The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1908-03-20

street here about half an hour ago and
ask for 10 centsr
81 did that" was the reply.
"And was 1t a woman that came to
the door,"
1T was. ana she tod me to 60 TO.
She is a woman without a heart, sir"
! she Is my wife, but perfectly heart
less. want you to go back with me
and have something to eat, and will
promise you a quarter when you are
ready to come away"
lis 1t a job you are putting up on
me?' asked the tramp as he regarded
MI. Bowser with suspicion.
mot at all. l am a man that
wouldn't turn a dog from his door on
q winters night. You need not be
: afraid"
The tramp thought 1t too good to be
true. but went along, and Mr.. BowsR"
led him down to the table and said:
"IIl put food before you, and | want
to see you eat all you can. | presume
you have not had a fall neal in two or
three day5."
"No in three days. sir. If you
please, sir, have you got q drop Of
claret about? always take q drop
before NY dinner if it's possible. It's
by the Goctn:'s orders. sir"
Mr.. BGy->er looked at him and hest
tatcd. but finally placed a full bottlr
on tie table and turned to the refrig-
! orator fo- cold v~ictuals. When be had
turned back. just half the contents OF
+na E0ftI. Ind vanished
Entertains the Tramp.
Say. nov. Dut this is BOSS!
I chuckled the tramp as the v~ictuals
came on. Amy danger of that colo
hearted wife OF yours coming dowr
and disturbing the picnic?'
""NOne Whatever"
Then you run you own house
That's what every mar should do, but
when | saw her at the door l surely
thought she was the boss of things
I'm! Say, old man, don't hurry me
Lemme eat as long as l want to. Hope
J you don't object if / take a little of
this claret with my meal? It's the
! doctors orders"
you are what you call a pro?es-
sional tramp. aren't your asked Mr
! BOwser as he sat down.
Il am chat and right at the head OF
the class. Yes, sir; been in the purfesh
! for fifteen years"
And something ails you that you
can't work."
Something does. sir. I've a dislike
to it."
You mean that you won't work if
! you can help it?'
The man gave Mr.. Bowser a long
| wink ard then laid his finger along
! side his nose and whispered in conf
dence:
This is the thing to work at. Say.
| boss. lire &c gang and be one OF Us
J You'd be bully at workin' a racket.
| Wild dat phiz of yours you could maze
'cm believe dat you had seven differ
cr1t sorts Of mortal diseases"
Look here, Sir" replied Mr.. Bowser.
who knew that Mrs. BOwser was at
the head of the stairs and catching
every word. Il don't think you are
quite the man | took you for. | thought
Won were some one who had met with
hard luck"
"Say, OATS one on Lucky Bill--ha.
ha, ha. Luck? Did any tramp ever
l-have a softer snap than I've got right
here? | meets the soulless lady at de
door. and she tells me to go to. Her
husband comes out on de street and
finds me and says to come back. He
sets out de wine and de grub and talks
( like a brother to me. When dis bottle
Is finished he'll set another down, and
when I'm ready to go dere's a quarter
and a heaven bless We waitin' for me.
Look here, you old loafer, l want
you to get out of this!" exclaimed Mr.
Bowser as he started UP.
what! Coin back on a pal, old
cock! Yer can't, yer know. Youse is
no cold hearted son of a gun. Youse
hain't like de cold faced lady at de
front door"
Mr. Bowser grabbed him by the col
lar and pulled him over backward, and
then he dragged him out into the hal
to the door. The tramp fought as vel
as he could, but he was in the grasp OF
a cyclone. He was hurled through the
door, and then Mr.. Bowser lifted him
on high and drove him head first into &
snowdrift and left nothing but his leg:
sticking out. Mrs. Bowser hadn't {
word to say as the sy~mpathizer came
putting into the sitting room. He wait
ed for her to make some observation
and as she didn't he struck a pose ant
exclaimed:
Telephone your lawyer! Telephone
him the first thing in the morning. &c
him over here. Settle the amount o
the alimony and then so to your moth
er's, for you have driven me to tn
dead line at last" NJ. QUAD.