The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-05-22

dropped a poem IN her umbrella, thar
being handy, too. IN the front hall, and
when she opened it In front of the
postotlce some silly girls got hold OF II
when It dropped out. and Miss Phoebe
had TO pretend she didn't know where
II came from.
81 guess Miss Phoebe as well as An
anias was having a hard time, both OF
'em being under the widders eagle eve.
But II was worse for Ananias. for he
had to keep two Jealous females apart
and
II told you he was double dealing
and cat footed" interrupted Maria.
We'll. 10 make my story short. 1t
seems that the night o. the fire the
wldder Rowell had been burning some
rubbish In her Kitchen stove and when
she went 70 be5 Their. were Some rags
smollertrg there. In some way tho
flue was stepped up-swallers nests In
the chimney. guess--and along about
midnight the house was filed full Of
smoke
THE aidder scraecned Fire. and ran
out into the road In blue flannel
nigh,gCwL md Ills Phoebe screamed
hcrset. boarse AS =h@ stood beside her.
said the captain hurr!edy. in response
To warning glance from hk wife's
eye.
Il don't see why them details are
necessary" chided Maria severely.
The captain. scratched his chin
thoughtfully.
Seems funnier TO think OF the two
Of 'eEl, one IN blue and t'other in pink
well. Maria I'm going on with the
story.
Seems Ananias had been out TO a
lodge meeting and he was just getting
home when 1t happened, and be found
them hollering fire. Cap'n Charlie VIII
lis had already telephoned to the en-
CINE house, and there was nothing for
Ananias to do but try to save some OF
the yaluables.
1T was an exciting scene, Capn
Charlie says The wilder was hol-
leriug for Ananias to go in and save
her pocketbook and her gold watch
from under her pillow, and Miss Phoe-
he was screcching at him If he loved
her to go and DO the same kindness
for her.
so Ananias, being brave in some
ways, tied handkerchief over his
mouth and sailed into the house. He
had to grope his way around upstairs
10 find their pillows with the treas
ures under them and not trying to save
anything Of his own he staggered
downstairs again and gave the wilder
a bundle tied in a handkerchief and
another one Just like 1t to Miss Phoebe.
Then. being a little man and not much
stamina to him. he just tainted away
from swallowing too much smoke.
Just then the fire company arrived.
towing the engine, and by the time
they'd flooded the widder's dining room
and kitchen they discovered that the
fire was in the stove and nowhere else
but the smoke was all over the house.
"Capn Charlie says that them three
wins the ffaaat-st people tie ever saw.
Both the wtmmen being caught disha.
billy, as Miss Fringle said. was bad
enough. but 1t seems that Ananias had
mixed up the bundles under their pill
lows, and while the wilder had Miss
Phoebe's watch and pocketbook and
small cargo OF Ananas' poems to her
tone of them WIS called. TO my phoe-
be Bird, why Miss Phoebe had the
widder's watch and money and pack
age Of Ananias' love letters tied with a
blue ribbon-Maria, do you sleep with
my love letters tied with a blue ribbon
under your pillow" demanded the cap
tain, turning To- his good wife
"Do 20 on. Barnabas. We're dying
to hear the rest OF it." urged Maria.
We'll the rest OF it was a terrible
wrancle between the wilder and Miss
Phoebe pringle when the two ladies
exchanged private and personal prop
erty and private and personal opinions
OF each other. and their opinions
wasn't fatterinG, neither. AS for Ana.
Mas. when he found ont what had
happened he give himself up for lost,
and naturally he come to me to wealth.
IL AAiS kUit. MISS L uueUe went not
foot back TO Little River while the
widders been busy cleaning up her
house
And where's Ananias been keeping
himself all this time?" asked Maria
suspiciously.
Captain Barnabas removed his pipe
from his lips and pointed out to tho
bay where his ship, the Indus. lay at
anchor, enjoying an idle old age in her
home port
"Ananias shipped aboard the Indus
the very next day, and II you look you
will see his little dory bobbing out to-
ward her now. / reckon he's got his
vtctuals in basket, and he cooks for
himself. and he'll have quiet, peace.
full time I'LL the wilder Rowell for
gives him and sends for him to come
back again"
How about Miss Phoebe Pringle and
her blighted sfrections?" / asked curl
ousiy.
"Homely as a scrag fence" inter,
polated Maria
Miss Phoebe-wby. she took her
blighted affections back to Little River,