Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1928-06-22
ABIJAH
PERKINS
AMBREL
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
(0 by d. J. Walsh0

Hulnpeu, urlpplh6i VII thS oOe't
" of the old democrat" wagon,
drove moderately into the
wagon house. With elaboration he
descended, embarrassed old Charley,
wiped down his shiny rotundity with
cotton waste, patted, blanketed, fed
and repatted him, and then proceeded
placidly along the uneven plank floor
of the walk" into the kitchen.
Aunt Hitty Hewitt, bustling about
among her shining pots and pans, sus-
pended operations. plump hands up
raised.
"For the land sake, Hosea Hewitt
You look as though you'd ben
ducked In the Penneeseewasseel You
don't mean to tell me you didn't take
an ambrel An threaten as 1t was
when you set out this mornin'! You
did, Hosy, you did l recall putin
1t in the wagon myself"
Even as she chided, in tones that
removed all sting from her werds,
Aunt Kitty was lowering about the
delinquent, removing his limp old soft
felt, and hanging 1t on the corner OF
the clotheshOrse, behind the stove,
taking his soggy overcoat from his
leisurely moving hands, and dlspos'
ing of 1t beside the hat; bringing dry
footwear, and ever and anon bestow-
/ ing sundry little pats and smoOthings,
suggestive of a solicitous tabby, whose
irresponsible offspring had contrived
somehow to get itself mussed or
messed up.
Uncle Hosy waited, with twinkle
at the back of his gray eyes, until
there was a clearly defined pause.
Uncle Hosy required time and mar
gin for everything he did, even to
making a remark. The psychological
moment for speaking did not make It
self apparent until he had seated
himself before the glowing stove, set
tied comfortably into the chintz-cov-
cred rocker, and stretched chilly.
-wool-stockinged feet upon the hot
stove shelf already provided by Aunt
Kitty with shingle Of safety-hrst
thickness and width. Then with a
PREDATORY twinkle:
Eyes, MehetabeI, you put 1t in all
right lent 1t to 'Bljah Perkins. You
see, he"
Aunt Mehetabel had lost the time
required for one gasp.
Lent It to 'Bijah Perkins? or all
things Where was 'BiJe's own am
brel? That's what I'd like to know
never saw him startin' off to town
without it--neverl He had 1t In this
morning, when he passed, I'm posi-
tive! / en- shut my eyes an see that
knuckly old bone handle stickin' out
from under the cushion at the back OF
the seat. Why that ambrel is part OF
Bile Perkins! How on earth"
"Just you wait, Kitty, till tell ye
Then you'll know all about 1t. This
stove-shelf is pesky hot"
Uncle HOsy hoIsted protesting heels
Aunt HItty provided supplementary
shlngle and the story began.
swell, was settin' In Bangs store,
long about one o'clock or so, waitln' ;
hopin' the rain d ease up mite Old
Charley was over across In the Free
Baptist horse sheds, all dry'n com
Portable, an I'd ben putin round
pretty hard, with all the arrants |
had of my own, an yOurn, an them
the neighbors d donated as | druv
by"
THAT'S you. Hosea Hewitt-takin'
on arrants for half Hewlttville |!
Here"
Uncle Hosy lifted unreluctant heels
Aunt Hitty tucked third shingle In
position, and the story proceeded.
"Ez | was sayln', I'd ben putin
round pretty hard In the rain an
didn't mind waitin' a while. Bangs Is
good company, an | like to eat my
lunch there BY the way, Bangs
ful-cream cheese was 80 tasty |
brought home pound. It's In my
left-hand lower side pocket over
there"
Aunt Hltty dove for the parcel, re-
moved the damp wrappings, placed
the contents In covered dish and
Uncle Hosy resumed:
"Ez I was sayin'. didn't mind walt
In while, 'zlOng ez twas too wet to
do anything about the farm. Well
finally II did ease up but somehow !
KEEP settin'. Bangs was tellln' about
his boy at college an the new-fangled
ideas he's gettin'-reel amusin. All
OF a sudden the door flies open, an In
busts rBijah Perkins In a turrible
stew he is-glts pound Of salaratus
an box of toothplcks on account,
an Declines for the dOOr--host OF ar
rants to tend to, he says.
SWELL It didn't rain any more for
quite a spell, but KEEP a settln'--
didn't like to break In or Bangs.
Course Of half an hour In busts 'BI
jah.
left my ambrel here" seize,
lOokin' sharp over to where he'd stood
at the counter, an then perrin round.
swell, now, I'd particularly noticed
that 'BlJah did not hev is ambrel
with I'm when he come In before An
I'd wondered at IT considerable Told
Bile so, but II didn't do any good
Said he remembered distinctly Of set.
tin II down TO dreen. Said II must
be round there sommers. Picked back
O. the door, an the cracker barrel an
the boxes OF herrln' an ralslns. that
was stacked up there. Then he hens
an haws. an asks who's ben In The
store since he was there. Bangs don't
tel! I'm. Fact Is there hadn't nObody
ben In.
Sure you amt left II nOwhereT
says Bangs, reel mild.
"Bljah fairly snorted. Course I'm