no. AS 1t IL. ! say
nothin' and wink my port eye"
The ten day visit ended. Mr.. Tidditt
returned to Bayport. On the afternoon
Of his return he and Bailey called at
the Whitaker place, and there they
were Joined by Miss Dawes. who had
been summoned to the conclave by
note intrusted to Bos'n-
"Now, Ase." ordered Captain Cy Us
the quartet gathered in the sitting
room, here we are, hangin' on your
words, as tue feller said. Don't keep
US strung up too long. What did you
ind out?"
WELL" said Mr.. Tidditt, with glare
mt Bangs. II asked Seth about the
Thayers and the Richards folks the
worry fust night | struck Orham. He
remembered 'em.
"Folks used to call John Thayer
smart young feller. SO Seth said. They
used to cal'late that he'd rise high IN
the seafarin' and shlpownin' line.
Maybe he would. only he died some
where's In Californy long In "a or
thereabouts. Twas the time OF the
gold craziness out there. and he left
his ship and went gold huntin'. And
the next thing they knew he was dead
and buried"
"When was thatT inquired the
schoolmistress.
I'm '54, / tell you. So Seth says"
What ship was he on?" asked Bal
ley.
"Wan't on any ship. Why don't you
listen instead Of settin' there moonin'!
He was gold diggin'. l tell you"
He'd been on a ship. hadn't ne!
What was the name Of her"
"I didn't ask. What difference does
that makeT
wasn't Mr.. Atkins Mt sea In those
daysT put In the teacher. The cap
tain answered her.
"Yes he was" he sald-"that Is.
think he was. He was away from
here when l skipped out. and he didn't
ret back till 81 or therabouts."
$50 that was oil you could find out,
hey, AseY asked the captain. "Well.
It's at least us much as ! expected.
You see. teacher. these story book no
lions don't work out when It comes to
real life"
Miss Dawes was plainly disappoint-
ed
II wish we knew MORE" she said.
who was on this ship with Mr.. Thay'
er, and who sent the news OF bis
death homer
"Oh. I can tell you that" said Asaph.
"'Twas some one boss doctor out there,
gold minin' himself. he was. John died
Of q quick fever; got cold and went
OF In no time. Seth remembered that
much, though he couldn't remem-
Der the doctors name. he said II l