Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1914-06-11
Doing Ellis
a Favor

boxes and trunks and trucks and peo-
pie. saw Ellis at a distance and head
ed his way.
Ellis was a man that 1t paid to cul-
tivate. Conrad was glad they were
crossing the lake on the same boat.
for there was the chance Of smoke
and chat together.
Great jam tonight, isn't there?"
Conrad remarked after greeting Ellis.
The man with whom Ellis had been
talking when Conrad came up laugh
ed at this. There sure is," he re-
marked. 81 can't get berth. let
alone a steteroom! Guess I'll have to
sit up all night"
Conrad eagerly grasped this chance
to do favor for a friend Of Ellis.
You can have berth in my state
room." he said, cordially. I'm alone
in It."
Later on Conrad sought his room.
Somehow he had lost Ellis after the
boat started. He had patiently pa
troiled the decks without finding him.
and was consequently disgruntled. FL
liz had not even seemed decently
pleased at the kindness to his friend.
The stateroom door was locked
Conrad raped. There was no an
swer. He raped louder. He repeat
ed It.
The man In the next stateroom flung
open his door Grossly and asked Con-
rad to stop trying to knock in a side
OF the boat. He said he had press
Ing business In port. and If Con-
rad sunk the vessel and he had to
swim in he would be late for his ap-
pointment.
Thereupon Conrad kicked the door
of his stateroom. 1t was opened six
inches and sleepy and blinking face
peered forth. Conrad showed himself
inside.
Who are your" demanded the blink
ing man.
Here. wake up!" replied Conrad.
disgusted1y This is my stateroom.
and En,-Satng t. --hed-pssn.t you re-
member that l offered to share with
your"
oh" said the blinking man, COM
prehendingly, sitting down. Then he
rolled over and went to sleep again.
Suddenly Conrad gave howl.
What have you got In here" he
asked.
The sleepy man sat up and regard
ed the floor on which Conrad was
dancing. "Oh." he said, and seemed
amused. They've got out. haven't
they? / must have kicked hole in
the paper covering. There's a hun
dred Of those crabs"
Then there are just hundred too
many" Conrad announced as he made
leap for life.
You see." said the other passen-
ger, sociably. I'm going over to visit
a friend. and he's daffy about eating
little fresh water crabs. He asked
me to bring him some. put 'em
In a basket"
We'll. put 'em back" Conrad or
dered. ferociously.
Crouched on the edge Of the berth.
he watched the other man try to cor
raj those agile crabs. He chuckled
and shooed ,and coaxed and dived
headlong and at last had most Of them
back in their basket. Then he prompt
ly went to sleep once more.
Vastly irritated. Conrad retired He
awoke later to find himself being
violently shaken by two strong hands.
Don't you see It? Don't you see
it?" shouted voice. Can't you
stop it?"
Are those crabs loose again." Con-
rad cried in horror. making spring
for the electric light switch.
mo, no." moaned the voice. That
automobiles! It's toppling over and
they'll all be killed"
Conrad shook the sleep walker vio-
lently. Where am -" the man asked
when he came TO.
You'll be overheard in the lake If
you repeat that performance" Con-
rad told him. 81 want to get a lit
tie sleep"
In an hour a yell once more sent
Conrad to his feet. 1t seemed that a
crab which they had missed in the
roundup had ascended a blanket to
the berth and had fastened upon its
owners ear. No one could reasonably
objected to a mans yelling under these