Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1916-08-15

A Happening at Ounce
} Harbor
} By cLARISSA MACKIE 7
In Ounce Harbor village every man
b 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 II
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 q boat, be It 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 It
would be a relief even II thefed be a
fire or something to wake US up.
Captain Barnabas F1sh slowly filed
his pipe and packed the tobacco tight
ly In the bowl with one huge thumb.
His weather beaten countenance was
always a 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, I scented
interesting happenings In Ounce Har-
Dor village.
Mrs. Fish was sewing rags for car
pet which she said was much needed
In the spare bedroom, which ! 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 q throaty
chuckle. Maria Fish glanced at him
sharply, and I inclined my best ear In
bis direction.
"For the land sake, Barnabas Ftsh,
what's the matterr" calculated Maria
at last. you've been actin all morn
In as If you was chuck full Of some
thin funny and. was dyin' to tell It
out. Did anything happen at the en-
gine company's meetin' last nightf"
Captain Barnabas scratched q match,
lighted his pipe and puffed slowly for
several moments.
1T was something / heard at the
meeting" he admitted; something that
happened to Ananias Slime"
"Why is It," l asked, with interest,
that wherever Ananias Slime Is things
begin to happen right awayfr
Because he's SO deceitful and cat
footed that he's always making trou-
bIe for somebody" was Maria's prompt
answer.
Likewise amusement" added Cap
tain Barnabas. 1T seems this happen
ed last week while we was over to
camp meeting at Rockybrook, 30 we
missed It l was in the bank the very
next morning, 1hd as I came out Anan-
las was polishing the front windows.
I thought he looked mighty sour, and,
says In kind Of a joking way, What
you been up to now, Ananias?' And
he turned on me like a spiteful little
cat and, says he, None Of your gol-
darned businessr So I shifted my
helm and steered clear Of him, but I
knew something had happened to up
set him. That night he came to me
for help, but he was close mouthed
about his trouble.
.Last night at the engine house
when the meeting was over some OF
'em got to telling stories about fires,
and all to once they fell to laf1ng fft to
KIN over the fire that started IN the
widder 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 It explains why Ananias -
90 glum Just now and why be looks ON
all the world as his enemy.
ITO begin, It seems that the widder
has staying with her a woman can
vasser from Little River, her name
being Phoebe Pringle, and for looks
she's quite q trim sailing little craft
not 30 tubby as the widderIwtth q
tongue as sharp as her shoulder blades
and little black eyes that snap you up
sharp"
.-she came here" interrupted Maria,
threading her needle miss Telham,
You remember that impudent little
gossip that tried 10 sell me cookery
book-me who can cook al around
anybody who ever wrote a cookery
book!'
I remembered the episode Of the can
vasser, and had enjoyed her batt3e
Of wits with Maria Fish, VINO Justly
prided herself on her culinary tx+
umphs.
"Wen. It seems Anantas met thts
Miss Pringie three times a day at the
widder's hospitable board, as they ny
In story books" went on the genial
captain, "and her being kind of ms
cinating a well as some younger
than the widdsr, who considers ha.
self engaged to Ananias, I Spose you
know, ma'am, and the PrmgIe woman.
being fascinating
~Humphr' shifted Maria scornfuily.
yellow as saffronr'
"Well yellow was becoming win
her black eyes," said the captain SOL
emniy, 'and her being fascinating TO
Ananias, he got to paying her teeny
little attentions, like passing the but
ter without her asking for Il and help:
lng her to pudding sauce three times
and forgetting all about the widder
Rowen, who didn't get any.
'Then, the widder watching then,
IKE cat and mouse, It seems Ananiaa
took to writing poetry to Miss Phoebe
and leaving 1t around where she'd be
likely to find It. One day he made q
poem and dropped It In one Of her rub.
ber overshoes In the hall rack, and Miss