The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-06-15

cnalr and crow or cav"
Left For the Club.
Len minutes later he got away In
good shape, and Mrs. Bovser settled
herself down for the evening. The
hours passed, and midnight came. and
she was nodding over her book when
she heard a s~crambling of feet on the
front steps. She passed down the hall
and opened the door, TO find Mr., Bow
ser sitting on the sill and two men
running away. She helped him to his
feet and into the house, and as she got.
his hat and overcoat off and walked
him to a chair In the sitting room he
began to cry. She gave him FIVE min
utes in WHICH 10 exhaust his tears and
then asked:
We'll tell me all about it."
Can you ever forgive me!" he asked
as he looked at her in a piteous man
ner. Can you ever forgive me for
doubling your wordf'
you are forgiven. Now, what hap
penedr'
We'll, shir, I went to the club. The
Tender Spring Lambs were very nice
to me-yery nice; said l was a great
man; said they were proud Of me; said
they just loved baldheaded men,"
Il see"
Tender Spring Lambs took me Ia to
be initiated. They first rubbed lard on
my scalp"
Yes, I see it's all grease. Didn't
you objecti"
II vas going 70, but they said all
Tender Spring Lambs creased their
heads SO that lightning would slip off
Shay, when / think of how I let 'em
grease my head, / want to kill some
one!
and then what ~happened?" asked
Mrs. Bowser.
Pot Snuff on His Feet.
"Then / had to take my shoes and
stockings off, and they rubbed kero
sen and snuff on my feet. Said it was
to make me frolic like a lamb. Think
of me froiicking alike a lamb! Mrs
B~OwSr-think Of R!!'
His speech began to thicken up anG
his tear; to fail. ana, though Mrs. Eo:v
ser sa:tad him Oh the knee. it was sev
eral minutes hS.o:a Le ctI.I 81 Ga.
Il dit H,;..+ 20 frolic. I'm to,
he:tvy. Coz 10 i.lch dignity to fr0:"
Haven't fro!ivAeI S.lct I was a b3;
Tt2ey said that UaFw.a and IIuxlr:
frolickeG ana thst c0Ul0u't get %,
Of it. Then tUo OF en- took l2e by Tx
arms and ran me aro:lni tie Oa!.-
ran ne & r,.I..oI t.D-vs ar0Gnd. Oh
Mrs. 3D. E2". 1Ao":bt / should die
"Of CO.'S: y0u CID, you poor LII
l.you," Size !cy.i3I as she Eatted hll4
some more. what did they do next
Made NE climb up a long ladder aft
'er a piece Of meat tied at the top. Sai,
i must climb for my mutton. When
came down they made me sit on {
lump Of ice. They said it was cold stor
age for Tender Spring Lambs. Oh, how
cold That ice was! Mrs. Bowsher, GAG
you ever forgive me? You shaid the.
would guy me, and-and they did.
called you a liar, didn't Up
Il don't think so. After the ice, VITA
,thenT'
Rolled Him In the Sawdust.
They put tar on my nose and thel
; stuck pieces of wool on it. Said it wa
the fleece of a Tender Spring Lamb
Then somebody cried: Wolf! Wolf!
and about twenty fellers grabbed m,
and rolled me in the shawdust. Saii
they was rescuing a Tender Sprins
Lamb from danger. Think of rollin:
me. Mrs. Bowsher, in the shawdust!"
Il can see q picture of it," smiled
Mrs. Eowser. Was that the end @:
the p2-fornlance?'
NO; they made me swear to ca,
noZzing but grass and to froiic all day
Then l had to drink some mutto1
broth. Then l had to sing Mary
Little LiE.;," Then they made M
bieat like a lamb. Think of That, Mrs
Bowsher.. Think Of your husband
beating like a lamb!'
And then you came homer
"Yesh, I guess 1 did. 1 guess two oil,
rams brought me home"
But don't you know whether the.
did or not?"
NO; all l remember ish THAT the tw.
old rams made me frolic and climl
trees and That 0 are my darling ant
zhe best wife i'll all zhis whole world
Mrs. Bowsher, l love you. Yesh, you
husband loves you to Zhe bottom o
bis heart, and from This time on YOU
Come, my Iamb-my Tender Sprin:
Lamb" she interrupted, and, takin!
him by the arm. she led him down tn.
hall and upstairs and let him fall upor
] the bed ana begin snoring, while sh'
set to work 10 remov the evidence;
that he had met the shearers and beer
shorn. NJ. QUAD.