The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-10-02
URuUEHARDT'S REVENGE.

URpUEHARDT'S REVENGE.
On my way to the island on purely pro
fessional visit encountered Urquehardt. It
was ON the ,,ier at the foot of Twenty-sixth
greet There is a little waiting room there
not bigger thana large packing box, III which
the miserable wretches who are waiting for
the boat to take them to BlackWelps or Ran
talls Island usually hnddie to escape the river
winds in winter and the glare of the sun IN
summer. At this time it was empty. I had
lust missed the boat, and would have to wait
nearly an hour. 49, sgs4a'. e..
While I was growing to myself about it
Urauehardt came in. I hardly knew him.
For seven years had lost sight of him, and
not knowing if he were dead Or awe, had
ceased to think OF him. He had studied with
me for a year, We had been quite Intimate at
school. He was bright, nervous, ambitious
fellow, and had shown remarkable proficiency
in chemistry. | had heard afterward that he
had drifted into the drug business, and once
or twice vague int nations reached me that
he had contracted irregular habits. Then, as
say, I lost sight of him and forgot him
Now he stood before me, and when he
made himself known I was astonished at the
change seven years had wrought. TIL.
One feels instantly, in snch cases, the rela-
tive condition of q companion. I did not
need to ask him if he had suffered. Ii" T
He betrayed it in his thin face, his restless
eye, and his crushed expression. But l was
unprepaTed to hear that It was case OF the
heart. " -
"Yelsye got half an hour to watt" said he,
aftersW1sad exchanged civil plattudes "St
doWL That box Of soap, and I'll tell you
abou ~ It's only common justice to hear
me, because you have been more or less in
htrt t>n I,
reached you' H.~a
insisted that had not heard syllable
concerning his career or misfortune. He
looked forgiyingly incredulous, and said:
"Oh, well, you're entitled as an old friend,
to know the exact truth, and it will interest
you, for it has never been told. In the first
place,the girl was not my mistress purer,
more honorahle--"
my Gear fellow, I did not know that there
was a girl ii the ease"
ooh, you must have heard of the Prescott
affair. Everybody knew about it," t9 E
Ishook my head. He went on.
S',he way it came about that got into the
Prescott establishment was this: 7 was look
ing for a suitable opening for a drug store,
and seeing that place on the corner of Third
avenue and Eighteenth street advertised, I
called there. ~
"a man OF the name Of Ellingher kept it,
He was Prussian. | had q talk with him
and found that he only a clerk; that the
store belonged to a widow who owned the
building and lived over it. Her name was
Prescott. She was an eccentric invalid, con-
fined to her room with rheumatic gout, and
was anxious to dispose of the place to some
capable man who could pay half her price in
cash. Ellingher thought it was a capital
chance for me; the business was good one,
and could be doubled in the hands Of smart
man. He was very anxious saw, to be re-
tanned by whoever bought the store.
Il had saved about five hundred dollars. and
I thought [ saw promising opening, I
hurried around to the private entrance on
Eighteenth street to see the Prescott rang
the bell two % three times and waited nearly
half an hour; when heard a little feminine
'a-hem' over my head and looked up.
"A young woman was leaning upon the sill
of the open window. She was very pretty.
o me. That was my first meeting with Addie
rescot.. All the other accounts are pure ro
mance.' -@1 r. - =
Urquehardt said this with such an impress
slve manner that hesitated to tell hin again
that had not heard anv other accounts
"Now," he continued. Il suppose i fell in
love with the girl then and there, but I did
not know it at the time l stated nv bust.
ness and my desire to see Mrs. Prescott.
Whereupon she came down and let me in
There was, Immediately opposite the front
door, little reception-rooIn 1t was an ey.
temporized affair, and at some time must
have been a prescription room attached to
the drug store. for there was at this time
only board partition separating it from the
shop, and this had been papered over and
otherwise disguised. = ..-5 90 -
THE young lady conducted me into this lit
tie room, and, before permitting me to see her
mother, adroltly cross-questioned me about
my purpose. l was very frank with her. for
her naive manner, her beauty and her
simple unaffected character won me- I said
to myself, 1t will add much to my happiness
here to have so sweet q woman in the hon e ;
Well, sir, not to make my story too lou ..
found the old lady every way agreeable [
told her exactly what my means were. and
what hoped to accomplish She appeared
to be favorbly impressed, and was even more
communicating than was myself ! had to
listen to her history aad a full recital of an
her troubles She was anxious to Get rid Of
The store, for ever ince her husband died If
mad been uismanaged
~ The young woman sat demurely in the
room during the interview, listening hut saw.
ing nothing was delighted with the result.
came away, feeling sure that would get
inc place on my own terms, and that T should
nave no trouble whatever with the Prescott.
Inc last thing she said to me was: Wen
YOUNG man, come up and talk with me to-
morrow 2, when you have slept upon it, and
~ w laot Iillhg saw as lett the house was
The sweet smile Of the girl as she looked after
me from the door. 4 9 pa ~ - - -
DO you know was fool enough to saw to
myself that night: sUrquehardt. that hea,,tv
has made an impression on you, and if tie
signs are worth anything, you are not dis.
The negotiations reached this conclusion
stile next day. was to give the Prescott d
thousand dollars down, and the rest at fla
money she would take in yearly installments
Immediately wrote to my mother ii Delhi.
and she promised to raise me the five hundred
1fr 11tSn F1.... 4 HETH