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Cooper, James A.

"Cap'n Abe, Storekeeper"


Now Cap'n Amazon's display of tenderness "took all the wind out of her
sails," as Betty Gallup would have said.
Louise watched him stirring about the living-room, chirruping to old
Jerry and thrusting his finger into the cage for the bird to hop upon
it, and finally shuffling off into the store. She hesitatingly
followed him. She desired to speak, but could not easily do so. And
now Cap'n Joab Beecher was before her.
Amiel Perdue had been uptown and brought down the early mail, of which
the most important piece was always the Boston morning paper. Cap'n
Joab had helped himself to this and was already unfolding it.
"What's in the _Globe_ paper, Joab?" asked Cap'n Amazon. "You
millionaires 'round here git more time to read it than ever _I_ do, I
vum!"
"It don't cost you nothin' to have us read it," said Cap'n Joab easily.
"The news is all here arter we git through."
"Uh-huh! I s'pose so. I'd ought to thank ye, I don't dispute, for
keepin' the paper from feelin' lonesome.
"I dunno why Abe takes it, anyway, 'cept to foller the sailin's and
arrivals at the port o' Boston--'nless he finds more time to read than
ever I do.


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