The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-08-28
FALES OF THE PLUPERFECT PUSH
vrGnia, SO, Tells of the Nan Who Had Fatb Th,.a

ouchet OF suds, when Mike Nurrh,
Johed he bunch. He lopped m
mug Of the stuff. then remarked :,
I'm that some old, red-whisEerad
ereen-sogled guy, with a CARPET zark
was down below looking for him. Il.
looked like ii creditor or a mill col.
lector.'
We h~aw-hawed Justify ar Mike
sally but Hopeful shouted, above m.
laughter and bantering.
III be damned! I'll bet that:
your governor from St 10. Bur don,
worry; the Lord will provide. You'd
better undress and get into bed anC
look sick. o See l wired the old NAV
mat you were pretty bad. not expected
ed 10 live, and that We needed 500
TO get a specialist from New York.
signed 1t D Haggerty."
All was excitement. Tim refused
point blank 20 get in bed, and wanted
TO Fly the coop, as he said the old man
would XIII him for the deception
Hopeful, with his enthusiasm, finally
prevailed, n Tim was snugly tucked
III bed, with a gOodly bunch OF tai
resurrected some old whiskers he had
used in a play, and sat by the bedside
solemnly counting the patients pulse
as the old man came in.
I'm Timothy Scroggs. from St. 10
he whispered hOarsely, and I'm look
ing for my boy Timothy, who is very
sick
'Sh-h' said Hopeful rising from the
SICK bed and advancing 10 SchrOggs,
senior, with his finger on his lips. The
boy is resting just now, and must lot
be disturbed. He is having a bad siege
or nervous prO~stration, brought on by
100 much study. You'd better drop
down to the hotel, and III See yon
tomorrow and tell you more about the
case
"-'Nill he pull through Whispered
the old man.
THE Lord will provide, Mr..
Scroggs,' said Hopeful, and | nearly
croaked. 'You see,' said Hopeful, I
Understandable is-we understand
or, rather, it is generally understood
that Tins father is in Strengthened
circumstances, and we thought it
best not to employ a nurse, and we
are taking turns at watching with
him.
That last sentence brought fire to
the old mans eyes. He sputtered IN
der his breath, and withdrew a long
wallet and pulled out several bills
and handed them to, Hopeful, who
showed signs of extreme nervousness
and hesitancy, but he finally took he
bills gingerly.
when the old man went to the
hotel we held a council of war. For
the thing looked pretty serious. Mike
Murphy had studied a little law, and
he said it was a strong case for the
state, as it was obtaining money I'M
der false pretense, and that we were
all particeps criminis or something
equally as bad. Hopeful jollied us up
however, and we parted at ar early
hour, resolved to see the thing 10 q
dead finish.
Tim acted his part great. The old
man was pleased at his rapid recov-
cry, as it seemed, and at the end of
the week he deposited another bunch
of money with Hopeful and said he
must go back to ST. 10 that evening.
Here's where our foot slipped.
Everybody was feeling SO good
over escaping prison bars that we
drifted down to a social place for Il
stein and a song and story. The place
is a landmark at Virginia, a glorious
back ROOM, with a big, round table,
and just the right sort of atmosphere.
The room opened on A side street.
Much to our surprise. Hopeful and
Tim drifted in about II O'Clock and
we demonstrated at his audacity, but
he said the old man never saw the
inside of a saloon in his life, and be-
sides, as his train left at 10, there
was absolutely no danger.
We jollied up more than usua!
that night, for hadn't We reason TO
be jolly? We sans the Old Rotundah.
over and Over again. and, as | said,
that caused the trouble. The old mans
train was three hours late and he WAS
killing time walking around when lie
wandered up this particular side street
to find out where the singing came
from. He got to the door just as Tim
arose to give = toast.
"'Here's to my old man and his
money sang out Tim, who was feel
ing his oats, and may they continue
10 be parted as they have lately.
There was a wild yell Of applause,
which stopped almighty short as the
door burst open and in hoped the old
man himself, madden than a wet hen.
L lSI1UIllS Will ldSS IL 49,
Dointed his finger at Tim and shouted:
"'You're no longer a son Of mine,
YOU deceitful wretch. You'll eve get
another cent of my money. Do you
hear? Shut up; don't open your
mouth. I'm done with you, once tor
all
Hopeful tried to butt in with a
sort of explanation.
shut up. sir yelled the senior
I'll have you all arrested
in the morning for stealing my money
Bv George, I'll do it if it takes my
last cent.
With that the old man bounced cut
of the room, leaving Us all considera-
hlv fustered. We tried 10 talk and laugh
at the predicament. but the words sort
O. stuck 10 olr throats. Mike knew
the law, and he advised us all to skip
the country. But Hopeful said we'd
better go 10 bed, and he'd see what