Possum Caught in S.A. Boney Home--for Second Time, Aug. 4, 1926

‘Possum Caught in Boney Home. . . Second Time in Two Months This Has Occurred

For the second time in less than two months, an opossum has been captured in the home of S. A. Boney of 114 North George street. The second catch was made Monday night by Howard Bush of the Wayne National Bank, a roomer in Mr. Boney’s home. The first catch was made about seven weeks ago by Mr. Boney himself.

Monday night, like Abou Ben Adhem, Mr. Bush woke from a sweet dream of peace, but unlike Ben Adhem he did not see an angel writing in a book of gold.

There on the foot of the bed were two yellow eyes staring fixedly in his direction. A cold chill shot down his spine, and in the fashion of a drowning man clutching at a straw, Mr. bush hurled his pillow at the twin balls of yellow fire on the foot of his bed.

The aim was true and the intruder proved flesh, for there was a thud as something struck the floor. Leaping out of bed, Mr. Bush switched on the light and discovered a nice, fat ‘possum. The animal made a dive for the open door and Mr. Bush pursued it with one of his shoes which he had picked from the floor.

The animal was overtaken in the hall and Mr. Bush was pommeling its life away with Mr. Boney arrived in time to be in the kill.

“For the love of heaven,” said Mr. Boney, “What’s all this racket out here.” Then he recognized what had happened.

For Mr. Boney had been the captor when the first ‘possum visited the home several weeks ago.

The men are at a loss to explain why all the ‘possums that stray into Goldsboro call at 114 North George street.

Editor's Note: Abou Ben Admen is a reference to the poem "Abou Ben Adhem" by Leigh Hunt, published in 1834. It begins like this:

Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!)

Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,

And saw, within the moonlight in his room,

Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom,

An angel writing in a book of gold.

We memorized it in school and recited it for a school assembly although all I remember now is the first line, "Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!)

From the front page of the Goldsboro News, Wednesday morning, Aug. 4, 1926

newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn93064755/1926-08-04/ed-1/seq-1/