The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-06-16

TRUTH.
Copyright, 1903, BY Robert Howard
RusselID
oar. ch@r- was a seve-c-:n-year-old
L-mbklu with long Legs and his Hair
parted in the Middle, who was taken
down with a sever. case Of L:Dvr-Gripes,
known in the Books as the spooney In
itucum.
He cut of OH his Eating .nd became
whit. around the ellis. Mos, Of the
Tim H. sat around looking 1t the Rugs
.rI feeling sorry for himself.
The Object of this hung-rins Affection
...- L g9-pound Gum-Chew-r who lived
next Door. She was a fresh and merry
little Soubriue half way between Long
Dresses and Short Dresses. She was
very Llppy and talked back ~ her Folks
and made Sassy cracks ut the OLD
Ladies who came along. ard vas .
Champion GiggIer.
Most people regarded h-I as the
E~aighborhood Pest and suggested that
It would be a Grand Idea 10 urn back
the calendar about two Years: and go at
u-r with a. slipper
~h. was just at the Perky-Ag-. she
had uar first Cart-WheeI Hat-and a lit
tie Wrist-Eag and she was experiment.
ing with the Powder Puff and putting
In considerable Time on her Shape.
She thought she was the works and
50 lid little Willie. He wanted to mar
ny nrr but he had only - cents in his
Tin Bank and Il License cost >.
D. b.. -.rrT 10 --,- ~r-,,r-HT. Ia-
with = yearning and hopeless Love and
write seven or eight mushy little Notes
every day Although sh WIS shy on
Experience she had the Feminine In
stinct. for she would carry OF with two
OF three other grammar-schooI Tad
poles all the time. just to keep Willie
heated up and miserable.
WiIIie's Mother had seen a 2OOd many
Children and was FAMILIAR with the
the Symptoms Of the Veal Period so she
Vas treating him gently and trying TO
nurse him through the Attack. Not 50
with the old Gentleman. 1t made him
wrothy TO see a Hulk Of u Boy make
such a BIithering ImbeciIe Of himself.
Like nearly all Papas. ne believed that
Puppy Love should be cured with a
Piece Of Scantling.
The more he roasted Willie and pOked
fun at the gabby little TiG-Bit next
door. the more deep-seated ! inflam-
matOry became the Fever that Willie
mistook for True Love. The poor Kid
fell behind in his Classes and moped
around the House, trying OF different
CrIyats.
SarsapariIla did not seem u help him
Il when any of the Callers told his
Mamma hat he was looking Thin and
Pale. he pu on a wan Smile and felt
encouraged. for Willie had i all fixed
up tina he was 10 die 81 4 Broken
Heart and have a Swell Funeral at the
First Presbyterian church. with his
Beloved sitting in the Front Row and
weeping cupiously- He saw no other
Wy Of getting back ut his Cruel Par
eut.
Wili-.S Papa. iutrying - hammer the
Divine Sentiment out Of his .diotic Off
spring. made a Speciality of the familiar
SouE-JuJ-Dauc" beginning, "When I
vas at Your Age"
So far as Willie could gather from
lhe rough Lin Of Conversation hand
FL to him about three times per Day.
Papa had always been c~oId-blOOded and
sensible. wen in his earliest Youth.
Papa never had been - weak and fool
iSh as 10 fall in Love sometimes VII
lie wanted 10 ask him if n had married
Mamma on a Bet but ne - afraid 10
start anything.
~ for Mamma. she sat back with her
Lips closed tightly and listened while
the theoretical Head OF the Etmily josh
ed poor Willie and Dragged about him
self and told what 4 bright. 4ndustrious.
IavaI-headed Boy he had Seen. along
about 1873.
She stood for it a long Tfl.'- and ther
She decided 10 take charges Of Willie
Nase and put him Wis. Papa's
Scheme for breaking UP the Affair with
the Bantam next door was 10 threaten
To send Willie 10 a Military School il
lie ever spoke TO her again. Papa
knew d lot about the Insurance Busi-
Moss hut he was a Shine when IL came
{, pulling off a piece 81 FIna Work II
which tender young Affections were
al Satrled up.
L, happened HI Papa haj 70 90 East
jumped 9's the Town ~Jp than Immo al tool ):
Willie into her Room ans flashed I
Bundle cf Letters on him.
There ara a few Samples Of the JUL
Paste thac your Father used 10 send L
ne back III 1880" She said. 4 hate I,
call him. but want II know tina
I'D matter what YOU do. il runs in III
Family Glance over this one, for in
stance He calls me Honey seven time
in three Lines. with = couple of Sweet
les thrown IN 10 make I good an,
strong. As a Juvenile Gush your P;
was the Human Limit. . course. tina
was long before the rheumatism caugh
him and he began TO see the D6cto
about his Liver. You must always re
sDect your Father but you needn't be