The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-03-30

kerchiefs and hosiery it's just the same
as IL I had. You See it's a thing that
cuts both ways IL you carry 1t to too
fine a point. I was referring to imag-
ination in its broader sense. For in
stance. when John c. Fremont passed
q winter In the Rocky mountains, how
do you suppose he escaped freezing to
death?"
by imagining that he was sitting on
o redhet stove"
Thought Of Warm Things.
That was meant for sarcasm, OF
course, but was a pretty close hit. He
issued orders to his band to think Of
Florida, blazing fires, feather beds, hot
fatirons to their feet, and 30 forth.
The thermometer registered 40 degrees
below, and great powders were split
by the frost, yet his men went about
perspiring."
Il don't believe it" bluntly replied
Mrs. Bowser.
"It makes no difference whether you
do or not. What does Lieutenant Gree
ly say about the way be escaped death
in the arctic circle? When the cold be-
came so intense that no thermometer
could register it he imagined that he
was sitting in a corner of his fathers
fireplace in Indiana. A warm glow be-
gan to spread ove him within five min
utes, and in half an hour he had to go
on deck to cool Off"
Mrs. Bowser didn't credit anything Of
the kind, but was polite enough not to
say so, and after a minute Mr.. Bowser
went on:
"a few weeks ago, as you will re-
member, / thought 1 had a boil coming
on my leg. It vas only a pimple, but
I got to thinking about bOils and how
one caused the death Of Alexander the
Great, and for two days 1 was limp
ing around and talking about faxseed
and other remedies. I went SO far as
to even imagine that you wanted me to
die to get the insurance. I see that
you are %shlvering again"
eff you don't go down and start up
the furnace l SHALL"
"YOu still imagine it's cold. Now,
then, for the next five minutes think of
being in q feather bed and two down
quilts over you. Think at the same
time that there is a redhot stove boom
ing away not three feet from you and
that you have a hot brick at each foot.
Think
81 refuse to think any such thing"
Gives an Illustration
"Well, I'll give you a practical illus
$rc ZION of what 7 ponon IFc q RO16
night outdoors, isn't it?'
"Of course it is. Just hear how the
wagon wheels creak over the frosty
snow"
THAT is, you imagine it's a cold
night. I will show you that it's pure
imagination"
But how can your
"As easy as rolling off a log. My po-
sition, as l have told you before, is i'm
Observation-Disclosures impregnable. The
temperature outdoors, as q matter of
fact, is as .balmy as September. l am
| going out bareheaded and in my slip
pers and dressing gown and prove my
statement"
You'll come in a frozen herring If
you do"
ell come in to prove that l am posi-
lively correct, though l have no hope
that you'll be fair enough to surren.
der"
With that Mr.. Bowser passed down
the hall and outdoors and down to the
gate. There were six inches of nov on
the ground and a north wind blowing
and the icy cold began to shrivel him
I'D at once. lie law that Mrs. Bow
ser was looking out Of the front win
dow, and, although lis teeth We're chat
tering and his AIRS rowing crisp. he
stood it until a pedestrian came along
and halted for an instant to say.
Pedestrian Jollies Him.
"Old man, you must be il love will
a frost bitten nose to stand out here
Don't you know enough to go in"
"W-what did l tell y-you?" queriet
the nonimaginative nan as he re-en
tered the house with shivers shakin!
him from bead to heel and his teetl
playing a tune.
You found it balmy, did you?"
"Mrs. Bowser, the weather outdoor
Is just like-just like
Go on
Mr.. Bowser's hand went up to hi
cheek, and he uttered a groan. Some
thing gave a twitch. and he yelled on
and jumped up and down. He had a
old tooth that ached on the slightes
~provocation. and the cold wind had Sc
it jumping and twitching.
Il see" said Mrs. Bowser. "Wel
the medicine chest is in the closet. Yo
will find laudanum,% paregoric, creosote
peppermint and a dozen other things
and if none Of thep will Go try a mus
tard plaster or hot ashes. l imagin
it's cold here and am going to bed
get warm. You'd better imagine tina
tooth is in some one else's head an
Gle with me. Your position is in
pregnable. Mr.. Bowser-absolutely in
pregnable." NJ. QUAD.