The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1916-02-01

ow Jerrold to say yes to him, and
nobody except the captain wanted to
get Widow Abigail to say yes" to
him. Naturally the two widows hated
each other The captain boarded at
Widow Jerrolds house when his ship
was in port.
Hes going to get Widow Abigail, -
I said to Widow Jerrold.
Maybe" she answered, with her
shy smile. 1T will be {. good thing
for hin, perhaps"
"Why?" asked obviously.
Captain Israel" said Widow Jer-
rold, needs woman's refining influ-
ence in his life. Widow Abigail has
been teaching him to stop drinking
and swearing"
That was true enough. Captain IS
rael was becoming changed man.
Everybody could see it in his manner.
When his mate let the rope slip and a
box of blankets went overheard down
among the lobster pots, the captain
turned CLASSY eye on him.
"You-you-you please be SO kind
as to be bit more cautious, Mr..
Ford he said.
AYE. sir" said the mate, trembling
in his shoes.
Captain Israel was on the reforming
tack. He drank nothing but milk and
barley water, and his speech was as
mild as a pet lambs. He came into
port with dirty ship and a mutinous
crew, and calling them all mister.
He was very much distressed that
evening when he came back from
Widow Abigairs.
"She isn't satisfied yet" he told
Widow Jerrold. she says / got to
stop smoking, too. l smoked since l
was a kid. It's hard-it's hard"
"A good woman's love is worth
fighting to win, Captain Israel" re-
marked Widow Jerrold.
He frightened up at that Widow
Abigail had promised to let him ask
her to marry him the next time his
ship came in, provided he hadn't
smoked in the meantime. However, a
contreterps marked his arrival. His
men had mutinied fatty, and he had
knocked enc of them down, reduced
the remainder to subsection and got
things in apple-pie order. The news
spread fast and far. Captain Israel
received the worst tongue-lashing
Widow Abigail had ever given him.
"She says I'm a backslider," re-
marked the captain to Widow Jerrold.
She says I'll have to start in again
and make new record
But think of the joy of winning
Widow Abigail said Widow Jerrold.
Think of the happiness of sitting
down to dinner with her every eve
ming, of seeing her dear face opposite
your own. Think of spending whole
life in Widow Abigairs company, Cap
tain Israel. There aren't many WON
ell like Widow Abigail"
NO." said the captain, staring at
Widow Jerrold rather doubtfulIy I
was the only boarder left that sum-
mer, and l watched them intently.
Something seemed to be In Widow
Jerrold's mind, but wasn't sure what
it was. Certainly Widow Jerrold was
a good woman; she had been great
consolation to Captain Israel in his
times of trouble, and she was always
urging him to try to make himself
worthy of Widow Abigail, although the
two women weren't on speaking
terms.
The next time Captain Israel came
home | never saw such change in
pounds, his face was pale and his eyes
sunken, and his voice had become q
husky rattle.
widow Abigail says I've got to
put myself to another test he said.
"She don't believe it's genuine. She
says she can't marry a man she amt
sure of, and how does she know
don't drink and smoke and cuss when
I'm aboard, and then put on all the
new ways for her She says I've got
to go and live with her sister, Mrs.
Primm.'
l sympathized deeply with Captain
Israel. He had been SO cozy and COM
Portable for years at Widow Jerrold' s,
and now he had to take up his quar-
tiers with Mrs. Primm, another of Bid
deford's ancient families. Mrs. Primm
was stricter even than Widow Abb
gail, and she could scent puff of a
cigarette across ten-acre field.
She'll lose him if she drives him
too hard" said to Widow Jerrold.
/ shall never forget the enigmatical
smile with which she favored me.
Some women know when they're