The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-04-07

my nose. and not Offering me more'n
the smell?"
Gurgle-gurgle-gooah "Ah, that's
prime l%iquoah,' said a mellow voice
pleasantly. c
It this the thoroughly honest soldier
deposited his gun on the ground and be-
a to strip off his great coat. 1t re-
CURED all the tall mans strength to
prevent his charging the enemy single
handed. They struggled furiously for
a moment, while the earth commenced
to slide and %clatter.
Say theah," called a voice, Whats
yo' trouble?"
The two friends stopped fighting and
breathed heavily. The tall man hest
tatingly answered.:
W were wrastling to keep warm.
Can't We pass Us a leetle taste?"
Taste o WHAT" inquired the rebel.
Jest a leetle swaller of that corn
Julce-My mates got a toOtache and ]
wanter give it to him."
But this is gum-carriage oil" said
the enemy.
Give We a handful O. good coffee for
two swallers," bargained the tall SOL
der gently.
"We'uns would like toe hev' the caf-
fee doubtfully answered the other
trench. "S'pose yo' crawl ovah."
+ We give us yer word, We'll send
W men, suggested the tall one,
'Noo Aiic SoillplIIIoll III IL live.
After receiving the promise of good
falth, they called out a few general
orders, as If to a number of men. and
then crawled out over the thirty yards
separating the outposts.
In the hostile trench they found two
soldiers, ragged and unkempt, finger
ing a greasy pack of cards in the light
of a single lantern they had shaded so
its glow could not be seen above. The
sight OF the cards Immediately aroused
in the breast Of the thoroughly honest
man the old desire to get something for
nothing.
Wen stake our coffee against your
| drink" he proposed.
"We'uns amt much with these
things," grumbled the worst looking
rebel doubtfully, eve on'y play Seven
Up"
"Oh, We can play Seven Up" assured
The taller trooper quickly.
"Well-Ef yo' be willin'," said the
other, the doubt yet clinging to his tone
"Ouah coahn Whiskey agen yo' coffee.
Seven Up it is, so let's we all be friends
Mind yo', Seven Up, an faiah an
squah, faiah an squah. Tut TO deal
Your'n.''
The tall man shuff1ed the cards and
spread them around. The ragged rebel
locke at his hand and softly snorted
his disapproval.
All beg" he said simply.
I'll give ye,' tersely replied the tall
man, and the other partners picked up
| their hands.
SO the game began n so the game
continued. Soon the score stood four
to six points, the advantage being with
the rebels.
What's the game?" asked the rag
ged one.
Our four to you Six" answered the
thoroughly honest man.
we are going to make three times
this hand" stated the tall soldier,
quietly addressing his partner. 1t was
the ragged rebels deal. He slowly
shuff1ed the cards up and down..
"We'uns hev' on'y one to go-one to
go-It must be aboat my time to turn
jack" he said as if to himself.
He held out the deck for the tall sol
der to cut, he dealt the six cards to
each player, he turned up the trump.
1t was the Jack of Clubs. 1t lay there
in the yellow flare of the lantern.
"We'uns win that game" he remark
ed shortly, uneasily, tossing the bal
ance of the deck into the lighted cir
Gle.
An we don't get no liquor" growled
the tall man fiercely.
There was a dead silence-then sud
denly the thoroughly honest man thrust
out his right arm convulsively and gave
a moan, his head began to shake tremb-
ling and his teeth to chatter as a pair
of castanets, his eyes rolled pitifully,
his mouth opened and his dry tongue
prOtruded, his legs drew un until the
quivering knees touched his chin and
Immediately shot out again with ex-
treme force. The tall man dropped the
cards and threw his arms about his
suffering partner.
"A severe congestive chill-he's sub
ject to EN-, an has 'em very frequent
he explained hurriedly to the open
mouthed Watchers. A heart-rending
groan of Acknowledgement confirmed
this statement.
Its ah purity good chill" admitted
the ragged one. "Ah guess we'uns owe
him a drink jes' cause it's so good"
They had to wrench the neck of the
jug out of the thoroughly honest mans
mouth when they thought he had had
sufficient. Apparently the stuff did his
complaint a wondrous measure Of good.
The tall one at first refused to accept
a drink before he had won it accord
ing to agreement, but when they pro-
tested emphatically, he gracefully as
Sented.
Owing to stimulated effort, the visi-
tors won the next three games. After
each tally in their favor, a generous
portion of the spOils was disposed of.
NJ this gain the rebels beStirred them
selves, for it was tireSome to watch
the thoroughly honest man stack the
CARDS clumSlly, and yet say nothing.
Now as the visitors had grown heart
lily and magniicently filled with their
winnings, they became careless of their
%laureis. and it was an easy matter for
the rebels to win the fifth. sixth,
seventh and eighth games. At that
point the coffee of the visitors was eX-
hausted. The thoroughly honest man
put UP his great coat and promptly
lost it. the tall one took off his shoes,
and they We're swept away in the
gamblers deluge.
This had a terribly depressing effect.
"1o, boys are suhtainly playin' in
hahd luck" said the ragged rebel SYM
pathetically.
1T suhtainly does beat ALL chimed
In his partner s~oothingly, at the same
time carefully slowing away the tall
mans shoes.
We're jest b%eginnin' to play" growl-
ed the honest chap.
But theah amt nothin' mo- to play