The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-10-09

All dat style comes near putting 4
frost on de whole box - tricks: fcI
de odder lOides' maids was bound fOi
10 De as far uD de air as Duchess. and
II looked like dere was nobody TO break
de ice. till Maggie, who looked Ike
she q scream when she piped Duchess
says TO her steady. me fren de ba~-
keep, Start de band, Johnnie or We'll
all dat We is at a funeral"
Den tIngs began to go gaily-gaily.
for fair; and Mrs. Murphy, who'd been
next to de ice box. floats UP from de
basement, and seeing me still holding
up de bay window Wit me dignity, she
says, Murphy says, "Chimmie, you
ladder could dance a reel wit any man
out OF the count Kerry Stop de band
playing at ffOat-me-gentle music, and
give US a reel, and see what you'll
see"
So l asks de lads to give US a Jig
line piece. and me and Murphy faces
each Odder. and begins. Say, oivants
is mostly like odder folks. and when
dey sees dat dere was noting going
TO happen to EN- if dey enjoys DER
selves, dey oin loose, and in a n:Ir:-
ute We has a reel going dat makes de
tears of joy come to me moddars
eyes. Murphy was de Queen of &c
May. Sure. You might not tink, from
looking at her dat she could SHAKE a
lively leg. but p'chee. when we hal
got warmed up, and I'd let our a few
Kerry yells to give her heart, a BUCK
dancer would look like a marble statue
alongside of de loidy. Some CT de
hands we a dere was French, some
English, some SwitZers, and all sorts;
but none Of EN- but had some kind OF
q dance Of der own form parts a dey
could foot to de music of dat banjo
an guitar; and even Duchess, she got
de fever, n was doing a hint from
Paris wit a French valet. da wasn't
so woise. De fun was just about UP
to G. when 1 seen poking his head in
from de dining room door, de cop on
post.
Tings stopped student.
"We're raided," says me fren. "Run
out de cop," says a Irish coacnman,
but 1 says. "Howdy, Kel?" him being
a copper 1 knOwed named Kelly.
Desc premises is down on dc sta
ton house list as Owners away"
says Kel.
Sure" says. If dey wasn't away
we wouldn't he bere."
Have you a permit from de owners
for dis pic-nic?" says Kel.
Sure" / says. DO we have to get
a police permit, toe Modder L say
remember your manners. and get dis
copper a glass of beer. Don't you see
dat de man IS toisty?"
~ hel luIIS Ills up I'VE d SCHCCIcr
or two, and den he pipes US off at de
dancing, and pretty soon Maggie 5ares
him to a step wit her, she remembering
him as one of de fancieSt step dancers
on de force.
I'm fraid Rounds will be coming dis
way" he says, "or I'd show you a
step"
Lave Rounds come" says Murphy,
land We'll invite him in too. De more
coppers we have inside de less dere'U
be to bodder folks on de street."
Well, dey jolied Kel till he took off
his helmet n coat, and he done 4
step for us dat made de formers derr
near fall dead. Dey was old-fashioned
glue brOdders steps, dat is gone To de-
woods lately; out say. dose steps :sn't
learnt while yOu wait.
Everything would been all right after
dat but for Murphy. De high society
or de Ice box, got on her nerves, and
all of a student she lets u Il yell dat
must have been heard from Murray
Hill to Union Square.
For de love of heaven. Mrs. Muir
ply" / say have your
about you. or we'll be pinched for lis-
tOibing de peace"
But 1 was too late. Dere was ,
knock on de summer door. n Kel
near drops. for de knock was mado
wit a cops stick. It's de Rounds
4 bAASN-A- hS SdSDS, liz IIOc lIllO Ills
coat and helmet, and looks for & hois
to hide in.
| Den Duchess gets into de game.
stay where You are, Msieu Officer"
h avs and taxi your cue from me-"
Wit dat she goes to de summer dyor,
and makes a long job of opening 1t.
"What1l | do Chimmie?" says Bel,
seeing himself broke, or fined twenty
days pay.
D what you see de Duchess wants
you to. Il says to him. She's got stu
pider mugs dan you out of woise fixes
dan dis" L say.
Den / hears Duchess open de door,
and say, Thank heaven you has came
C~aptainI'
Dat was a fair start; it never lone
no harm to call a RoundSman, cap
tain"
Whats doing here" says Rounds
coming TO de parlor. l winked to Kel tc
brace. and he b~raced-like he saw de
electric chair ahead of him, and was
bound to die game.
What is doing! Mon Dieu, I should
ask you a little what is doing?" say
Duchess, spaTring for wind. Has dis
officer a right to come into my house
and order Us about like We was stable
soivants? Has he a right for TO ask O.
many qu~estions?"
kel looked like a load of coal wa
took off his chest when he see wha'
kind of Il alibi Duchess had sprung.
Your house," says Rounds. Dis il
Mr.. Van Courtland's house, according t
my list"
"Of a s~oitainty." says Duchess. "Anj
I M'sieu Van Courtlandts daughter,
maid. is it nOt?
Well" says Rounds, "dere's been 81
many robberies in de diamond bacl
district lately dat de officer on pos
must be on de watch. when he know
dat de owners is not at home. You don,
right TO come in to impure. Kelly h
says.
Tanks. Rounds" says Kel.
oh. very we'll" says Duchess. 4