Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1918-03-26
NUMBER I3.

down. The parson had been preachin'
against horse tradin'. Maybe that ser.
mon was responsible for some Of the
morphine influence
Sylvester was enjoying himself huge.
ly. Captain Elisha's exuberant com.
ments were great fun for him. "This
Is what I came for" he confded to
Caroline. II don't care II It rains or
SHOWS. I could sit and listen to your
uncle for a year and never tire. Hes
q wonder"
Dan, the captains hired man, met
them with the carriage at the station,
and Miss Baker met them at the door
of the Warren home. The exterior Of
the big, old fashioned, rambling house
was inviting and homelike In spite OF
the gloomy weather, and Caroline
cheered up a bit when they turned In
at the gate. Five minutes Of Miss Abb
gals society and all gloom disappear
ed. One could not be gloomy where
Miss Abbie was. Her smile of vel.
come was so broad that, as her en-
ployer said, 1T took In all outdoor and
some Of Punkhorn Neck" a place
which, he FASTENED to add, "was forgot
durin' creation and has sort Of hap
pened Of itself since"
Abbie conducted Caroline to her room
old fashioned, like the rest Of the
house, but cozy, warm and CHEEKY
and, after helping in the removal Of
her wraps, seized her by both hands
and took long look at her face.
You'll excuse my bein' 80 familiar
on short acquaintance, dearie," she
said, "but I've heard so much about
you that I feels If I knew You like
own folks. And you are own folks,
amt you? Course you are! Every one
of Lisha's letters have had four pages
of you to one Of anything else. ! be-
gun to think New York was nothin' but
you and whole lot Of ten story houses.
l declare, you're almost prettier than
he said. May kiss you? I'd Like to-"
She did, and they were friends at
once.
The house and buildings were spot
less in paint and whitewash; the yard
was raked clean Of every dead leaf and
twig: the whole establishment was 80
neat that Caroline remarked upon it.
1T looks as If it had been secured"
she said.
"Um-hm," observed her uncle, with
gratifed nod; that's Abbie. She hates
dirt worse than she does laziness, and
that amt sayin' a little. tell her
she'd sandsoap the weather vane If
she could climb Up to It. AS it's, she
stays below and superintends Dan
while he does It."
Miss Baker had planned that her
young guest should SIT in state, with
folded hands, in the parlor. She seem.
ed to consider that the proper conduct
for former member Of New York's
best society. But Caroline refused to
sit in the parlor and be company"
She insisted upon helping. Miss Baker
protested and declared there was moth
Ing on earth to be done, but her guest
insisted that II there was not she her
self must sit. As Abbie would have
as soon thought Of attending church
without wearing her jet earrings as
she would Of sitting down before din.
ner, she gave in after awhile and per.
mitted Caroline to help in arranging
the table.
"Why, you do fust rater' she ex-
claimed in surprise. "You know where
everything ought to 60, just as II you'd
been settin' table all your life. And
you amt, because Lisha wrote you
used to keep hired help, two or three
Of 'em, all the time"
Caroline laughed.
"Tve been studying housekeeping Tor
almost a year." she said.
"And they teach that-at school"
she demanded. "And take money for
It? And call It science? My land!
guess l was brought up in a scientific
household, then. I was the only girl
in the family, and mother died when
was ten years old"
After dinner she consented to sit for
q time, though not until she had dom
ned her Sunday best, earrings ana all
Captain Elisha and Sylvester sat with
them, and the big fireplace In the SIT.
ting room blazed and roared as 1t had
not since it's owner left for his long
sojourn In the city.
Caroline's mind was busy with the
suspicion which her uncle's words con.
cerning bis future plans for Steve hao
aroused. She had thought OF little
else since she heard them. The cap
tain did not mention the subject again.
Possibly on reflection he decided that
he had already said too much. Ana
she asked no more questions. She de-
termined not to question him-yet.
She must think first and then ask
some one else-Sylvester.
Her opportunity came the following
morning, the day before Thanksgiving.
After breakfast Captain Elisha went
downtown to call on some acqualnt'
ances.
After the captain had gone Sylvester
sat down before the fire in the sitting
room to read Boston newspaper. AS
he sat there Caroline entered and clos.
ed the door behind her. Miss Abigail
was in the kitchen busy with prepara'
tions for the morrow's plum pudding.
The girl took the chair next that oc'
cupied by the lawyer. he put down
his paper and turned to her.
"Mr. Sylvester" she said, II wish
you would tell me something about the
value Of seat on the stock exchange.
What is the price Of one%
The lawyer looked at her in surprise.
"The value Of a seat on the stock e1'
changer he repeated.
"Yes. What does 1t cost to buy
oneT
He hesitated, wondering why she
should be interested In that subject
Captain Elisha had not told him a word
Of the interview following Pearson's
last visit
"Well," he replied, smiling, they're
pretty expensive, I'm afraid, Caroline.
I think the last sale was at figure be-
tween 100000 and 100000"
Indeed! Was fathers seat worth
as much as thatT
"Yes."
"But," with q sigh, "that, suppose.