Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1912-12-17
LUCKY Peters
He Deserved
the Name

Is the Name !
e BY cLARlsSA MAcKIE !
| I*+<%<*%*****$**<<<<<*<<+<}
The men standing around the gen
sral store smiled knowingly as Frank
Peters stepped to the postotice window
Amy mail for me. captain7" asked
Frank pleasantly.
Same as usual. Frank" returned
the postmaster. showing huge pile OF
mail matter through the narrow open
ing. Seems to me you're crowdine
the mails some. amt your
Frank complacently filled his pockets
with letters. circulars and newspapers
while his arms were burdened with
several bulky mail order catalogues
II hope you don't mind handling it.
he grinned. "If you can take care OF
large and valuable mail matter like
this here" he slapped his pockets
'why. well have so much confidence
In you that you'll 20 through next term
! for representative. What say. boysT
He turned to the others.
That's right" nodded the group 30
berly, reminded Of their power Of In
vestture.
"Thats all right SO far as II goes.
squenked Captain Lemming from be-
hind the window. where his nut crack
er face was thrust against the little
grating: that's oil right enough. only
you can't blame me for having doubts
when there's plottin' goin' on right
here around my stove-how I'm to run
for representative while Hannibal
Flamm tries to get the postotflcel
When I'm defeated on the state ticket
whatll do without my postoffice job.
chr
There was an embarrassed silence
among the voters Of Little River,
while Captain Lemming surveyed them
Hercely from the window, followed by
a sigh Of relief when the door opened
and Capitola Webb bounced in. Her
gingham sunbonnet was pushed back
from her pink. excited face, and one
plump hand shook a postal card In the
face Of the postmaster.
"I'd like to know" she was begin.
ming aggressively when the men OF
Little River thankfully seized the op-
portunity afforded by the threatening
storm and quietly left the store to
stand on the front stoop and watch
Frank Peters unhitch his sorrel mare.
He tossed the catalogues on the seat
of the light wagon and sprang in The
sorrel twitched her ears, waved her
scanty brush Of tail and started OF.
Frank turned to shout back at the
spectators. ANYBODY going my way
want a rider
Hannibal Elamm detached himself
from the group and waved q restrain
Ing hand. "You can take me along,
Frank" he said. and laborlously lifted
his 200 pounds weight to the seat be-
side the younger man
They drove down the village street
and turned into a road that bordered
the winding river. The trees arched
overhead and the hot sun brought out
the sweetness Of ripened fruits and
late summer flowers.
Mighty pretty weather" murmured
Frank Peters. bis gray eyes contented-
ly resting on the scenery.
"Humw murmured Hannibal rehec-
lively. "poo bad how you was stung
on getting this mare, Frank"
"Never mind" returned Peters cheer.
fully; better luck next time"
"Its all right to say that, but how
In thunder are you ever going to get
rid of herr"
"rm not going to get rid Of her. She
suits me all right"
"I guess you're the first Peters that
ever drove spawned horse"
"I guess be-"
Hannibal Flamm was Franks broth
er-in-law. and he took advantage Of
the relationship to make sundry un
complimentary remarks regarding the
shortslghtedness Of Mr.. Peters and to
remind him with stingng emphasis OF
the many times that unlucky gentle
man had been bitten In various busi
ness ventures
"You can't even plant early June
peas without having 'em come up COW
peas" he ended complainingly.
81 bought those last early June peas
from you, Ham," reminded Frank mild.
ly. "You oughtn't to have been sur
prised II they come up cabbagesr
"Humw coughed Hannibal. and
Frank knew that so far as his broth
erin.law was concerned the subject
was dropped. But the arraignmenf
had awakened him to self defense.
II may be unlucky or a fool or
whatever you fellows want to call
me-" said Frank darkly. "Oh, yes; OF
course I know they all Gull me Lucky
Peters behind my back just because
I'm no darned unlucky. but I'll win
out some day and have the laugh on
all you funny ones. What u I did
undersign a note for Dave Raybold
and had to pay up when he skipped
out? thought he was straight. and
he went to school with me. That did
me $l.500 couldn't help my barn
burning down the day after got all
my hay in. It wasn't my fault be-
cause I'd been too busy to renew the
insurance and lost $1,000 on that !
bought this horse OF jeremiah Pee
bles. and you know as well as ! do
TINT he's a deacon In the church. and
I'd have made him pay up the damage
II Mrs. PEBBLES hadn't come and cried
me OF. I'm too easy. that's what's
| the matter with me. All you folks
know Il, too. whether It's flre insur-
ance or spawned horses or cowpeas."
"Humr calculated Hannibal nercely.
"Hum all you want to. Han, DUE
don't call me unlucky yet till I die.
They say luck changes every seven
years, and I'm forty-two this month
20 I've had seven years OF bad luck.
and now maybe It'll turn for good.
| Cheerfulness returned TO Franks
pleasant countenance, and relief was
spread over the broad features OF hia
sisters husband.
He pulled the sorrei mare to a stand.
-.,u h,toro a hrown nnluted gate, aud