The Red Cloud chief., 1884-06-27
WANTED. A WIFE.

Jack Hornby. of Brazenface COLLEGE,
Oxford. had lust finished hi> usual after
breakfast pipe. on the last dav of the
summer term. lSSl. when his attention
was arrested by a sharp rap n his door,
Immediately followed by the entrance
OF the well-dre>sed person of his college
friend. Meihyen.
Come along in said Hornby, land
light Yourself a pipe
NO. thank We, cant stop. replied
Methven. '.aS l have lot to do this
morning; but | thought | would Just
run across and tell YOU a bit of news.
have just arranged a glorious hoax, at
the expense, | need hardly say, of old
Crofton- lie has become too cute late
ly TO be caught bv our old time -honored
Jokes. and 80 have arranged the fol-
lowing plan: \ week ago | inserted in
the amonv column of the -HOrHiRg Id
9'ertiser a glowing matrimonial adver-
tiSement, in which | stated that the al
vertiSer. who was handsome. rch and
all that sort Of thing. desired 10 meet
with a pretty and accomplished girl
with a view 10 matrimony. All appli-
cantS were to send their photographs:
the replies to be sent to II. C.. No. l5l
81 'Illt>- 'NltIu lllsil lIit ilou>t
where nv scout lives. and 50. of course.
] told him 10 bring me any letters thus
addressed. | got no reply Tor 4 day or
50. but four DAYS ago | received a letter
from certain damSel. who described
herself aS young, handsome and accom-
plished. inclo~od me the photograph OF
a very pretty girl, ended by asking
me when and where | should meet her
in town. and signed herself Miss l.. Ber-
nard. Piccaiilly Circus Post-oflice: She
aiso expressed a desire To have the ad-
vertisers photograph, so | promptly
sent her that OF old Crof;on. which he
had lately given me. and said | would
write tonight when and where | should
meet her: 80 my scheme i. TO somehow
induce trnfion 10 meet this girl she
will of course recognize him by the
photograph l have sent. vii probably
rush into his arms. the kangaroo Will
br utterly ovcrp ywered, and there viii
toe an Interesting deH0ucnicnt. Now.
Hornby. don't YOU think that mag
uifcent piece of strategy
NO. indeed. 4 don't" said HornbY;
Il think it is an Internal shame: and.
what's more. have half a mind TO 60
and tell the kangaroo of the hoax.
..Oh. come now sad Methven.
-.vou'd never do that, Jack, know.
;'Wcu, | can't stay ary longer, so good
bye for the present
There is not the very slightest doubt
that. if the fatcs had not intervened.
Hornbv would have gone straight 10
Crofton and warned HIM of the impend-
inr hoax, and this story would never
have been written; but. a ii happened,
no sooner had Mcthven gone out OF
Hornby'S rooms than in rushed the Sec
reta-y Of the College Cricket Club III 4
state of bacathleSS anxiety; there was 4
match N $50: il was now eleven
@ clock. and he could get together On!s
eirht men. SO Hornby was promptly
enlisted. and by the time the match Wa;
over Methven and his scheme had en-
tirely faded from his not too retentive
memory Neihven. in the meantime,
had gone straight TO Crofton's rooms.
Now. this (rofton. who was about tC
fall a victim TO MethvcnS wilcs, was
the son of a large Australian sheep
farmer. and had come up To Brazcn-
face the previous October. Like mos'
colcnistS who have not been TO school
in England, he was Very simple and un,
suphistica:ed: ahd though the Kangaroo
a. he WAS generally called, was very
, popular. he Was constantly being made
ihe victim of small practical jokes. mos,
OF which We're originated by Methven.
who was the professional hoaNer OF
Brazenface. He always forgave them
heartily. and joined in the laugh him.
celf However. his one wears resi-.
dence in college had opened his eyes a
little. and being naturally anything but
fool. his friends found it not quite SC
easy TO take him in now. as it used to
De and several attempts having lately
failed. Mcthven. 10 sustain his stwin-
,iling reputation as Joker. had CON
cocted the plan he had Just disclosed 10
Horn5y. He found the genial giant
buSily packing his traps ready fo- going
down the ne>t dar. After chatting a
moment or two the tempter began:
AS you re going to town tomorrow.