The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-08-23
BAD To BREAK INTO A scHooLHoUsB.

[ had been working for a farmer for
my board and as soon as travel was
open | got out. l hadn't gone over
five miles when[it began showing
again, and | had to break into q DUN
try schoolhouse to find shelter. There
was wood in plenty, and l had a bite
to eat in my pocket, and when night
came / was fairly we'll off. stretched
out on a bench and went to sleep and it
was 10 O'Clock or after when / was
aroused by two persons coming in.
There were a young Teller and a girl,
and he was swearing and she was cry
ing.
1T took me some time to find out
what was the trouble, as the young
Teller was for turning me outdoors
at first, and the girl couldn't explain
for her sobs. 1t wasn't an elopement,
and it wasn't a love match. AS a mat
ter Of fact, he was abducting the girl.
He was Il farmers son, and h was
q schOolma'am. He had been shining
up to her, but she wouldn't have it,
and under p%retense Of taking her to
the village he had been driving around
the country and trying to coax or
bulldoZe her into marriage. They were
fifteen miles from home when they
struck the schoolhouse. and the young
Teller had been making threats that
scared the girl half to death.
81 got at the facts by piecemeal,
with the girl crying and the Teller rid
ing Il high horse, but when l under
stood how things YER l saw that ]
had a job on hand. | didn't take the
center Of the stage and cry out,
Young girl. l will save you at the
peril of my life" did not point a long,
lean finger at the villain and eXclaim.
'Begone. ~scoundrel. or | will plunge
this dagger into your heart The stu
aticn might have been dramatic. but it
called for something more than wood.
EN- daggers and boaStful words.
THE young Teller and l looked each
other over. | found him broad backed
and husky. He sized me up for an q
erage tramp, and lie figured on pitch:
ing me outdoors in about a minute.
With the girl sitting behind the stove
weeping, we both pulled off our coats
and vests, moved back the benches and
went at it. | believe that chap could
have got away with anybody in the
country in a rough and tumble fight OF
it, but l wouldn't make that kind OF a
fight OF it. | stood him off and jabbed
him, ard the set-to would have been
worth Il dollar admission. 1t lasted 4
- llf - - 49, -. l:R&yo
time for breathing. Not Il word was
said By either of Us, cut after the ROY
lad got well started the girl stood up
on j bench and became interested.
Later on she ever forgot her grief and
clapped her hands and cried out good
when 1 got a good one home. I'll say
this for the feller-that he fought 4
square fight, and that la had the grit
of n bulldog. He was a licked man a;
last, however, and l helped him on with
his vest and coats and escorted him Out
to his sleigh and started him off. ]
hadn't come out of it scathless, but
didn't feel my bruises much when the
sing my praises. / believe she would
have married me then and there if q
preacher had been present.
well, 1 kept the fire going and she
nodded and slept, and it was high
noon next day before her friends ar
rived and took her away. There were
three hearty farmers in the sleigh, and
any one Of them would have given me
free board for the rest of the winter
but 1 decided to jog along. 1t was JUS
a little romance, lasting only q few
hours, and I have never seen or heard
Of the girl since. She's probably mar
ried ere this, while yours truly still
continues in his single and dIIapidatet
career.
eff I made a hit in the one case,
| made a miss in another not two week.
later. I had got down into Michigan
and was jogging along n day wher
I came to a crowd at a farmhouse. /
didn't take long to figure out that th.
people had gathered for a funeral. !