Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1905-11-23
REFORMING
A HUSBAND
Blu ALFRED HURRY.

M ERRIDEW is a practical joker II
IN is a mania with him. He has been
assaulted. had his windows broken.
been ducked in a horse pond and
threatened with legal proceedings But
nothing has cured him and nothing
ever Will am convinced that If he
saw a good opening for a practical
Joke on his sorrowing relatives round
his deathbed he would play IT,
The Joke that he worked on Hennes-
sy was conceived and executed on the
spur Of the moment Il lacked the fin
ish and polish OF his thOught-Out mas
terpieces, but II served Hennessy's
front garden, which. With It's trim
dover beds and graceful shrubs was
once the pride of the terrace and the
apple OF Hennessy's eye is transformed
into a bowling wilderness. Hennessy
used to be fond OF telling as that Il
took him ten years TO make that front
garden. Less than ten minutes suf-
feed 70 unmake IT, II happened thus;
Mrs. Hennessy and the children had
gone TO the seaside. Hennessys bust
ness engagements unfortunately pre-
vented him from accompanying them.
To cheer Mrs Hennessy he wrote her
that he felt like a hermit in his lone
" cell in the silent house every night
Merridew heard Of this and said he
would come round 10 the hermitage
any night Hennessy liked and play
him chess.
Mrs. Hennessy's a good little wo-
man. he said TO the rest OF us. It'll
do Hennessy more good to play chess
than 70 lose his money trying 70 learn
billiards or swelling the refreshment
contractors takings at music halls
He's fond Of a game Of chess and he'll
swallow the bait and never know that
he's hooked"
Hennessy "fancied" himself at
chess. as he did at all games of skill.
from tossing for shillings 70 spotting
derby winners. He accepted Merridew's
challenge with enthusiasm and offered
70 bet Merridew ten shillings that ne.
(Hennessyl won in less than 20 moves
III was arranged that Merridew should
come round with his half-soyereign the
following evening.
The hest laid schemes gang aft agley
however sharp to time Merridew n
his smoking cap and slippers, rang
Hennessy's bell.
He was rather disguised to find that
Hennessy was not yet home He made
himself comfortable in the room that
Hennessy called his study and read
Hennessy came not and when ten
O'Clock struck it was plain to Merridew
that his scheme for keeping the grass
widower from dissipation had failed
Al - O'Clock he decided to wait no
longer The servant had gone TO bed
and instead OF leaving a note ne lett
.booby trap over the door OF the dim
inc room. rightly conjecturing that
when Hennessy found his hat driven
down over his eyes by Webster's die
tionary he would remember his en-
gagement
Merridew felt rather ashamed Of the
boobv trap. as being a stale aud some
what puerile joke. but for the moment
he was too sleepy and annoyed to plan
q batter Inspiration comes when least
sonrbt however When he opened the
front door a much better idea for get
ting even occurred TO him. a heavy
measured tread was approaching along
tbe pavement which there was no mis-
taking Merridew left the door open
and strolled down TO the gate, as If he
were ia liking a breath Of fresh air be-
fore going to bed
he gave the policeman good-eyenins
and after chatting with him for few
,,,inutes asked him II he would mind
l,eening a special watch on the house
as he CMerridew) had noticed a rough
looking man prowling about earlier n
the evening The policeman said that
any burglar who might try q house
was already as good as in custody.
Nerridew. TO keep him up to the mark,
gave him a glass of Hennessy's whisky