Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1885-06-03

his native State to obtain pre-
else information, not only TO-
spccting himself. but his family and
connections. The guardians OF tho
young lady insist on this course
being taken. An early day Is appoint
ed to arrange the preliminsrics. and on
going to the agents the dupe finds the
lady and her aunt there. by the mercst
chance. In their presence a clerk Is
summoned and the necessary indica-
tons drawn up In writing. The clerks
expenses and time, together, five dol
lars day, for say week. The client
hesitates ut this new drain upon him,
whercupon the aunt, in the most natu-
raj manner in tho world, volunteers to
bear half the expenses, and, to set the
dupe an example, produces her purse
IAN elegant knitted one), and hands
the agent her share. With the view of
paying court the dupe admires the
purse is informed-as indeed he sur
mised-that 1t was made by the niece,
and the acceptance of 1t forced upon
him by the aunt, who will listen to no
refusal. As iron must be beaten while
it Is hot, the clerk is to start at once,
and the client pays his thirty-five dol
lars.
As the week devoted to the inquiry
is drawing to its close the dupe looks
in at the agency to hear il there is any
news. The ladies are not there on this
occasion, but the agent Is, and he
takes care to remind him Of the purse
and the necessity of making suitable
acknowledgment, which. under present
circumstances, the more handsome it
is the more he explains to the dupe it
will be to his advantage; for the niece.
he takes care to inform him, will, In all
likelihood, succeed to her aunt's for
tune. With the view of not being
thought mean the dupe presents the
lady with a diamond ring worth one
hundred dollars, the stone OF
which, remounted as pin
for the agent, will servo to
dazzle future dupes. Usually bySthis
time the week has elapsed. the clerk Is
reported to have fallen i'll in the coun.
try; has met with sun-stroke, or been
put between damp sheets. according to
the season of the year. His illness lasts
four days, for which another thirty
dollars or more has to be paid, as 1t
will look exceedingly mean to ask the
aunt to bear the share of this trife.
The dupe's pocket-book is, therefore,
again opened, though all this time the
clerk has not only been perfectly well,
but has never even quilted New York.
At length the client grows impatient
and speaks out, whereupon the agent
assumes an air of profound sadness and
announces to him, with marked emo
ton, that he has had narrow escape;
that his (the agent's) vigilance and
have saved him from a great
for he has discovered that
the paternal parent of the young lady,
whom there ha6 always
been Q mystery, had been hanged for
Her own reputation, too. is
whispered against, and her pretended
fortune equally doubtful. The dupe,
surprised and Mortified at this revela-
ton, though regretting the money he
has paid, can not but congratulate him.
self that this is no more, and feels
grateful at his escape. He has paid
two hundred and fifty dol
lars. The game is played out so far as
he is concerned, but he only retires to
make way for some one else equally
and equally foolish.-Brook-
Ign EAGLE.