The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-08-25

l DolnS time l asks. IKE De prln-
cesses in de Rabian Nights dat Miss
Fannie reads de widdie?"
De same" Duchess says. Wildly
IS not jeune file, but she is not yet
of n certain age, and she has a desir-
able dot, and could marry any of many
young men-but, h has of de deter
| minatiOn 10 marry Whiskaire. and.
foolish man. he tink dat it depend upon
| him wedder she will or not. Mon Dieu,
why does he not rive up de struggle
| at once, and hav~ time to tink of some
! ting else?"
But what has letting him beat her
l at golf go TO do Wit de ~Iay-Out?" I
| says.
Truly. mon-ami. one would tink dat
| You have not de advantage of a clever
wffe-yOu ask questions so stupid"
] Cut de CANNON" I says. land get
to de evidence
"Whiskaire is of de commonwealth
you say?-is de man average"
Il wish his income was, too" says L.
Nine hundred and ninety nine such
men out of a tOusand m""rv de woman
who is de cleverest at f'lttering dere
cOnceit. If dat woman Is also Of a
stylishment-viola, e'est faiti"
All over but de rice trowing, Ell?
And Whiskers doesn't know dat her
chains are on him."
Even a stupid woman makes a man
tink dat her chain is his ornament.
In France desc ting is understood; and
a gOil is not allowed to pick out de
man she will marry: her parents do dat
for her"
Duchess says I, Il was wondering
Wedder it is a good ting. or not, for
NE. lat your parents wasn't in Ameri-
"a before [ married you"
1T is foolish for men to consider
such subject-leave dat to women; dey
is e0title to some amusement"
l wonder what dat goil meant!
What she was saying about Widdy's
golf set me linking: and [ remembers.
before dey was married. Mr.. Paul won
most always from Miss Fannie. and
she got a good hand cap. at dat. Since
dey is married, she takes a mighty
small handicap from him., and she wins
out about rs often as him. But what's
de use of trying to figure out Il game
where dere Amt no rules; and where
de woman is de only one who knows,
for a fact. what de stakes is?
But [ was going to tell you about
our trip on de picnic of de Roselear
Outing, Social and Life Saving Club.
Me fren de de barkeep is de president
of the ROseleafers, he being Maggie,
de hOusemaid'S stead Y she was
going wit along wit me and Duchess.
We all cOuldent get a day off together
unless our folks was going away too.
But Duchess fixed dat. She knows dat
Hiss Fannie was thinking about a days
visit to some frenS over White Plains
way: so Duchess put it up to her to
go on de day of Our picnic. ct
wouldn't be ~altogedder convenient to
go on dat day" says Miss Fannie.
I'm sorry" say Duchess, because
Chames and me and Maggie was go
ing on n picnic on dat day; but of
course if Madam is to be at home on
dat day, we cannot go"
oh. very we'll" says Miss Fannie,
W have to go some time. SO We may
as we'll go dat day as ~anodder."
De ROseleafers is a good lot of boys
and COILS. but dere notion Of gailly-
gailly always takes in Il scrap: and
Duchess, being French. doesn't know
how much good il does a man to have
a scrap once in a While, to keep him
in mind dat he isn't de whole woiks.
and dat dere is no real fun in dis life
dat hasn't to be hustled for. Me frens
down BOWry way hasn't got no WOiSe
tempers dan odder folks: but dey is
more fruitful about what dey likes and
doesn't like; and so. when dey feel likes
a scrap-aS all good men must once in
a While-Why. dey has one. OATS all.
Well, say, Duchess n Maggie was
dreams! Duchess was ragged out in
some close Miss Fannie passed on to
her. and Maggie "a ragged out IN
some Duchess had passed on to her:
and dey looked so much like de real
ting dat me fren de barkeep blew us
off for q carriage to drive down to de
pier, where dc "a dat was to
take us up de river. Dat was de be
ginning of de trouble-as, ike as not,
me friend knowed it would be.
He a a trouble of his own: he
has been Maggie's steady a long time,
but she wouldn't give up her place at
our house and marry him.. She wants
him to shave off his fedders, and axe
a place as butler wit Mr.. Paul. He
could get de place, and would make a
corker butler: which de same Mr.. Paul
knows. him sometimes going down to
me fren'S place on de BOWry to study
life. as he says.
1T can't stand for it," says me fren
TO me. as we gassed de game ~togedder.
Il own We own drum now"-drum?
Why a drum is a place, a saloon. 1
taught You spoke English ~lanwudge.
I've paid for me own drum. n am
making more long green in a week
dan me wages as butler would be in a
mont. Maggie has forgot de Bowry,
along wit being trun in wit form
soivants. and she thinks dat keeping a.
drum isn't high-tOned.'
- - L "SS 81 ms HC UIONS " Il
10 de pier. an de gang give US de gan
for fair. when dey pipes us in de car
riage.
Here's de Honorable Chimmie Fad
den" says dey. Whats de matter
Wit coming down by street car. Or
by hand. Make way for de silk haired
ladies and gents"
We jollied back. and noting doing
at foist. because when you gets in a
scrap too close to de pier. some cop
may see. and ring for de resolves. and
come out IN a patrol boat. and spoil
de fun before it's half over. So we iol-
lied &c game along. quiet like. and
started de dancing and singing. and
pretended not TO hear de tings dat was
said what mean fight: Dat was hard.
too. for l was long due on n scra~>
and what Wit all de exercise l has.
teaching sports to visitors at our place.
I was feeling dat I could give a good
story to IN one Of me weight dat
would listen to me.
Duchess started it. She'd danced wit
me. and Wit me fren. and vas tOiSty.
4 60 she saws 70 a COil dat she SaaS VIII