Orangeburg times. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1872-1875, 1874-09-24
and the doctor came out, vith the pro

and the doctor came out, with the pro-
ifessor following him.
3" 1T is terrible thing,p he said.
slowly terrible. have known sud.
den shocks to produce death very Of
ten, when the heart was affected. All,
dear mel"
Please sir" cried dozen boys'
voices at once. g won't you tell us what
has happened 2"
8 That telegram was from poor Jack
Redburn's home" said the professor.
!" His mother is dead. Hewas deli.
cate boy, and the doctor says- y
|" All, yes II said the doctor. s'Yes,
yes-dropped dead at once, didn't he
poor fellow p''
"Dead r. cried the boys.
ssDead !" cried Tom Hurd. g Oh.
doctor doctorl no, no, mol Save
him ] savs him It's o joke-a wicked
joke. His mother is alive. I sent the
telegram. Tell him that; it will bring
him to. Tell him ! tell aim II
!" Dead people can't be brought to-"
cried the doctor. Are You speaking
tns sGh, 5aat yes. % Grisa Ton, groyeling in
me M! Will be hung? Otry to save
"Thomas Hurd, cried the professor,
!" stand up; don't grovel there. Do
You mean all this I? Did you really
send o lying message to widows only
son to tell him she was dead?"
"Yes, sir,n said Tom. aOh, L am SO
sorry. I wish I was dead. CAN'T some-
thing be doneP He may not be quite
gone. Oh, pray, pray, try"
{ 6 Whv did pow n ,roL Il,
this 2" asked the doctor.
"Only for fun" answered Tom.
"Do you think it fun now p" asked
the doctor.
"P I'm murderer !" said Tom. "Oh,
hang me hang me r.
Do you think the law would allow
us to do it, doctor?" asked the profes.
sor. 81 should like very much to
risk it,
"Please do" said Tom, seriously.
He dropped on tho steps as he spoke,
and, lying on his face, began to moan:
I've killed himl I've killed him
I've killed him I" in way that was
terrible to hear.
The professor looked at the doctor,
He slipped back and opened the door.
and out ran little slender figure. that
knelS down by Tom, and whispered
Don't go on SO, Tom; I'm aliye.n
Tom lifted up his head, and saw little
Jack Redburn, and gave scream. and
caught him IN his arms, crying
Oh, he's alive he's alive ! he's
alive !" over and over again. q
Yes, he's alive, said the professor
!" and, Tom, your telegram was never
sent at all. caught Harry Pratt at
his trick and dragged confession from
him and l arranged that message
about nothing should be sent through
the telegraph, in order that you might
see it arrive. The doctor was in the
plot, and if any one has been the victim
of joke, it is you"
But, young man." said the doctor.
{" if it had been sent, that message OF
yours, it might have ended in a very
tragic way. 1t is evident you don't
know how strong boys love for his
mother may be-, or you would not have
fanoied it joke to use it rs o means of
torture; and you do not know how dan
gerous such o shock might be to any
one, especially to delicate little fellow
like that"
:, 1t was very cruel" said Jack "but
I guess you didn't think, or you wouldn't
have done it."
Tom had risen, wiping his eyes.
:" am so thankful, that I don't care
what happens to me, he said, "I de.
serve what I've got, and I certainly
shall never play practical Joke on any
one again as long as I livel"
And Tom kept his word.