The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1915-07-30


| going TO die.
"Mary!" His voice quavered as he
put his arms about her. I'll find
ship tomorrow. l. o God! wish ]
had a million dollars"
The wish had broken spontaneously
from his lips. but Immediately the
scene changed. The wish had refer
red to no period Of his life: conse-
quently the scene In which he found
himself was one which he was unable
to recognize.
He was seated In the library OF
magnificent house In seaport town.
The door opened and he heard girlish
laughter in an adjacent room as the
butler respectfully. placed box OF
cigars before him and tray contain
ing a bottle of gin and seltzer water.
The man withdrew, catfooted. Cap
tain Paul heard the voice OF his
daughter Myra in the drawing-room.
YES" she was saying. "of course
papa makes me ashamed Of him. II
he hadn't made that fortune In the
China trade ans got his head turned
he would have been a very respectable
old man for his station. But he's
well, Mrs. Jones-Frothingham says he
is insufferable. And SO unpresent'
able"
Myra," murmured his daughters
friend
''It keeps my heart in my throat
every time anybody comes to dine.'
cooed Myra. "He eats his peas with
knife! And he tucks his napkin into
his collar! Isn't it dreadful, dearl
And of course the best people in Free
port are not coming to visit US when
he behaves like that. / wish he'd die
that's what l wish"
Her voice broke down and she be-
gan to sob. He's a disgrace and
nuisance" she declared. II wish-I
wish--I wish he had never made that
million dollars"
"Ysu can't. improve his manners,
dear?" asked Myra's friend.
Improve a ours manners!" shifted
Myra, dabbing at her eyes. He
doesn't know what manners mean.
And the worst of II, he doesn't know
he can't behave. Only the other day
he told Mr. Jones-Frothingham that
they'd go out together sometime on
oh, ! can't say the vulgar word,
Elsie"
Tell me. I may have heard It,"
said Elise" "One can't help picking
up things, you know"
"A bat, Elise. He meant a drunken
amusement of some kind, l know.
And he drinks gin instead Of whisky,
dear! He might as we'll be temper
ance man, which is almost as vulgar"
The captain was at first petrified by
hearing his daughters words, but pres
emily his calm came back to him.
That was not Myra. His daughter
and he had always been the best Of
| friends and companions, In spite Of
little thoughtlessness on her part to-
ward him.
"You can't make me believe that,
ma'am," he said to the fairy, who had
somehow remained In the vicinity. in
visible though she was. THAT isn't
Myra. It's a dream you're giving
me-"
Choose your third wish, then" said
the fairy curtly.
"In a moment, ma'am," answered
Captain Paul
why not now?" asked the fairy.
Because this is mighty good liquor,
ma'am," replied the captain, "and
guess when you take this dream away
you'll take the drink away with it."
And, chuckling over the trick which
he had played the fairy, in return for
her own, the old man slipped his gin
highball thoughtfully, conscious of a
fuming, baffied presence at his side.
Now, ma'am," he said, when he had
|. finished, I'm going to make my third
wish. But I'm going to think hard
before I make 1t, seeing as it's my
last. I'm not going to get tucked
away In a hole for the rest OF my
days. II was to wish what's In
my mind-mind, I'm only saying 1t,
not wishing it'd wish to be young
man OF twenty-five, handsome and bet
ter educated than any man I've ever
seen, with Mary at my side, just mar.
ried to me, and house and land and
a yacht and an automobile, and moth
ing to do, and dozen buffers and
servonts, and Mr.. and Mrs. Jones
rockingham competing for the honor
OF filing my pipe with Latakia Grade
/, and fine cellar of old wine with
cobwebs on the bottles, and-and-
but / amt wishing those things, I'm
only thinking about 'em. Like as not
IL wished 'em you'd put the fly In
the ointment somewhere. So I'm go
ing to have a good think"
Think, then," said the fairy
harshly.
I'm thinking, ma'am," replied the
captain. Il wish--I wish-I wish just
the thing that is best for me-"
Captain Paul opened his eyes and
started up. He was seated upon tho
porch of the little house that over
looked the sea, and his pipe was still
in his hand, though he must have
haan aelaan In the emokp coils he