Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1918-09-24
NO SECOND TABLE
This Man Has Gone Back on
Time.HOnored Institution.
Event Of His Youthful Days, In Which
Parson and Barrel Stave Fig
ured Prominently, Soured Him
Permanently.

"Wonder II that measly custom OF
maxim children wait whenever there
Is company at the table Is In force
anywhere in civilization todayf" asked
"Dunc," the barber.
"Why?" asked the customer, who
knew Dunes failing. "That does not
concern you now, does itT He was
about to say something else, but the
lather was too close.
"Not directly" replied Dune, 'but I
was victim Of the cussed tall timber
style SO many times when was q kid
that I never have forgotten It."
That was enough. The customer, q
regular, knew that Dune was in rem
iniscent mood, so he closed his eyes
and let the yarn unravel.
II never could understand the sense
In such fool custom. never cared to
eat with company. In fact, I preferred
not to, as their presence interfered
with my freedom of motion. ] used
to eat by the touch system; that Is,
I never had to look. My father said I
was a walkin' allegory Of hunger. I
have been lntendin' for forty years to
find out just what he meant, but some
how I haven't had the time.
swell, anyway, II mother had just
given me a handout, anything In the
form of food, would have been willin'
to eat it in the kitchen or the wood
shed. But, no, we must wait and wait
nice. There were five Of Us, each one
just as empty as always was. But
If the children didn't wait nice the
family wasn't in good standin' when I
was kid.
"The worst llckin' ever got was for
bawlin' out preacher when he took
the last piece Of chicken. Five Of us
were on the firing line just outside the
dinin' room. was In the first line
trench, lookin' through the crack. Al.
ter that salamander had finished his
pie he said: Sister Beezer, you cer-
tainly cook the best fried chickin' Of
anyone know. I'm not goin' to leave
any for manners. I'm Just goin' to
take this last piece
"And 1t was the last piece and i
knew 1t, for I had counted 'em from
where I stood. I had that piece set
and intended to grab 1t at the first
charge Of the bread line which I head
ed"
"Why did he call your mother Mrs.
Beezer?" asked the customer. "YOur
name Is Duncan, isn't it7"
"Duncan McCarty Beezer." replied
Dune proudly, "that's 1t. Well, any
way, I let an awful yelp out Of me. !
was hostile and told the preacher he
didn't have any manners to leave.
got wallopin' with barrel stave,
and nothin' to eat at all, and always
have been sore about that.
" swore then that II ever I grew
up, got married and had children
they'd get theirs If the company had
to do on half rations. And I've kept
that oath. The four Beezers at my
house never had TO walt foS tneil
chow"
Pure water for Men In rrenehes.
Filtered and ,sterilized water for the
men in the trenches at all times is
being provided by water trains the
war department announced.
Under the direction Of the surgeon
generals office sections held BY the
American forces where permanent wa.
terworks have not been established
will be fully supplied by these trains'
which are in reality miniature water.
works that chemically treat filter and
sterilize all water used for drinking
purposes. Each unit carries an expert
chemist, bacteriologist and pumpman'
and the water tanks are mounted on
motortrucks equipped with powerful
lights so that the work can be carried
on at night