The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1905-08-04
REFORM MING
fl HUSBAND
Blu ALFRED HURRY.

NEERRIDEW is a practical Joker. 1t
iVI 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
bis deathbed he would play it.
The joke that he worked on Hennes-
sy was conceived and executed on the
spur of the moment. 1t lacked the fin
ish and polish of his th~ought.out mas
terpieces, but IL served. Hennessy's
trout garden, which, with its trim
flower beds and graceful shrubs, was
once the pride of the terrace and the
apple of Hennessy's eye is transformed
into n bowling wilderness. Hennessy
used to be fond of telling us that it
took him ten years to make that front
garden. Less than ten minutes SUI
feed TO unmake it. 1t happened thus;
Mrs, Hennessy and the children had
gone to the seaside, Hennessy's busl-
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
ly cell in the silent house every night"
Merridew heard Of this and said he
would come round to 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, 'Itll
do Hennessy moro good to play chess
thar to lose his money trying to learn
billiards or swelling the refreshment
contractors takings at music halls.
Has fond of q game Of chess and he'll
swallow the bait and never know that
he's hooked"
Hennessy "faneied" himself at
chess, as he did at all games of skill,
from tossing for shillings to spotting
derby winners. He accepted Merridew's
challenge with enthusiasm and offered
to bet Merridew ten shillings that he
tHennessy) won in less than 20 moves.
1t was arranged that Merridew should
come round with his ~half-soyereign the
following evening,
The best laid schemes gang aft agley.
however. Sharp to time Merridew, in
his smoking cap and slippers, rang
Hennessy's bell,
lie 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 IL O'Clock he decided to wait no
longer. The servant had gone to bed
and instead of leaving a note ne left a
BOBBY trap over the door of the din
ing room, rightly eonjecturing 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
BOBBY trap, as icing a stale and some
what puerile joke, but for the moment
he was too sleepy and annoyed to plan
a better. Inspiration comes when least
sought, 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
the pavement which there was no mis-
taking, Merridew left the door open
and strolled down TO the gate, as II he
were taking a breath of fresh air be-
fore going TO bed.
He gave the policeman g~ood-eyeling
and, after chatting with him for a few
minutes. asked him If he would mind
Keeping q special watch on the house,
as he tMerridewl had noticed a rough
looking man proving about earlier in
the evening. The policeman said that
any burglar who might try the house
was already as good as In custody.
Merr!Iev. to keep him up to the mark,
gave him . glass of Hennessy $ whisky.
extra stu