The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1899-03-11
LEFT. HIS TRUNK
The ~2mpecuniOus Boarder Had
Novel Way of Settling
His Bill.

They tell a good story out here about
. chap who two days ago awoke to find
a note on his dresser from his landlady,
saying that if the board and room
money" were not forthcoming at a very
early date-day before yesterday to be
eXact-there would enter the young
mans apartment a deputy sheriff with
Il nice, new writ of attachment to hold
his trunk.
The youth read the note. then sat by
the window and thought. Shortly he
smiled a sweet seraphic smile that at
the end resolved itself into a fendish
grin of delight.
He thereupon began to put on three
suits of clothes. one over the other.
Between the layers Of vests he ~secreted
collars and cuffs and hosiery, and in q
small hand satchel he slowed away his
shirts. He went downstairs and on
the front porch he met his landlady.
She shot him one Of those oid-fash-
toned landlady glances as cold as Il win
ter moon and bowed stiffly.
IF anyone should call on me-" said
the youth, will you please say | shall
be back in an hour. ] am just going
down to the bathhouse."
Seeing hat her tenant carried a
satchel the landlady believed. 1t was
Il pretty hot day to wear three suits OF
clothes. but the young faan did it. He
went to n friends room and 10 the
other young man outlined his scheme.
He disrObcd twice and otherwise I'M
loaded himself of his belongings, and
then returned to his home. That night
he managed to get his other goods and
chattels out of his room and into his
friends, where the latter had provided
q big dry goods box for their reception.
When he had moved away all he cared
to take, the ingenious youth nailed up
the box and shipped il to his home ont
west. by fast freight.
Later that night he pulled his trunk
after hammering around it a bit. as il
10 test its strength. he closed the lid
and locked it.
Until morning he slept as peacefully
ard as sweetly as Il baby. About nine
o'clock. when he had finished break
fast. the threatened deputy put in an
appearance.
Put l can't pay the bill" said the
youth.
Then II have to hold YOUR trunk"
said the officer. He grabbed the strap
handle at II end of the affair and
pulled. Say. You must have put
everything you owned in there" he
said.
al did" replied the youth.
We'll. III hold it," said the man with
the badge, ~whereupon he sat down Oh
the accompanying trunk.
Say" said the youth. you stay here
while I 90 out and try TO raise the
money. You wait and I'll bring it in
10 you."
lie walked direct 10 the railway sta
ton and bought 4 ticket for his home
in Illinois. In less than an hour he
was speeding along toward Chicago.
The deputy sheriff. sitting on his
trunk. dreamed of other days.
An hour Slipped by.
ne ; loHS tHouSH, he mutieTtu.
By and by the landlady came into
the Dol and told the deputy sheriff
her troubles. She told him all about
the delinquent youth.
Another hour passed according to
the alarm clock on ;he dresser.
1t was three o'clock in the afternoon.
The landiady had brought him a piece
of pie ard 4 cup of coffee at noon.
Say" he said to himself, finally.
"this things gone far enough"
lie tried the trunk lid. 1t was locked.
He called for a hammer. The lid was
burst open.
The deputy and the lHndlady peered
inside.
The trunk contained nothing.