The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-09-15

Don't blame me IL / come home and
kick the front door open and clean out
this shanty. | may not stop even at
that. and IL I don't i. will have been
your fault. What in the name of blue
blazes is that old cat glaring at me
for:'
Il think your voice jars on her.
"Oh, il does. eh? Besides being too
fat and too logy I've got a voice that
jars on a yaller eyed old cat! By
thunder. Mrs. Bowser-by thunderr'
With the last by thunder. he left
the house. not daring TO remain and
face further ~exigencies. He had six
blocks to walk to the hall and he had
almost worked up q smile when he
reached it. He was warmly received
by the dozen members who had gath
cred and in a little while he had al
most forgotten Mrs. Bowser and the
cat. He noticed half a hundred people
Who were not members and it was ex-'
planned to him that this was a public
night. when any n could come In
and see the skating.
81 see we have got to look out for
our laurels now" observed one of the
club members as be ran his eyes I'VE
Mr.. Bowser. You were built for a
roller skater. You have the legs. back
and shoulders for cutting fancy dashes.
I predict that you will lead us all
within a month. How long since you
did any skatingT"
Mr.. Bowser should have told the
truth and narrated his adventure on
rollers in his own garnet a year ago,
but the mans words had fiattered him
and he let it be understood that he
was in practice and intended to aston
ish the natives. By the time he had
his skates on the hall was well filed
and there were a dozen skaters on the
floor. He had gone ahead thus far
with the greatest confidence, but all OF
a sudden an icicle hit him in the stom-
ach. Down in his heart he knew that
be was fat and logy. He also knew
that the first and only time he had
taken the floor vas when he took it
on his head. He would be an ass to
get out there, with all the people look
ing on, and the exhibition would prob
dU1N 1CSuiL III LIS bClh6 SApSilSN AANAA
the club. He had just decided In his
own mind that he would give $1,000 in
cash if he was home, and that if he
ever got there alive he would forgive
Mrs. Bowser and the cat, when some
of the spectators began 70 call:
"Bowser! Bowser! Get out, Bow
ser, and give us some fancy fgures!'
Mr.. Bowser tried to shrink his bulk
into the compass of a peanut and his
face flushed red and white. He decid-
ed that he would give $4,000 to be
home, and that Mrs. Bowser was the
best wife and his cat the best cat on
the face of this earth.
Come, Bowser," said one Of the
skaters, in answer to the calls. "This
modesty ON your part won't do. You
are asked to go out and show what
can be done on rollers"
"I-I don't feel WE'LL" was the reply
Nonsense! You are playing off,"
81 think-think''-
"Out with him!' shouted half a dozer
voices, and MI. Bowser was taken by
the arm and assisted to his feet. In
the next few seconds he lived q hun
dred years. Then he made a move
| with his right foot, and the next thing
he knew be didn't know anything
Both feet went out from under him
the floor seemed to rise up, he heard
| wild yells, and the whole Of bis body
struck something at once. When b.
recovered consciousness they were
loading him into an ambulance. HI
| kicked at the doctor, swore at tn
| driver and called his club friends ras
calls and assassins. Only one man hae
anything to say in reply. That was tn
doctor. He laid a fatherly hand OF
Mr.. Bowser and said:
"Go home, old man, go home. VIVA
you want for the next ten years is
wet nursew
Mr.. Bowser went home. He fount
Mrs. Bowser up and waiting. She hat
arnica, witch hazel and camphor a
hand, with a liberal supply of band
ages and she had the ingredients 70
a milk punch. Not a word was said
She simply pointed to the lounge, AM
with a groan he fell upon it and wa
soothed and nursed until he fell asleep
with a big tear quivering on his cheek
NJ QUAD,