The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-10-14
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.Maa. look around you." was the 70
ply. SEC the leaves cuivering under
the early morning air. See how the
coming OF DAY casts rs lights and shad-
ows on the buildings down there. Lis
ten 70 the sounds that tell You OF the
awakening of the world to another day
Of toll"
"Say. now, old cock, but you've had
two drinks this morning" said the
worker, land IL you don't tell me
where you got 'em I'll call You n
blamed mea an
Drinks. man. reared Mr.. Bowser.
Are you an animal that yeu can stand
there and talk Of whisky when all
around you nature Is seeking 10 instii
virtue into your soulT'
$50 easy, old man." warned the 9th
er. Mature is all right, and SO am I.
and / want a nip to go to bed on III
you don't want TO tell me where You
got yours, then you a go TO Baliy-
hack for a baldheaded son or n gum
Mr.. Bowser began to breathe hard
and to grow red in the face, but the
longshoreman wanted a drink worse
b q fight, and after nodding his head
In a threatening way several times he
passed on.
The daylight grew stronger. 1t re-
vealed an old straw hat hanging to the
branches of n shade tree and a batter
ed old tin pail hanging TO a telephone
wire. 1t showed the front doors of a
Chinese laundry and an American
butcher shop. Inc it betrayed the face
Of an iceman looking out of a third
story window in a sleepy way and
wondering how many Of his customers
would complain hat day of a shortage.
There was a blush on the face of
the eastern h~orizon-the faintest sort
of a tinge-and as Mr.. Bowser's eye
caught it he got a new brace with his
back on the fence and began to apos-
trophize it. He had got as far as to
say, "And now the blush of maiden
morn" when some one at his elbow OBJ
served:
Say, old man, it's about my time
too"
1t was a tramp who might have
slept ON a bench in the park below.
What do you VANITY" demanded Mr..
Bowser as he turned on the fellow.
"Well, if you don't want to invite me
to drink you might flip me a dime"
Drink? Drink? Say, you miserable
old soaker, I'll throw you over the
fence If you don't get out! The idea
Of your interrupting my meditations at
this hour to ask for something to burn
your liver out.'
Liver was burnt out years ago, sir,
and how could 1 tell that you were
meditating? What's it about? II
there's anything going, put me on. /
thought you were waiting for the sa-
looms to open. When 1 saw that red
nose of yours
go on"
when 1 saw that red nose Of yours
I says to myself
The faint blush had deepened to
crimson on the eastern sky and the
meadow lark was shaking the dew
from his wings and making ready to
soar, but Mr.. Bowser's attention was
elsewhere. He took hold of the tramp
to move him OH, but the fellow whis-
tied a signal and fought back.
In a momen more three other Weary
Willies turned the corner, followed by
the drivers Of two grocery wagons,
and Bowser was no Port Arthur. His
front and TANKS were open to attack,
and strategy that he fall back.
He fell. Mrs. Bowser heard footsteps
and a rush. The cat came first, with his
master a good second, and the police
man II tramps trailed on behind.
There was the bang of the gate, a clat-
ter up the steps, and then the front
door opened and shut and the police
man was heard saying outside:
81 had my eye on that old %reprobate
for nearly half an hour, but l ought to
have colIared him at first. He a III
for q chance to rob some drunken
man, and FL crack his head when /
see him again"
"Mr. Bowser, did you get back to
nature?" called Mrs. Bowser over the
banister.
He heard, but made no reply. 1t
was all her fault hat he had thought
Of sunrises and got out on the street
at hat unearthly hour, but be would
say nothing until the time came to
take a terrible revenge. NJ. QUAD.
Divorces Explained.