The Opelousas courier., 1884-12-13
A PROFESSIONAL LOVER.
Particulars of q New Business hat 1
Young Man Follows.

Ad1ohooHIO eio0SOA WIFI GllS 1OlIu VI OIL
Apollo and the easy air of a polished
gentleman, entered the lobby and
strolled down the marble floor as if to
show his 1.-the limbs. "That man has
a history" continued the clerk, land I
think is engaged in a business or pro-
fession OIL whatever you may call it
that is not followed by another man on
top of the ground. His occupation is
known to only a few, and | am conf
dent that l am the only person in st.
Louis who knows anything about his
work. l started him in his present
career to oblige a friend, but never
thought the deed [ caused him to do
would lead him to depend upon such
actions for a living and work them
into line of genteel labor as remuner
alive as it is unique and secret"
els he a professional murderer,
asked the reporter, with bullying eyes.
"No."
"Is he a professional burglar"
NO"
"Forger? s%windler? sharper?"
"None Of these. You might guess
until you were gray, and you wouldn'+
hit it. He is nothing more nor less
than a professional lover. Oh, you
needn't look disguised at the revelation.
as the proceeds of his business might
be envied by a bank president, and
some of his single rewards would not
look small beside the fees of many a
great lawyer. [ must tell you his his
tory:
lone night, some years ago, a rich
merchant from an interior city, who
knew me we'll, called at the desk, and
taking me to one side, in great distress
of mind, confided to me that his ac-
complished and beautiful daughter
one Of my schoolmates, by the way
was determined to throw herself away
upon a worthless young idler of her
town, and that all efforts Of parents
and friends had proven futile to turn
her from her foolish course. The
father seemed to be almost beside him.
self as he spoke, and | knew that if the
affair ripened into an elopement OIL
marriage, his happiness would be shat
tered forever. Realizing that the only
way to save the family's peace and thu
young lady's prospects was to presen'
a counter-attraction and cut out he
young lover, who was more infatuated
with her fathers bank account thar
with her, l preached the solution o
the painful problem to him, but he be
came indignant at once and said h
would never consent, to having hi
daughters affections thus tritled with
After persdading him it would be TO
the best, l suggested the man yonde
as just fitted to keat the part of
pseudo lover. He was comparatiyel
young, was a born society man., was
; fine conversationalist. and but for a
I hereditary laziness would not hav
! found himself without friends an
playing MicaWber. The old gentlema
was chary at first, fearing that hi
daughter might transfer her heart a
warmly to the substitute as it wa
fixed upon her first choice. Iexplaine
6 that a paid lover could be easily got on
of the way before a second entanglt
ment would occur, and that all tina
was needed was simply to distract hi
daughters attention enough to hav
her go to Europe without any canke
at her heart. Finally the father cor
scented. The young man. his expense
betrayed by the paternal co-conspiratol
/, appeared Upon the scene in a few day
as a rich tourist, and at once began hi
preconcerted Irritation, being intro
) duced into the best society by tn
recognition accorded him by the girl
father. His elegant ways o o mad
him popular, and it was not long till b
was the favored n around the youn
lady, who viewed with complacenc
, the projected European tour. The req
), lover heard of her departure with a
aching heart, but the other smiled 8
). he saw his payday drawing near. Th
lady crossed the ocean heart free, n
turned in a year, married an estimabl
gentleman in every way suited to he
and is living happily. This new e1
p~erience of my young friend, who's
walk through life must be a sattnter {
ease, was SO amusing and pecuniaril
pleasing that he kept watch for anothe
: such opportunity, and in a fortnigf
was engaged in a similar case in
Southern. city. In this instance tt
. lady's affection was deeply rooted, an
it was only after four months assiduor
wooing-during which time enormo,
: bills for carriages and opera and soci'
ct ceteras had been freely paid by pa
I that the obnoxious sutton was gent
: displaced and her heart placed in sue
a condition that il fell prey to the sies