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Updated: August 13, 2024
He had set down a heavy suitcase and still held a traveling bag. "Just now," he added, "I am hunting a lodging." "Hunting a lodging? Why! I thought you were a fixture with Marm Parraday," Janice said. "I thought so, too. But it's got too strong for me down there. Besides, it is a rule of the Railroad Company that we shall find board, if possible, where no liquor is sold.
I see it," groaned Marm Parraday, clasping her trembling hands. "But, believe me, Janice Day, I never seen this that's come to us. We hev brought the curse of rum inter this taown after it had been free from it for years. An' we shell hafter suffer in the end an' suffer more'n anybody else is sufferin' through our fault."
"It's going a little too strong for Lem Parraday himself to-night, I guess. Marm shuts herself in their room upstairs, I understand, and reads her Bible and prays." "Poor woman!" "She's of the salt of the earth," said Bowman warmly. "But she can't help herself. Lem would do it. The Inn did not pay. And it is paying now. At least, he says it is."
"I've talked to such of my men as have come back to work this morning. Of course, they have been off before, on pay day; but this is the worst. They had a big time down there at the Inn Saturday night and Sunday morning." "Poor Mrs. Parraday!" sighed Janice. "You're right. I'm sorry for Marm Parraday. She's the salt of the earth.
Janice caught a momentary glimpse of the pallid face of Joe Bodley shrinking below the edge of the counter. There was no leer upon his fat face now; it expressed nothing but terror. Lem Parraday entered hastily. He caught his wife by her thin shoulders just as she pitched forward. "Now, now, Marm! This ain't no way to act," he said, soothingly. The thunder muttered in the distance.
"You bet I'm mad!" rejoined Marm Parraday, grimly, and smash! the axe went among the bottles on the shelf behind the bar. Every bottle containing anything to drink was a target for the swinging axe. Joe jumped the bar, yelling wildly. He was the first out of the barroom, but most of the customers were close at his heels. "Marm! Yeou air ruinin' of us!" yelled Lem.
But Lem said to me: 'Don't forget this is a hotel, Mr. Bowman, and I can serve my guests in the dining room or in their own rooms, all night long, if I want to. And that's true." "Oh, dear me! So he can," murmured Janice. "He's got me there," grumbled young Bowman. "I never thought Lem Parraday any too sharp before; but he's learned a lot from Joe Bodley.
But you kin take it from me Marm Parraday is quite in her us'al form. Doc. Poole's a wonderful doctor ain't he? "But," pursued Walky, "I had a notion that old fiddle of Hopewell's would be safer outside than it was in Marm Parraday's way, an' I tuk it down 'fore I fled the scene of de-vas-ta-tion! Haw! haw! haw! "I run inter Joe Bodley on the outside.
"Marty Day!" cried Janice, clasping her hands, "I didn't notice it before. But you even talk differently from the way you used to. Since the bar at the Inn has been open I believe you boys have got hold of an entirely new brand of slang." "Huh?" said Marty. "Why, it is awful! I had been thinking that Mr. Parraday's license only made a difference to himself and poor Marm Parraday and his customers.
But nobody in whom she was vitally interested seemed in danger of acquiring the habit of using liquor just because Lem Parraday sold it. The ladies of the sewing society of the Union Church missed "Marm" Parraday's brown face and vigorous tongue. It was said that she strongly disapproved of the change at the Inn, but Lem had overruled her for once.
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