Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-04-21

and he says. says he: You're pretty
clever, mister. but you don't fool me.
No, you don't come any games on
Mark Dennen.'
"'But. Mark says Sam, I swear to
you by all that's holy that I'm that
kid-I'm Sam Burns. What proof do
you want? Do you remember old Ed
Haywood that used to keep the drug
store right across from the postofice.
the guy that never washed his win
dows? I do. And Miss Hunter. that
taught the sixth grade school when
we went there. a little woman with
washed out gray eyes and a broken
front tooth, and that pretty little girl,
Sarah somebody-wait minute, III
get It or NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Scott, you used to be 80 sweet ont
Did you marry her, Mark? And old
Lafe Perkins, who used to be on hand
whenever there was any repairs being
made anywhere-rheumatism and q
cane and a high, squeaky voice that he
used to exercise giving orders about
things that wasn't any Of his business.
Why, Mark, remember 'em all. Good
Lord, man. says Sam, do you want
any more proofT
"But this country blockhead just
looked Sam up and down and remarks
judicious: It's certainly wonderful
how you know all these things-won-
derful. But you can't fool me- he
says, you can't fool Mark Dennen.'"
Mr.. Max paused in his narrative for
a moment. The sound Of voices came
up from the Office of Baldpate inn.
One, that Of the mayor, doomed loudly
and angrily. In an evident desire to
drown it Mr.. Max went on with spirit:
"Well, gentlemen, it got to be point
Of honor, as you might say, for Sam to
convince that guy. He told me he
never wanted anything so much in his
life as for Mark Dennen to give In. 1t
was hot afternoon, and he'd come
aboard that boat for rest, but he
peeled of his collar and started in.
He gave Mark Dennen the number Of
bricks in the Methodist church, as re-
ported in the Readsboro Citizen mt the
time 1t was built. He told him the
name Of the piece Marks sister recit-
ed at the school entertainment in the
spring Of 1890. He bounded on all
four sides the lot where the circuses
played when they came to Readsboro.
He named every citizen Of the town.
living or dead, that ever got to be
known outside his own family. and he
brought children into the world and
married them and read the funeral
service over them, and still that bone
head from the woods sat there, his
mouth open. and says: It's beyond me
how you know all that. You New
Yorkers are slickcr then give We cred
1t for. But you can't fool me. You amt
Sam Burns. Why, went to school
with him.
"They was drawing near Coney
now," went OH Mr.. Max, land Sans
face was purple and he was dripping
with perspiration. and rattling of
Readsboro happenings at the rate of
ten a second. but that Mark Dennen
he sat there and wouldn't bulge from
his high horse. So they came up T.
the pier, Sam almost weeping real
tears and pleading like his heart would
break: Mark, don't you remember
that time we threw little Bill Barnaby
into the swimming hole and he
couldn't swim stroke and nearly
drowned ON us? and still getting the
stony face from his old pal.
"And on the pier this Dennen held
out his hand to Sam, who was phys
ical wreck and broken man by this
time, and says: You sure are cute.
mister. Ill have great times telling
this in ReadsbOro. Once you met one
too smart for ye, eh? Much obliged
for your company. anyhow And he
went away and left Sam leaning
against the railing. with no faith in
human nature no more. i hope some
body got to him., says Sam to me,
and got to him good. He's the kind
that If you work right you Gun sell
stock in a company for starting roof
gardens on the tops Of the pyramids
in Egypt. I'd trimmed him myself
says Sam to me, but hadn't the
heart"