The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1915-08-12

| laughter in an adjacent room as the
butler respectfully placed a box OF
| cigars before him and a tray contain
ing a bottle of gin and settler water
The man withdrew, cat-footed. 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 and got his head turned
he would have been very respectable
old man for his station. But he's
well. Mrs. Jones-Frothingham says he
is insufferable. And SO unpresent
able"
1T must be a great trial for you
Myra,' murmured his daughter
| friend. Q
cit 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, dear!
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 I wish"
Her voice broke down and she be-
gan to sob. He's a disgrace and a
nuisance" she declared. II wish
wish-I wish he had never made that
million dollars"
You 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 it, he doesn't know
he can't behave. Only the other day
| he told Mr.. nes-Frothingham that
they'd go out together somet&ne on
oh, l can't say the vulgsf word
Elsie"
Tell me. I may have heard it,
said Elise Zone can't help picking
UP things, you know
"a bat, Elise. He meant drunken
amusement of some kind, l know
And he drinks gin instead Of whisky
dear! He might as well be temper
| duCG ludU, WAlCA 10 dl01Oob co NuA6oA'
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 a
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 CURLY.
"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 1t. :
And, chuckling over the trick which
he had played the fairy, in return FOL
her own, the old man slipped his gin
highball thoughtfully, conscious of
Tuning, baffied presence at his side.
Now, maam," he said, when he had
finished, I'm goiIg to make my third
wish. But I'm going to think hard
before l make it, seeing as it's my
last. I'm not going to get tucked
| away in a hole for the rest of my
days. If l was to wish what's in
my mind-mind, I'm only saying it,
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 a dozen buffers and
servants, and Mr.. and Mrs. Jones
rockingham competing for the honos
of filling my pipe with Latakia Grade
| l, and a fine cellar of old wine with
| cobwebs on the bottles, and-and-
but l amt wishing those things, I'm
only thinking about 'em. Like as not
if / wished 'em you'd put the ny II
the ointment somewhere. So I'm GO
ing to have a good think"
Think, them" said the fairy
harshly.
I'm thinking, ma'am," replied the
| captain. Il wish-I wish-I wish jus
| the shing that is best for me-
| Captain Paul opened his eyes and
started up. He was seated upon the
| porch of the little house that over
looked the sea, and his pipe was still
in his hand, though he must have
| been asleep In the smoke coils ne
| thought he saw the disintegratin&
j. form of the fairy.
Darn it! If I didn't wish myself
home again." he said thoughtfully
"And-and-"
"He won't care. He's an old dear!
It was Myras voice. And suddenly
she was standing at his side. her arms
about his neck.
81 said you're an old dear, papa
and I meant it, too" she cried, hug
ging him. Come in and hear Elsie
recite. Why, papa, you look as if you
had been to sleep!"
Il guess I have" said Captain Paul
But say! l got even with that fairy
didn't l? No, never mind, my dear
it was just an old mans dream