Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1882-10-07
SNOW HILL WORCESTER COUNTY, MARYLAND. SATURDAY, OCTOF

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tra;tive that she might have become
Mrs. Trope had not crue' fellow sud
denly appeared from the West and in-
sisted that she had married him three
wears before and had not yet been di-
vorced the said cruel fellow, however,
did not compel his wife to return the
several hundred dollars worth of val
uahle jewelry which she had coaxed cut
of Trope during his tender hearted pc
rod.
Still, the lady was no worse than any
"Sher OF the young mans acquaintance.
BY riowIng, begging, or some other
means, every one got from Tr"pe more
than WAS given In return, until the
youth began 10 lie frightened and look
about for better class of acquaintances.
To certain extent he succeeded. for
his money opened 10 him many doors
that were closed to far better men, and
gentlemen and ladies of some social
standing alwAys-and tIuthfully-de.
clared themselves glad to sec him. But
sooner or later they all laid siege to his
pocket book. Modest girls. worthy of
fine husbands, were almost fl ing into his
arms by mothers who had come IT, con
slider MOI ey the only thing worth mar
rying for. and by father who saw pros
pecive advantages in having rich son
ln-law. Business enterprises, although
more skilifully brought 10 his attention,
were as numerous aui doubtful as
among his early acquaintances at Smith,
Smythe 4 Co.'S. He was elt tcted TO
mel N bership in several Clubs by little
clques of impecunious gentlemen, who
thereafter ate and drank principally at
his expense. Even when ven, rable
C erPyman or college presiient was in
tro1uced to him, he learned by exper-
ience to exnect subscription paper in
the near future.
Tricked by men, duped hY women,
abused by every one in whom he re-
posed confidence. Trope in time learned
to believe that the population OF the
world consisted exclusively of rogues.
He believed, however, that there was
one solitary exception, and that was his
friend Waller. This young man was a
)llege graduate and fellow whose ac-
omplishments were as many as his
dollars were few. W ller had volunteered
with great delicacy to act as Trope's
secretary, and to do so without COM
pensation while he was looking for busi-
ness opening, and Trope, who in his lack
of education keenly felt the need of an
intellectual Mentor, accepted the offer.
but he soon insisted upon paying the
young man a good salary, for Waller
made himself simply invaluable. He
drafted every letter Trope wrote,
analy I'D al the alleged enterprises
which TroIe was requested to take part
in, coached the young man in his
endeavors to gain society manners,
learned for him the antecedents of all
the men and women wao made al
vancas toward the rich young man, and
in many other ways made himself so
valuable that during the year they we're
together Trope lost far less mon " than
before and was saved almost entirely
from the sense of having made himself
ridiculous.
Finally there appeared q business
projec; in which even the sagacious
Waller could see no fault, and almost
at the same time there was introduced
to Trope a young lady, gorgeous
besntg, 10 whose family and character
Waller could not offer the slightest
objection. The enterprise was silver
mine which had failed to pay because
Of insufficient capital, a though exoer s
Of the hip hest character declared that
The ore was abundant aud rich. 81
Trope, through Waller, bonght up all
the stock, aud then insisted. in spite Of
many protests, on giving his faithful
friend an even half-interest and giving
him power Of attorney to manage the
entire business.
AS for the lady, Miss Viola Burris,
she was Californian aud one of the
handsomest feminine produ ustious of
S ate famous for its pretty women. She
was as bright as she was handsom !, she
uld wear shOwy rliment to good ad-
vautsgA, and she kneg how 10 make
gentlemen feel well acquainted with her
in very short time. She .v,ncel no
desire for presents, ani thrs~ out no
hints as &c opera tickets, all of which
was so strange aud delightful that Trope
was soon hopelessly in love. He was
not ashamed to make a contid ant of the
faithful Waller, and Waller repaid his
confidence by so many sngyestlo ls
about delicacy and unselisnness In
affairs of the heart that Trope, who was
thoroughly in earnest, showed many
signs of becoming gentleman. His
attentions to Miss Burris were sug-
gestive rather than demonstrative; he
abstained even from the honest
famiiarities peculiar to lovers, being
assured that such thiUg5 were not
customary in the best society. When
finally he proposed, 1t was by 4
respectful letter drafted by Waller
which contained among other state
ments one to the effect that to guard
the idol of bis heart against any busi
ness misfortunes that might some day
overtake him, he had placed in the
hands OF their mutual friend Mr. Waller
one hundred thousand dollars in govern
ment bonds, to be given her on her
wedding day, or at any earlier date she
might desire.
What woman could resist so much
devotion and money? Certainly not
Miss Burns; so she sent gracious re-
ply, saying the proposal wts too sudden
to allow her to name the day, "a Trope.
in spite OF Walters protest, had asked
her to do. Still, her acceptance, deli
cately worded though it was, made
Trope infinitely happy, and he began,
under Walters direction, to study those
manly oraces that he himself admitted
would be necessary to man who was
, to be husband to such O magnificent
creature as Miss Burris.
IL cost Waller very little effort IN npr.