Part 6 (1/2)

”'Well, all the same I don't want any!' he says; and he starts to go back into the store.

”'Excuse _me_!' I says, as polite as I knew how. 'Would you have any objections to namin' over the things you don't want? I didn't know as I'd offered you anything, but mebbe I done it in my sleep.'

”'Glucose is one thing,' he says. 'Terry alba, coal-tar, plaster-of-Paris; them's some of the things I don't want. And you're another. Is that enough?'

”'Not quite I says. 'Go slow, s.h.i.+pmate! If you wanted them things the wust way in the world you couldn't get 'em off'n me, 'cause I ain't got 'em.”

”He grunted. 'Tell that to the monkey!' he says.

”'I am,' I says, 'or the nearest I can see to one.'

”'He always had 'em he says,'and tried to sell 'em to me every time he come by.'

”'I know!' says I. 'I found 'em in the stock, and I sot 'em on the fire and seen 'em burn. Gitty up, hossy!' I says. 'We'll go on and see if there's any place in this village where they keep manners,' I says, 'and we'll send this old gentleman a half a pound to stock up with!' I says.

”'Hold on!' he says. 'I spoke too quick. Come in and we'll talk.'

”So I went. Had half a mind not to, but 'twan't the sensible half. I tell you, I had a real pleasant time, Miss Hands. Come to get him smoothed down and combed out, and he was as pleasant an old gentleman as ever I see. But he was an old-fas.h.i.+oned candy-maker, you see, and he didn't like these new-fangled ways any more than what I do. Never had a pound of glucose on his premises, nor never will; nothin' but pure sugar. We had a real good time together; and he gave me them pep'mints, and I'm goin' to have 'em reg'lar every week. He's got a little kitchen in back there that's a perfect pictur' to look at. I'd like to have you see it, Miss Hands, honest I would.”

At this moment a loud and peevish crow was heard from the house.

”There!” said Mary Sands. ”We must be goin' in, Mr. Parks. Cousin's gettin' impatient, I expect.”

They found Mr. Sim fairly spluttering with impatience.

”What--what--what--” he began as they entered; ”I didn't know as you was ever comin', Cousin. I'd oughter have had my med'cine--that you, Cal?--half an hour ago; set down, won't you? half a gla.s.s, with sugar and hot water! pretty well, be ye? I'm most choked to death, settin'

here waitin'.”

”There, Cousin!” said Mary Sands in her mellow, soothing voice. ”I'll get you the medicine right away; though if the truth was told I expect you'd be better off without it. I don't hold with all this dosin', do you, Mr. Parks?”

”I do not!” said Calvin Parks. ”Looks to me as if all the doses he'd been takin' for a week was havin' it out inside him, and no two agreein'. Say, Sim! s'pose you let Miss Hands throw away all that stuff, and take a pep'mint instead.”

CHAPTER VI

BOARD AND LODGING

”Take a seat, Mr. Parks!” said Mary Sands, hospitably. ”Talk of angels!

Cousins and I were just speakin' of you, and sayin' you never told us the rest of that nice story you began the first time you was here.”

”What story?” asked Calvin Parks.

”Why, your own story, to be sure. You told us how you was displeased at a woman's bein' owner of your schooner,--” her eyes twinkled mischievously,--”and how you come ash.o.r.e and set up your candy route; but Cousins were just sayin' they didn't know where you lived, nor how you was fixed anyways, except that you had that nice hoss and waggin.”

”That so?” said Calvin, musing. ”Well, I don't know as there's any particklar story to the rest on't. I drive my route, you know; quite a ways it is; takes me about a week to git round it all. 'Tis pleasant doin's for the most part, only when it comes to gettin' in and out of this shay; that gits me every time. But I see the country, you know--pretty country it is; I never see a prettier,--and meet up with folks and all,--”

”Where do you reside?” inquired Mr. Sam. He had moved his chair near the door of Mr. Sim's sitting-room, where Calvin was, and now peered round the doorjamb, his body invisible, his little wizen face appearing as if hung in air.

”Great snakes, Sam!” exclaimed Calvin Parks. ”Don't scare the life out of us. Where's the rest of you? No use your pretendin' to be one of them cherub articles, 'cause you don't look it, and don't let anyone deceive you into thinkin' you do. I live--if you call it livin',--down Tinkham way, about ten miles from here. I'm boardin' with Widder Marlin and her daughter. Ever hear of Phrony Marlin? Well, she's a case, Phrony is, and the old lady's another. Widder of a sea-cap'n that I sailed with in former days. She has a little home, and she lets me have a room. I don't know as the old lady is quite right in her mind--I don't know as either one of 'em is, come to think of it; and she ain't much of a cook; but as she says, it's only suppers and breakfasts, and it's all dust and ashes anyway. It ain't worth while to make trouble, and I git on first-rate.”