The semi-weekly messenger., 1908-01-10
DO|NCS OF CROPSEY WHITE
A Fayetteville Character of Many
Years Ago
night Symposium In Old Fayette-
vile Hotel-Piaying it on the Bar
keeper During the War-The Old
Toulouse Well.
For The Messenger.


had contributed SO much to the gale
" OF the nations;" but in his early
manhood he was a shining star in the
brilliant galaxy of the characters
of Fayetteville.
Cropsey aspired To be one of the
golden youth" and had insatiaue
yearnings after the good things Of life,
with very little inclination to pitch in,
and take the hard knocks necessary to
win the prizes He considered the
lilies of the field" and he ''toiled not,
neither did ne spin" There is an old
adage that "all work and no play
rIakes Jack dull boy" He read it
that "all play and no work makes
Jack happy boy"
We are admOnished, too, that by the
sweat Of thy face shalt thou eat
bread''-but then Cropsey White was
not particularly fond of bread, JUS
dry so.
And yet he seemed TO be pretty
thriving drOne. He was always fairly
we'll dressed, and, if he did not get
plenty to eat his plump, ruddy cheeks
belied him. Then, 100, if he WASH !
busy with the other bees in the hive.
making honey, he could talk eloquent
ly about setting up a hive Of his own,
and making money by the wholesale.
Like Herbert Pocket, in Dicken's g
Great Expectations he was going 70
nj, I,ir hv-ip h 10
argosies; but his fleet was lost on the
seas OF idle dreams, and his treasure
"lay hid deep down in the main His
enterprises never got any farther than
the rim Of the toddy glass across the
bar counter.
One night, many years ago, when
Fayetteville was given over TO the
wjckedness Of open 9aloonS and other
forms OF pure cussedness' CrOpsey
White, who had recouped his pocket
book little in some way, spent tAe
evening playing billiards and drinking
whiskey in a saloon en- Green street
about where now stands Bethune 8
grocery store in the handsome High
smith block 1t was about midnigh'
when he put up his all, took final
glass of grOg and emerged into tht
night.
He had been giving the billiard room
'lCungers his views "n commerce, bank
ing and business in general; and, as
he walked on up Hay street. little
wobbly in the legs, flushed in the face,
and heated of brain, he was in his most
soaring and optimistic mood, although
the nights spree had left in his trous-
ers remnant of only IS or 50 cents.
Looking across the street when OppO-
site the old Fayetteville hotel, which
stood where is now the elegant Hotel
I4aFayette, he saw, down the long
central corridor, the light from the
hotel bar room, snd staggered across
fO1 a might cap. In the room was
Bill. the bar tender, and a stranger,
somewhat seediiE but not exactly
shabbily dressed. seated in front Of the
fire, with his hat slOuched over his
face, his elbows on his knees, and his
head in his hands.
Come up, stranger, cried Cropsey
in all his glow of the night carOuse
land take a night cap with me-
Good" said the man slowly risins
to his feet, maybe it will help me
for l feel tough"
why, what's the matter with you:
Are YOU sick? A drink will cure you.
Anybody dead? Lost all your friends
The exhiliarating cup browns all sor-
rows"
"Oh, I'm down on my luck" replied
the stranger, slipping his tOddy, though
with evident relish: Il struck town
yesterday hoping to get employment
but L haven't been able to strike job,
and I'm stranded and dead broke.
"Oh, cheer up; it will all come right
in the washing Give us another Bill
| see that you have the kettle boiling
on the fire. Let us have a strong hot
punch"
The two men seated themselves be-
fore the fire, each with glass OF
steamig punch, and Cropsey White
fairly radiated patronage on his new
p1OCSSe. les, l. SEE nv" II 49, AS
said, shaking his head sagely; You
are in a strange town, and think that
you are without friends But l know
a true man as soon as | lay eyes on
him." slapping the wanderer on the
knee, "and l will stand by you, Give
us another one, just like the last,
Bill
"Ah," said Cropsey. stretching him
self luxuriously in his chair, and drain
ing his glass, this world is not al
hard. Mans inhumaGity to man makes
countless thousands mourn, but now
and then you come across an oasis II
the desert. You take a good nights
rest, my friend, and see me IN the
morning. | will use my influence tc
get you a position-clerk or oookkeep'