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Cooper, James A.

"Cap'n Abe, Storekeeper"


"Them contraptions," Cap'n Amazon broke off in his ditty to say, "go
past so swift that you can't tell rightly whether they got anybody to
the helm or not. Land sakes, here comes another! They're getting as
common as sandfleas on Horseneck Bar, and Washy Gallup says that's
a-plenty."
He did not need to come to the door to make this discovery of the
approach of the second machine. There sounded another blast from an
auto horn and a considerable racket of clashing gears.
"Land sakes!" Cap'n Amazon added. "Is it going to heave to here?"
Louise had already entered the living-room, bound for her chamber to
see if, by chance, Betty had finished dusting there. She did not hear
the second automobile stop nor the cheerful voice of its gawky driver
as he said to his fare:
"This is the place, ma'am. This is Cap'n Abe's."
His was the only car in public service at the Paulmouth railroad
station and Willy Peebles seldom had a fare to Cardhaven. Noah
Coffin's ark was good enough for most Cardhaven folk if they did not
own equipages of their own.


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