Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1915-03-12


She wasn't used to keepin' house b,
herself, neither. Would she remem
Der to wind the clock on Thursday
and feed the canary, and water tn,
abutilon and begonias regular?
Grlmly Samuel took up offense No
8. Abraham had further told the mel
that he had been brought over herr
for a hardening process; but he wal
willing to bet that If Samuel coult
keep up with him, he could keep VI
with Samuel
Then followed offense on offense
Was Samuel to be outdone on his owl
one-time field of action by an OLE
ladies' darling? No!
When Abe sat for half-hour in thu
lookout, up In the freezing, cold Gu
pola, and did duty "jest to be smart,
Samuel sat there on top of his owl
fact, too.
When Abe helped drag out the ap
paratus cart over the heavy sands fol
the drill, Samuel helped. too. And
how Juggling at that rope brought bach
his lumbago!
When Abe rode in the breaches
buoy, Samuel insisted on playing the
sole survivor Of shipwreck. too, and
went climbing stifly and lumberingly
up the practise mast.
Abraham refused to take a nap after
dinner; so did Samuel. Abe went
down to the outdoor carpenter shop In
the grove and planed board just fol
the love of exertion. Samuel planed
two boards and drove a nail.
We've got two schoolboys with
u.s." said the keeper and the crew.
EFF I'd a-knowed that yew had more
lives n my Maltese cat" Samuel was
muttering over Abe by this time
I'd"
Count, count went Captain Darby's
fingers. He heard the keeper rafting
papers in the Office Just across the
threshold, heard him say he was about
to turn in, and guessed Samuel had
better do likewise; but Samuel kept
on counting.
Count, count, went the arraigning
fingers. Gradually he grew drowsy,
but still he went over and over poor
Abe's offenses, counting on until Of a
sudden he realized that he was no
longer numbering the sins of his com
panion; he was measuring in minutes
the time he must spend away from
Blossy and Twin Coves, and the be-
gonias and the canary and the cat.
What would Blossy say if she could
feel the temperature of the room in
which he was supposed to sleep?
What would Blossy say if she knew
how his back ached? Whatever would
Blossy do to Abe Rose If she could sus'
pect how he had tuckered out her "old
man?"
He's a regular hoss," brooded Sam
uel. "oh. my feet!" grabbing at his
right boot. I'll bet yer all got it's
them air chilblains. That's what" he
added, unconsciously speaking aloud.
Abe's lids slowly lifted. He rubbed
his eyes and yawned. He turned his
head on his hard, blue gingham-cov-
cred pillow, and stared sleepily at the
other.
"Yew been noddin', Sam1? Amt
gittin' sleepy already, are yer?" He
glanced at the clock. why, It's only
half-past nine. Say, what's the matter
with me an yew goin' west ter meet
No. s? Leetle breath O. fresh airll
make us sleep splendid"
He started up from the couch, but
dropped back, too heavy with weari-
ness to carry off his bravado. Samuel,
however, not noticing the discrepancy
between speech and action, was al
ready at the door leading upstairs.
"Yew don't drag me out O. this sta
ton ternight, Abe Rose. Yewre a
regular boss; that's what yew be. A
regular boss! A reg'lar-a reg lar"
He flung open the door and went
trudging as fast as his smarting feet
could carry him up the steep and mar
row steps, wherein the passing of
other feet for many years had worn
little hollows on either side.
Abraham limped from the couch to
the door himself, and called after him ::
"Saml, don't yew want tew sleep
by the fire? Yew seem leetle softer
than be. Let me come upstairs"
There was no answer beyond the
vicious slamming OF Samuel's boots
upon the floor above.
Abe raised his voice again, and now
came in answer a roar of wrath from
the cot next to Samuel's.
go to bed!" shouted No. 6, burly
red-headed Irishman. Go to bed vic
vel TIL young folks do be nadin' 6
little schlape!"