Smyrna times., 1902-04-02
THE SMYRNA TIMES. WEDNESDAY AFTERNooN APRIL 1902

"All go to the ball game on me-" Mr..
Methuselah repeated.
Say it again, will you?" said Billy
Reynolds, with his hand behind his
ear.
"All go to the ball game on me,' Mr..
Methuselah reiterated. Il hope it's
bargain" he added eagerly.
''Sure thing" said Ed Frost. "Never
meant any offense, you know. Names
pre- all one to us. Quite as soon call
you Mr.. James as the other, Mr..
Meth-er-NIr. James, mean
Thanks" with evident relief. "And
you'll join me at the game?" Mr..
Methuselah made his exit amid va
ried chorus of Certainly" "Of course"
with pleasure"
Billy Reynolds was down early next
morning, lounging in the window, as
usual, with the morning paper. He
glanced over the upper edge and saw
Hardy come in.
Strikes me, George" said he, that
Methuselah was pretty lively for a
man just getting over rheumatic fe-
ver.''
appendicitis. you mean." Hardy
corrected.
'IIe told me himself it was rheumat-
ic fever" Billy protested.
"Well, he described the rigOrs of ap-
pendicitis very vividly to me-" said
Hardy.
Billy Reynolds gave a low whistle
of surprise. "The old fossils been
stringing us" said he, land botching
1t like an amateur too"
Lets find out what he told the 9th
ers," said Hardy.
! The following day was overcast, and
at closing time great sheets of rain
were rattling down. The paying teller
had just slipped into his OvercOat when
he found a half dozen very solemn
faced young men before him.
1--WE are here" began Sam Paine as
spokesman of the group. ito state q
few facts as given out by yourself, Mr.
| Methus-er-James, and to ask you tC
reconcile them if you will" Paine
cleared his throat, and Methuselah
looking very much like an animal a
bay, mumbled, GO on"
"It seems" Paine continued. ''tha
while away recently you had a serious
attack of appendicitis, according tC
your statement to Mr.. Harvey, and a
the same time you had the misfortune
(this is what you told Billy Reynolds
to be laid up with rheumatic fever
Moreover, if we are to take into con
| HidnratiOO cta .nO,pDtS mada IN Mr.
Frost and myself respectively, you SUI
fered the pangs of heart failure an,
were threatened with pneumonia o
the right lung. We want to congratu
late you ~ a constitution which coul
bring you safely through these compl
cations. But, with all these ills you
flesh was heir to, you enjoyed in
mensely hunting trip in the AdiroI
dacks (remember what you told Nj
Clark, and, although you spent the el
tire two weeks there 0his next is frOI
Mr.. Gray, it did not deter you froI
passing most delightful fortnight q
Old Orchard. Pardon us if we questio
how you managed"
At first Mr.. Methuselah's face was
| Sluuy VI WTdIu. 1ueu Ills eyes rove
about wildly, as if he were contempla
) ing fight. At the end of the speech
leaned against the wall, white an
shaken.
Up he began. Its none of yoI
. confounded businessr' he blurted ou
He turned on his heel and angril
. snatched the cover from his umbrell
: AS he did so a stream of small whi
kernels fell to the floor.
Rice, by JOvew some one gurgle
) On one side Mr.. Methuselah and ON Il
? other the group of a half dozen stoC
staring stupidity at the white grain
+, Ed Frost was the first to rise to Il
t situation. He stepped forward, slippil
= his arm through Mr.. Methuselah's, al
as he led him away he told the bo
e over his shoulder that he knew a qui
0 place down the street.