, 1913-03-13
AnAfterCIap
A Victory Won
BY Stratdgem
By ClANsSA MACklf

HarbOr at the h0spftable home
of Captain Barnabas Fish and
his wife, who was Maria Weeks.
a few months ago. We were nearly
through one of Maria's excellent din
ners when Captain Barnabas leaned
hack In his chair and addressed his
wife.
ANY afterclap. Maria r. he asked
Renially, for that was his term for des-
sert in any form.
apple pie" returned Maria as she
hustled out with the dishes.
THAT'S good, but I thought I smelled
mince pie this morning limited the
captain.
"'Twasn't any OF my making. Lucy's
been making pie all the morning. 1
smelled 'em. too. She had too much
Glove in 'em." Maria had served her
W naky pastry and now sat down.
Good Lord, how do you know there
was too much Glove in her pies?" The
captain stared ut his wife.
81 smelled that tool But I would
have known anyway, for Lucy Drake
always was partial to cloves. That's
why she's SO dried up. Cloves are dry
Ing to the blood"
Its too bad she can't get Orville
Beers to eat IN are of them. He's grow.
ing fatter every day." The captain
passed his plate for a second helping
of pie. wouldn't hurt him II he dried
up some-and blowed away after
wardi'
why, Captain Barnabas" 1 gasped,
astonished at the bitterness of his
tone.
why, captain, I say, too" chimed
In Maria coidly. II don't wonder Miss
Telham is surprised to hear such senti-
ments from a man of your years, who
was supposed TO have left all wild talk
and ways III the deep seas! And you
q deacon in the church too"
"HumF" beloved the captain omi-
nously. "Jest because a man leaves
the deep seas and gets married and
eettles down, so to speak, is It any rea-
son he can't call his soul his ownf
Can't he critics. a fellow being II he's
30 mindedT'
"He can." spifred Maria, but it
amt C~hristian-iike so to do"
Then" declared the captain, filling
his beloved pipe and leading the way
to the front piazza-'then, II I don't
act C~hristianlike. I'm a heather be-
brakes husbandr'
Maria.s- lips snapped together omi-
nously. Her dark eyes flashed dan
gerously. From previous symptoms !
had observed In this newly married
couple I knew that Maria was Jealous.
Her next door neighbor was Lucy
Drake, who had married Orvflle Beers
on the same day that Captain Fish had
led Maria to the altar. Indeed, there
was still sene feeling in the matter OF
the weddings; for it seemed that Lucy
was to be Maria's bridesmaid and Or
vile was to be the best man, but they
had slipped away to the church a half
hour before the time set for the cap
tain's wedding, and, taking advantage
Of the assembled guests and the deco
rated church, they had been married
by the bewildered minister and were
out in the vestry ready to greet Maria
and her prospective husband when they
arrived.
1hc DcoIb0H u COLtO ~ A1>s -
cottage, next door to Maria's, and Or
Vile was gaining a livelihood in the
same manner as Captain Fish-he 'fol
lowed the hay as they called it-hat
is, he fished and clammed and dredged
for oysters, set eel pots and lobster
pots and by peddling his Amy spoilt
here and there was enabled to set a
bOuntifui table as well as to cut into
Captain Fish's particular line Of trade
ITS too bad you didn't show pref
erence for Lucy before You was mar
ried," murmured Maria in n tons In
tended for the captains a alone, but
heard II.
at amt Lucy that bothers me; its
orville." explained the captain hastily
What's he cuttin' into my business
for, chr"
why indeedf" I echoed. and Maria
sat down on the top step and took
some knitting from her apron pocket
why don't he stick to his farm over
to the Wells? I don't raise p0taters
and run competition to himT' argued
the captain angrily.
"Of course not!' I soothed.
HE can't raise potatoes in April"
put in Maria.
He can plant 'em. Maria. and you
know It," retorted the captain. why
amt he dom It instead of goin' fish
In and eatin' mince piesY"
"orville don't eat them pies, Barna'
oas,' said Maria mildly.
who does, then? Seems as II ]
smeii mince pies there every day, an
know I've seen him a-eatin', em down
the bay"
Lucy told me about It. She's put
uhg EN- away In cold storage against
next winter. She read something about