The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-10-30

then of the bar-keeper, who had taken
the stool, and was reading the paper.
the click of the dominoes. and the play
ers calling the score. and the heavy
breathing of the man asleep in the
hair. Suddenly there was a knock
ing on the cealing overhead, causing
the occupants of the saloon Except
the stranger To look up, startled and
surprised. Then came this. n TIE
deep voice the proprietor: Hello,
down there. N? Get me out OF mere
quick"
The bar-te. jumped off the stool,
as if he \ down on a railroad
spike, and Amusement came
over his fac exclaimed: We'll,
I'll be damned 1t don't beat the
devil, The Dos = - there between
the ceiling II tie roof The dOnli-
no players jumped 10 their feet, great
- excited. and one CT them yelled:
Great Scott. old man. how did 20 get
in there?' Damn it," came the re-
ply: 1T don make any difference
how l got in; get me out quick: I'm
smothering." About this time the
bar-keeper was hopping about the sa-
loon distractedly and. seeing through
the window a policeman passing along
the street with his bulls-eye lantern.
he ran to the loo and hailed him.
The stranger stirred uneasily in his
chair, but slept on through all the
confusion. while the boss never
stopped knocking and yelling TO get
out.
There was an old trap-dooT in the
ceiling; and a step ladder used in
keeping the gas fixtures in Or1er. was
quickly brought from the rear OF The
saloon and placed in position. Up
this the policeman climbed, more
d~umfounded, if possible. than the
others. and knowing only that IN some
un~accountable way the ''old man"
was up between the root and the
ceiling, and must be got out. The o.
fcer was a very powerful nan and by
sheer strength he pulled aside the trap
door,, and pOking his head and lam
tern into the attic. Just then the
stranger finished his nap. rose to his
feet, and unObserved. left the bar
room.
why. blame it," SAID the police
man. there haint a living thing III
here but rats and plaster" At his
juncture. clad in only his night shirt
and trousers, the boss appeared at
the DOR of the saloon opening from
the rea What IN thunder is all his
racket about?' he asked-and his az
pearance in the flesh created even
more establishment n CONSERVATION
than his calls from above for help.
why. how in the world did o get
out?" asked one of the old fellows.
Get out? Get out of where?" Why"
cried the bartender, you just now
were hOllering UP there under the
roof" Il lave just got out of beu.
you blasted fool" Then. seeing the
policeman still poised on the ladder,
the proprietor Indignantly exclaimed:
What does all this mean. anyhow ~
Have you all zone crazy?'
A butcher. who carried on a meat
stall under the market and who was
on his way home. seeing the excited
men through the window, stepped INTO
the bar-room.
Nobody sufficiently had his wis
about him. or knew enough about the
matter, to give him al explanation;
but in the midst of the d~isjolnted. in
coherent talk, the butcher slapped his
thigh and exclaimed: That's what
that show fellow was laughing about
so hard to himself, as he passed along
the market just now" What show
fellow" why, the chap in the red
velvet vest. that had the tent out on
that talked UP in the trees, and on top
of the houses. and under the ground,
and anywhere he wanted to-"
That was 1T. The oyster eater, the
drunken man in the chair. was a clev-
er ventriloquist, who had taken the
measure of the proprietor, caught the
tones of his voice. and concluded to
have a little fun all to himself. Of
course. his intoXlcation vas a blind"
assumed for the purpose
For a long time thereafter Bill, the
bar-keeper, might be in the full flow
Of talk; but a customer had only TO
raise his hand and soIemnly point HIS
finger to the ceiling, to reduce him to
red-faced silence.