Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-09-11

the community and represented the worlds
greatest interests.
OF course stories got abroad about Miss
Dangerfeld, and people with very rigid no
tions about other peoples morals and rule Of
life, intimated that it would be better for
Miss Dangerfield to shield herself beneath the
wing Of some elderly virgin or a matronly
relative whose husband had long since passed
on TO the pearly gates. But Miss Danger
field needed no such protection, for none
would have dared to treat her in any way
other than that of perfect respect. 1t
became the fashion to drop in during
the afternoon at Miss Dangerfield's, and
many men often discussed grave matters of
Importance over an innocent cup of tea
Frequently, and in fact almost every night,
some two or three gentlemen would stop to
dinner, and after dinner she would sing and
play. She often laughingly said she pre-
ferred men to women, as the conversation of
the latter wearied her. Among those who
often called during the afternoon was Philip
Comerford indeed, If the truth was known
Comerford had fallen in love with Miss
Dangerfield, and he only waited his time to
make her his wife, knowing that she did not
care enough for him to risk asking her. So
he waited, and by every means endeavored
to win her confidence and affection, and had
succeeded in becoming very intimate
friend but still he seldom had the chance to
see her alone, for she always retired from the
drawing-room at II, and persistentiy refused
to drive with any gentleman, whatever their
ages, young or old. Comerford was not the only
one of her many admirers who would liked to
have married her. She YVES young, pretty
and enormously rich. During the summer
of her second year she had purchased villa
at Newport and lavished money upon it ia
improvements; she had bought the house
adjoining her own and added picture gal
lery in the following year besides which
several fine stores were added to her real
estate. "Dangerfeld," said the men at the
club must have been a richer man than
supposed" When any one spoke to her
about her property she would only say, "Oh,
Mr.. Sharp is so clever" or 'Mr. Sharp
attends to those matters" or "Will you see
Mr.. Sharp" Some caustic and cynically dis
posed men would say, Guess Dangerfeld
never found Sharp so almighty clever" That
Miss Dangerfield was enormously wealthy
everybody felt confident.
Philip Comerford's partner was dead, but
his FIRMS name still remained the same.
When speaking of his house he still clung to
the pronoun I'VE"
Comerford & Co. frequently wrote to their
customer, George Dalton, advising him to
purchase various stocks on the list, and had
for close on to a year received the same an
swer You may consider me entirely out of
the market" This same phrase had been SO
persistently repeated that they began to fear
that they had lost one Of their very best Gus
toners. One day, however, to their surprise,
they received letter to sell stock which
was then a favorite purchase, and the next
day the order was increased. Comerford &
Co. executed all the orders, and
would continue TO do so as long as they
We're margined but nevertheless they feared
that the days of Dalton were numbered, and
that he had turned a reckless speculator
instead of the invincible operator. Philip
Comerford had been so influenced by the
popular faith i'll rising values that he launched
out into speculations on his own account
which were diametrically opposed to the op-
erations of his customer Dalton, whom he
followed in small way. He had resolved
to take plunge into the whirlpools and
trust to the correctness of his information
for he had a private thought that if he could
suddenly appear before Miss Dangerfield as
wealthy suitor she would not feel that her
wealth influenced him. That he loved her
for herself alone he felt confident, and from
their relations Of late he had good reason to
believe she was not Indifferent to him. He
had fallen into the habit of late of telling
her of what he did, of his business and of
his plans. always finding in her a ready
listener.
For time Philip Comerford's speculations
looked favorable and Daltons unfavorable,
but suddenly the tables turned and prices
went down, down, down! Wall street was
crowded with men with long faces and ru-
mors of firms in difficulties and none felt
more distressed than Philip Comerford. One
April morning he was pondering over his af-
fairs in a gloomy frame of mind, wondering
what could prevent the failure of his house
if the market did not rally, when the small
boy brought in piece of paper on which was
written Gec.ge Dalton.
"Is he heres" said Comerford, turning pale
and scarce concealing the nervous twitching
of his mouth.
eyes, sir; he wants to see you"
"Show him in" Comerford glanced at
himself in the glass, and noticed the care
worn look he wore, turning just y, the door
opened. To his surprise, instead of rough,
elderly looking man, with shrewd eyes, as he
had pictured the mysterious customer there
stood before him tall, slight, tirnid, blue
eyed young man, on whose lip or chin the
razor had never passed.
"Mr Comerford, y said the visitor, in a deep
but pleasant voice.
"Mr Dalton, it is time we should meet,
like to see man that has never closed an ac-
count to loss"
II have not been SO fortunate elsewhere:
but to the point-I am going to cover my
shorts, Mr. Comerford, not because the mar
ket is going to be BETTER but because there
are storms ahead I have made a large
fortune in this decline, as you know, and 1
am afraid, Mr.. Comerford, from what hear,
that you have not been so lucky"
"Eh!" said Comerford, surprised that this
stranger should suspect anything was wrong
in the great firm of Comerford & Co.
II endeavorsd to advise you, but you would
not listen. l would urge you to sell your
stock and take your losses"
"May ask who has informed you, sir, of
my affairs!"
"Your pardon if trespass. I of course
cannot give my authority You will cover
all my stocks. I shall stay here to-day, if
you will permit me-"
Certainly; make yourself at home. Here
are the papers,"
All that day Mr.. Dalton sat in the private
Office Of Comerford & Co., and the firm pur-
chased several thousand shares to his ac.
count. Comerford several times endeavored
to engage him in conversation, but did not