The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-09-16

E10ck when tie Ecad o. n
Eeial:bor's cat appeared above tie
fence. For d few br.ef seconds tie
Rovser cat and the inteTi,?e- cx-
shanged glanccs OF late. Gstr.;st and
defiance and then co.Ied on top of tie
fence.
by the great horn spoon ejlcu-
lated Mr.. Bowser as lie rolled a5ou.
and finally fell out Of the hammock.
By the time he had Lit the earth tie
interloper was a licked feline and was
heard scrambIing over a fence three
yards below.
1t vas evident that the cur had n
few drawbacks, but after cursing soft
ly TO himself for a minute the patient
climbed back into his hammock and
tried to make himself believe that he
already felt better. He shut his eyes
tight, determined TO sleep. and the pre-
mOnitory Jingle of a second sDeeze was
being family felt when there was a
yelp and a hiss, and the cat went up
the fence and over ii like a fash. and Il
dog was left whining and growing
within ten feet Of the hammock. The
canine had crept under b alley fence.
and the Bowser cat hadn't waited to
ask any questions.
"By thunder. but can't O man find
five minutes rest I'm his own back
yard?' shouted MIR. Bowser as he rolled
out and looked for a clothes prop as Il
weapon of offense.
He ran that dog three times across
tho xard hnfara tho animal could find
the hole he came in at and get out
again, and when he returned to the
hammock the romance of the night
was gone. If he hadn't caught sight
of Mrs. Bowser peering from n of
the back windows he might have de-
cided to call things off till next night.
That settled matters, however. He
dropped into the hammock and hud-
died himself UP, and the cat came back
and sat on the fence and looked down
upon him with guardian eyes. Ten
minutes stole silently away, and the
crickets had begun to sing low and
drowsily when something fell from the
sky with a great clash and clatter and
missed Mr.. Bowser and his hammock
by only Il few inches.
"Ry the clubfooted king, but who
did that he demanded as he rolled
out to End hat the something was
an Old tin pail.
Tie had scarcely uttered the words
wien an Early Rose potato whizZed
by Ills car and struck the fence with a
bang. and it was followed by a Florida
cabbage stalk which emitted a moan
ing sound as it graZed the top of his
head. The cat realized that she wasn't
in it and took a skip. but Mr.. Bowser
wasn't to be bluffed.
You reptiles. but I'll have you jug
ged for this" he shouted as he looked
around and failed to locate any one,
do you know
An old corset from an ash barrel
came sailing his way like q vulture of
wings as he ducked his head. Then
there were missiles which he believed
to be onions and tomatoes and green
corn cobS and ancient lemons, and al
he could do was to jump up and down
and demand that his hidden foe stand
forth and be slaughtered.
He thought he caught sight of some
n ON the alley fence, and he made a
wild charge. but he had no sooneI
reached it than the heavens rained tin
cans. bottles. old hats and shoes. and
he was compelled to turn and flee fol
his life. Mrs. Bowser came down.
stairs to find him in the Sitting room
white ices. big eyed and painting. and
afic- Il look ut li.n h said:
Lave you got hardened up for the
| hot wave ;S SJJi as thiS!'
woman. low dare you look ne i,
the facet lie demanded as he turned
on Ecr. Dent YOU suppose l know
| ali about your LITTLE plot to have me
| killed. murdered, assassinated in my
own back yard? 1 say, how dare
"You'd better come to bed she quiet
ly replied. and as she went upstairs he
slowly followed and hadn't another
| word to say. NJ. QUAD.