Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1905-09-07
REFORMING
4 HUSBAND
Blu ALFRED HURRY.

NHERRIDEW is practical joker. 1t
wi 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 1t.
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 thought-out mas
terpieces, but it served. Hennessy's
front 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 a bowling wilderness. Hennessy
used to be fond of telling us that 1t
took him ten years to make that front
garden. Less than ten minutes suf-
feed to unmake 1t. 1t 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
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. It'll
do Hennessy more good to play chess
than to lose his money trying to learn
billiards or swelling the refreshment
contractors takings at music halls.
He's fond of 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 to spotting
derby winners. He accepted Merridew's
challenge with enthusiasm and offered
to bet Merridew ten shillings that he
(Hennessy) won in less than 20 moves.
It was arranged that Merridew should
come round with his half-sovereign the
following evening.
The best laid schemes gang aft agley
however. Sharp to time Merridew, in
his smoking cap and slippers, rang
Henuessy'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.
At IL O'Clock he decided to wait nc
longer. The servant had gone to bed
and instead of leaving note he left
"booby trap"sover the door OF the din
ing 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
booby trap, as being 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 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 breath of fresh air be.
fore going to bed.