Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1916-03-15
A HERO
INDEED
A Happening at. Ounce
Harbor

In Ounce Harbor village every man
Is a fisherman. We. the Inhabitants,
have been brought up as one people.
and when anything happens here we
all have to hear about it. Perhaps If
there were newspapers published every
day for us to read about what is going
on In the big world we would be less
interested In each others affairs.
Captain Barnabas Fish--every man
who owns boat. be 1t motorboat or
tug, Is called captain-has the principal
sense of humor among US. and when
there is nothing to do and the fisher
men, their wives and daughters get
together, dependent on one another for
amusement. we usually rely on the
captain to help Us out
One evening just before supper a
lot of us were at Captain Fish's when
some one said that nothing had been
going on In the village lately and 1t
would be relief even II there'd be a
IRE or something to wake US up.
Captain Barnabas Fish slowly filled
his pipe and packed the tobacco tight
ly In the bowl with one huge thumb.
His weather beaten countenance was
always q barometer of his mental con-
dition, and now. as | watched his blue
eyes twinkling merrily, while his gen.
erous mouth endeavored to keep itself
straight and in proper order. l scented
interesting happenings In Ounce Har-
Dor village
Mrs. Fish was sewing rags for q car
pet which she said was much needed
In the spare bedroom, which l as pay
ing guest was occupying after my Gus
tom, and | was sitting idly enjoying
the lovely panorama Of the village
smuggling among the hills that ran
down to the harbor, which was half
embraced by lines OF sandy bluffs.
Captain Barnabas emitted a throaty
chuckie. Maria Fish glanced at him
sharply. and inclined my best ear in
his direction.
For the land sake, Barnabas Fish.
what's the matter?" calculated Maria
at last You've been actin all morn
In as II you was chuck full Of some
thin funny and was dyin' to tell 1t
out Did anything happen at the en-
CINE company's meetin' last night?"
Captain Barnabas scratched q match.
lighted his pipe and pulled slowly for
several moments.
1T was something heard at the
meeting" he admitted: something that
happened to Ananias Slime"
why Is It," | asked. with interest
that wherever Ananias Slime is things
begin to happen right away?"
Because he's so deceitful and cat
footed that he's always making trou-
bic for somebody" was Maria's prompt
answer.
Likewise amusement" added Cap
tain Barnabas ut seems this happen
ed last week while we was over to
camp meeting at Rockybrook. 80 we
missed it. l was in the bank the very
next morning. and as came out Anan-
las was polishing the front windows.
I thought he looked mighty sour. and.
says In kind Of joking way. What
you been up to now. AnaniasT And
he turned on me like spiteful little
cat. and. says be. None Of your gol-
darned business So shifted my
helm and steered clear of him. but
knew something had happened to up
ret him. That night he came to me
f0f help. but he was close mouthed
about his trouble.
Last night at the engine house
when the meeting was over some OF
EN- got to telling stories about fires.
and all to once they fell to lafiing at to
kill over the fire that started in the
wilder Rowell's house the night we
was over to Rockybrook camp meet
ing. So me. not being there and not
knowing about it. the chief told me the
story. and 1t explains why Ananias Is
50 glum just now and why he looks on
all the world as his enemy.
ITO begin. 1t seems that the wilder
has staying with her a woman can
vasser from Little River. her name
being Phoebe Pringie. and for looks
she's quite trim sailing little craft
not so tubby as the widder-with q
tongue as sharp as her shoulder blades
and little black eyes that snap you NJ
sharp"
"She came here interrupted Maria
threading her needle Miss Telha n
you remember that impudent littlt
gossip that tried to sell me cookery
book-me who can cook all around
anybody who ever wrote a cookery
book
remembered the episode of the can
vasser. and had enjoyed her battle
Of wits with Maria Fish. who justly
prided herself on her culinary tri
umphs.
"Well, 1t seems Ananias met THU
Miss Prngle three times day at tht
widder's hospitable board. as they say
IN story books" went on the genia
captain. and. her being kind Of fas
chatting as well as some younger