Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-12-31

Afhenea, and she was crying all the Time,
and Schelmer riding by her side. As
soon as saw them over leaped and with
my bit of a stick knocked Schelmer and
half a dozen of his Jew friends off their
donkeys, and putting Athenea in buggy
had brought will me l drove. her Off
in the sight of then all; and where do
you think l hid the beauty?"
Can't imagine said |, in astonish-
ment at the rash abduction.
"Why, in powder magazine-in a
powder magazine, my boy, out by Abou-
kr. / bribcd the sehtry there to take care
of her, and we start for Malta in the next
steamer. Schelmer vill never have her If
! die for it,"
"You must give her up to her parents
at once" said emphatically. You need
not fear Schelmer"
"Give her upl Never. I'd sooner
tlow her up, powder and all. What
chance has a poor beggar like me against
a scoundrel who is the lion of all Alex
antlria--a man who could pave his house
with goldp"
"I tel you there is no fear of Schel-
mer."
"But there is great fear"
" No fear, l tell you, you obstinate fell
bw. None in the world. Since the night
We went to Athenea's house my men have
been tracking out the ways of these two
Germans. We find them to be swindlers,
OF bad antecedents. They had central
house in Vienna, where Schelmer COM
mitted forgeries, for which he was i'm
prisoned. Gulheim is merely his accom-
plice and lure. We also find that Schel.
lmer Is engaged to no less than six young
ladies of Alexandria, and hitherto he
has kept his secret wonderfully. Leave
lit to me, and I'll expose them in such a
way that they'll never dare TO show their
faces in Alexandria again. But mind,
IIagan, only on condition that you
bring back Athenea. If you fail to do
so Athenea's character will be lost, and
you will be either imprisoned or banished.
Come, rouse your better self. Take her
back"
"Bedad, and so WILL" said Hagan,
rising with groan, and shaking my hand
with his bear.like grip. "But blow Schel-
mer to blazes in the name of all that is
holy. How will you do it?"
"Hagan, my friend" said /, "that is
my secret You are brave, honest fell
low, / admit but you are of communi-
cative and confiding disposition, and that
doesn't suit the business of my profession,
see."
let matters well alone for fortnight.
In the meantime, to judge by appearances,
he banking firm of Schelmer Il Gulheim
iourished like green bay tree. Schelmer
| furnished a new house in a tremendous
style; the street close to my Office was for
ldays blocked up with huge pier glasses,
piano fortes, bales of carpet, costly cur
tains, carved Indian furniture, books,
plate and pictures. His cadaverous face
was to be seen at all hours, superintend-
ing the moving of Buhl cabinets and pack
ages of old china. Tropical flowers ar
rived in vast wicker cases; his new sta
bles were filled with horses; he skinned
about the city in a handsome phaeton
drawn by two ream-colored ponies-the
present of the Viceroy, as everybody said,
though / knew that they were had on
credit from newly established Hungari-
an dealer. l often, as / passed, went up
and spoke TO my man or his sneaking lit
tie parasite, Gulheim, and he held forth to
me on the expensive ways of Alexandria.
Kind the greediness and fraudulency of the
whole population.
ga greater set of rascals never knew, ,"
he said once, land treat them accord
ingly; and yet they come round me, lick
ing my boots and praying for more Or
ders, and, as money is of no consequence
to me, give them more. Sacred thunder,
l don't think there is an honest man in all
Alexandria"
l gave him quiet look and suggested
M. Louis Bonnival, French merchant,
and one Of his probable fathers-in-law, as
every one said.
He shook his head, screwed up his eyes,
and twisted his dyed mustache.
cali Ben Sulieman?' (Athenea's ia.
ther.)
"Would sell his own father"
M. Regnauld?" ?" another father-in-law
Bad-notorious. Drummed out of the
Algerine army"
I'M. Donnerwetter?" another future ia.
I ther-ln-law.
"You're joking What! marry but
ter ubg'
"Mr. John Blizard9" the fifth father
ln-law
He only bit his under lip.
"Well, then, M. Castiglioneg til,
sixth of the fathers in law in futuro.
He made no reply for moment ther
he gave me keen look from his furtivt
eyes, and drew me on one side to door
way, quite apart from the workmen. "l
see," said he, "you know more about mt
than most men do. You are probably in
clined to be troublesome, like most o
your craft, unless you can get more by
keeping quiet. Leave me alone to worl
out my own business plans In my owl
way and l will give you $500, Englisl
money, the day of my marriage with
"Athenea Ben Sulieman? Miss Lucy
BlizardS Mdlle. Louise RegnauldY Frau
lein Marie DonnerwetterY Or"
Tut! Never you mind, whicheve
lady select-voila."
&" l will think over it," said to mysel
quietly, without betraying my disgust
"but you must promise to come and DIM
with me on Monday next, to meet a fev
friends, and after dinner we'l get in
corner and settle matters"
"C'est un Yrai bonhomme," said Schel
mer, slapping me in a friendly way ol
the back, and open to reason. Good
mon ami, we understand each other. Al
Tevoir."
The game was now approaching tn
last deal. Schelmer had kept the secre
very carefully between his six fathers-in
law, and their money kept his bank go
ing. Hagan, at my urging, had brought
back Athenea without reproach, having
placed her in the care of the sentinel
mother the first moment he could SNUG
gle her unnoticed out of that dangerou
repository, the powder magazine; and tn
parents were now pressing forward th
speedy marriage with Schelmer. If h
bolted at all, he must bolt soon; this
felt; and then the six fathers in law woul,
be after him in full cry. determined l.
accelerate this pleasant crisis, and dit
so, with what result will be seen.
The Monday came and the mine wa
ready for springing. had invited tn
elite of the business world of Alexandria
The six fathers-in-law were all coming
and with them the six mothers in law AM
the brides elec. So carefully had Schel
mer managed his courtships that / fel
convinced that not one of the fathers in
law supposed the other love affairs har
gone beyond harmless tlirtations. Schel
mer mixed largely in society and was a
often at one house as another. j smile,
to think how little he knew the bitter pill
had ready for him.
Ten or twenty guests, including the si
fathers. in law, had arrived before Schel