The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1867-06-27
A SUBSTITUTE.
BY ARDEN.
From the Chicago Home Circle.l
((,onclnded !

Concluded
''Oh mol" answered Beaufort, looking
as grave and demure as possible; ''but
| have already gone through that part of
the business. 1 will tell you. [ arrived
in the city yesterday evening. 1t was too
late to come on here, so | went to the
opera house, where got embroiled in a
quarrel with some gentlemen. He chal-
lenged me, and this morning at six clock
| [ was shot through the heart. I was
carried back to the hotel All the neces-
sary arrangements have been made for
my funeral, which is to take place at six
this evening; SO [ really must be there p
Ha-ha-haha !" roared out Mr..
Hoppe. Capital joke, indeed, and well
But I am in earnest" replied Beau
fort here is the medical certificate at
testing my death. - 2
Medical fiddlesticks why, man, what
do want certificate for. when you have
Just dined with me. and have been sing
ing duets with Annette there? Certificate
indeed that S certificate enough for mel
and he laughed again till he turned quite
black in the face. i see how it is /; you
want to run away for an hour or two, you
joker. But mind, now, if you are not
here by eight o clock shall send fer you,
whether you are buried or not :"
Meanwhile Beaufort turned to the girl
by his side, land, in a low tone said "Miss
Hoppe to have made your acquaintance
ought to be enough happiness for me.
Believe me that shall ever reckon the
last few hours among the happiest Of my
existence. Do not therefore doubt that
if it be possible, no long time will elapse
before L see you again Till then, your
image will be indelibly impressed on my
heart, and bowling once more he passed
into the street.
On alighting at the hotel, Beaufort S
first question was to inquire about the
funeral, and learned that it had taken
place at the time appointed, his second
was to ask whether General c. had
arrived. 81
Being answered in the affirmative, he
lost no time IN repairing to his uncle s
room.
AGlad to see you punctual, my dear
boy, for We have no time to lose A let
ter just received says you must go down
to your post at once; so We must start
this very night. How long before you
are ready o.
In an hour. answered Beaufort de-
spondingly, on whom the announcement
fell like thnnderbolt However there
was no help for. it. To offend his uncle
by proposing to delay his departure, he
felt was ont of the question. Well, he
must write TO Mr., Hoppe an explanatory
| letter on arriving at his destination.
! In ali hour time they set off as fast
/ as two horses could carry them. and at
! the following afternoon arrived at the
town Of. To Beaufort's dismay and
horror, however, when that same night
he seated himself to indite the promised
letter, he could not remember Mr.. Hep
pc 5 address: he, like fool, had handed
1t to the man vino drove him there.
What was he to do? Hoppe was about
the commonest name, and whether his
Hoppe was merchant, banker. or bro
/ ker, he had not the remotest idea. So,
with q heavy heart he closed up his desk,
| resolving to ask for a few day 5 leave al
the earliest opportunity, when he could
/ Immediately repair to the house where
! the far Annette lived. ~
I Meanwhile let us look at the Hoppe
family Who were anxiously awaiting the
return of the visitor
! 1t was past eight, and already the room
/ was tut OF company; but he whom they
| had been 'aylted 10 meet had not yet ar
( rived Nine o'clock struck. ten. eleven,
and yet he had not come. It was no use
waiting any longer, SO, bidding adieu to
| their host and hostess, they took their
/ Next morning after swallowing an ear
/ ly breakfast. the old man set out, quite
do
man did not account for his absence the
ner to inform him that he should decline
the honor Of his future acquaintance.
| Il say. husband, an idea has just oc-
CURED to me-, said Mrs. Hoppe, rs he
was leaving the house; you remember
| how he made US all laugh last night, when
/ he told US he had been shot IN a duel and
was going to be buried? Now, [ should
( not wonder If he really had got into some
! quarrel, and that he was to fight due
/ this Very morning, and that he adopted
/ thatmethod of preparing MS for the worst
Make haste to town, then, my love you
may be In time yet to stop 1t. -
| Mr.. Hoppe needed no other pursuatior
TO hasten his steps, and in surprisingly
/ short slace of time had arrived at the
hotel, breathless and ready to drop with
the exertion he had undergone.
Is Mr. Nilliers here?" he inquired Of
a water, as soon as lie could speak.
'sNe. he is here no longer. was the
reply; "he only lay here one night. -
Where has he gone to, then?"
"To the church-yard. y
w hat do You mean, fellow"
by, that he was buried yesterday
at SIX clock. y
/ Buried shrieked Mr., Hoppe; are
you mad or drunk; or do you take me
for fool, you stupid? Buried impos-
sible, tell you.
A'Nothing more possible answered
the waiter, seeing he was shot through
the heart, you see.
Fool! - CALCULATED Mr. Hoppe, in a
great passion.
Il tell you that the gentleman went
cut to fight duel Yesterday morning, and
| that he was brought home quite dead,
and was buried last evening at six o clock.
But you had better speak to the land
| lord y
But the landlord exactly confirmed the
waiter story and seeing that Mr.. Hep
pc still appeared incredulous, invited
h.-n up into the room recently occupied
by the young man.
There in corner, lay his portmanteau,
ils name Is full on the top oft: and on
fragment of a letter, which Mr.. Hoppe
immediately recognized as being in the
hand ct his old friend Vilhers.-
There was no longer any room for