The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-09-25
IN. G, J. MARABON."
BY THOMAS DUNN ENGLISH.

ssN. c. J. Marabon," his name stood
On the class roll. The rules of the col
sege required that the name of each stu
dent should appear in full, and mine was
there as Gabriel Pierce Belfort. His
was the sole exception, and why it was
30, as in the case of Lord Dundreary's
puzzle, "no fellow could find out"
When N. c. j. came he declined to COM
ply with the rule and desired to give his
reasons, confdentially, to the faculty.
That august body, being as curious as
their Juniors, met in secret conclave to
consider the case and listened to the petit
fioner. His excuses were sufficient and
they accorded the exemption. But
shen he emerged triumphansly from the
aculty chamber, just as the door closed,
there was terrible burst of laughter in
his rear. This piqued our curiosity still
more. The secret seemed to be impene-
TABLE. N. G. J. himself was as mute as
IN oyster in the matter, and we dared
not pump the professors, though we al
ways pronounced them to be old pumps.
However, n. G.. j. turned out to be no
end of good fellow. He was as strong
ss.a bull and as agile as cat, and after
be had thrashed half dozen who had
undertaken to haze him and proved him
self to be the best batter in the ball field
he became popular. He used to tell
great many stories of life in North Caro-
lima, from whence he came, and always,
no matter how funny they were, with a
crave face. So we nicknamed him North
Carolina Joker Marrowbone, and it stuck,
or part of it, and we addressed him in
differently as North Car'lna, or Joker,
or Marrowbone, as the whim struck us,
and he took either in good part.
Marathon and I became quite intimate.
We weres schums, passed through our four
years of college life together and were
graduated at the same time. Then he
vent back to North Carolina and I took
mp the study. of law and in three years
time was called to the bar. We kept up
= correspondence, though we did not
meet. About two years after we had
saken our degree he came to New York
and our letters continued. He was quite
Iich and liked New York and club life. I
uas not quite so well off, and lived in
Rsantford our county town, rarely going
away, even for vacation. I was quite
surprised then when one Gay, short
while after began practice, he walked
INTO my Office. Of course I was glad to
see him, seated him in my clients chair
and produced a box of cigars frome one
Of the drawers. We each Lit cigar
when We leaned forward. -..
ssBel," he said-he always called me
10 for short-''I'm in a mess of trouble
and must have some advice. I Thought
of you and as I know you are not so
great fool as you look I ran up here by
she ten o'clock train to consult you"
"Well," said I, not much flattered by
part of his speech, and determined to re-
smn him Roland for his Oliver, "the
conference of two fools is not likely to
zmount to much, but what is it2"
ssIt involves a secret" he said (which
you must consider professional. By the
Eay, what kind of cigar is this?"
"Key West" I replied laconically.
ssI thought so. Why don't you smoke
Kayanaa"
I'Can't afford it."
"Cant, eh9 Well, partly as fee and
partly out of regard for yours truly, I
han send you a hundred of the right sort
rs soon as I get to town again"
"Al right, III accept them; but am I
to wait for your story until the cigars get
aereG"
''No. You see I've been expecting to
nsrry. The lady has confessed she re-
appreciates and all was sailing along
smoothly when up pops an obstacle"
"Who is the lady, Mario wbone2"
"hiss Edith Keteltas. You have heard
Of her?"
81 should think I had. Daughter of
Uh Keteltas who made his money in-no
unstter how he made the did make it.
The lady is belle, a beauty, his sole
Asircss and every one speaks well of her.
Permit me to congratulate you. But
uhat is the obstacle2'
'sTake notice that all this under the
suse. The obstacle is this: T shall have
10 give my full name when I get married.
IN fact, she wants to know it now. What
shall do?"
ado! Why give it, of course. Why
rpe2"
ssBut how can I ever do it2 You don't
know yet, but when you do you will see
tlnt it is quite impossible. Ishould never
hcar the last of it. The newspapers re-
porters would get it. The little boys
would shout it on the streets. 1t would
be in the comic papers. They'd sing
songs about it at the minstrel shows. II
u too dreadful to think Of"
uWhat on earth can you mean? You
seem excited. Take another cigar"
''Thank you, I will. Are you sure
there is no one in hearing2"
s'Not SOUL"
"Wen-N stands for Napoleon"
ga good enough name. What is there
dreadful in that2"
sAnd C stands for Casar."
i'The two together are odd, but not SC
w."
"And J-well, J is for Jehosophat.
How every one nearly mis-pronounces my
sume any how, and I put it to you, as a
frsend, if I can go through life as
Napoleon Caesar Jehosophat Marrow
bone."
. I had to laugh-I couldn't help it
zue 50 much at the name as at the in
q.