The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-12-18
LOVES STRATAGEM.
BY EDNA ANDE.

"You shan't have my daughterw said old
Squire Foster. bringing his fist down on the
table with a crash, land that's the end
Of it,"
AT least you will tell me why" insisted
Jack Hart, the cashier in the Neversink
Bank, who had just made application for
the hand of tie old gentleman's only
daughter. what do you know against me,
sir?"
For the matter of that, nothing in par
ticular," replied the squire. "But I'm a
solid man myself have made money and
/ want to lay that money in warm nest.
Now, if give my girl to poor fellow like
you when she comes in for what l leave
her you'll spend it instead of doubling it.
Besides you're too youug-not 26. And
there's my old friend Beleher he's 50, owns
his block Of houses, hundred.acre farm
and money invested in railroad stock; he is
the man. You ought to have sense en- Ough
10 see that he is the man for Ellen. not
you
but il Ellen likes me best?" pleaded
poor Jack.
" Nonsense! she'll like who 1 tell her to-"
replied Nj. Foster, whose grammar was not
his strong point And, as | have an APP
pointment at 8 o'clock, Pll say good-by to
you, young man.
AT this hint Jack solemnly bowed himself
ont Of the sqalre's office.
He loved Ellen Foster, not for her money,
but for her own sweet self, and lie intended
10 have her, as he knew she hated the
elderly sutton whom her father favored.
Elope with me, Elem" lie pleaded-not
on his knees. because that style is quite out
of fashion, but under the side window Of
her f,ther's house before that gentleman
came In to tea. Elope with me. We are
both of age. Let Us defy everybody!'
" suppose pa would forgive me in time"
said Ellen; "but l can't 20 without my
things. | have lots Of nice dresses. jewelry
anu things, and l want to be married de-
Gently and have some one 10 take away my
clothes; but how can l do it., when, all day
long from the time pa goes out, old James
Davis, his Waterman, walks outside, pledged
to lock me up in my own room if l set foot
beyond the door, and to LET no one imp
Is hep" said the cashier, sarcastlcally,
as. at signal from his lady love, he kissed
her hand and ran away.
Mind you. Davis" said Squire Foster,
rs he buttoned his OyercOat in the hall
mind you don't desert your post. No
going ont, and no coming in. That girl of
mine has no mother, and I've got to be
both parents TO her. Don't let so much as
a let'e be carried in at the door"
mo, your honor, not while I'm alive"
said Davis.
But, alas! who can calculate upon cir
cumStances
Solemn james Davis, sitting all evening
in the arm chair, the object of the detesta-
ton Of all the female servant, opened the
door on crack to all applicants, slipping
letters into his own pockets, and, keeping
the house free from intruders, thought him
self invulnerable; but his weak spot had
been discovered by his enemy.
1t was bad boy.
At o'cl OK there came ring at the door,
which answering, he found no one there.
Another and another followed.
It's boy as runs an hides himself"
said Davis, peering up and down the street
"Ihe next ring I'll catch him." aud he
waited, with mis- back against the door
The ring came. Out bolted Davis down
the street, peeped around the corner, found
no boy, and was about to return to the house
when hand caught his coat collar.
Help roared voice. "Helpl Thieves!
Po!ice!'
Let me be-" shouted Davis What do
you catch hold of me for?"
You're burglar" cried the young man.
" | saw you trying to sneak in the front door
OF that house. Oficer"-this to a police
man who had speedily arrived-"I want
this man arrested. He tried to get into this
house with the intention of rGbbing it."
And so, amid his protestatiOns, that re-
Specialize old person, James Davis, was
pushed, pulled and dragged to the nearest
police station, followed by crowd Of raga-
mullins, aud there locked up for the night.
And that young man who had him arrest
ed as a burglar, aud was to appear against
him the next morning, looked suspiciously
Ike the young cashier, Jack Hart, who. of
course, knew that one against whom a
charge was made must be arrested even If
he was able TO prove himself entirely inno-
cent,
And who came to the door in a carriage
half an hour after but this same young
Hart; and who got into it but Ellen Foster:
and where did they drive but to the regis
trars, where they were married.
And Betsy Jane, Sarah and Maria all
helped to carry down the trunks, bags and
parcels with which the cart that came very
soon after the carriage was heavily loaded.
so that when att o'clock old Mr. Foster
rang at his own bell Betsy Jane opened the
door, meek-faced and tidy, while all the
other servants listened at the foot of the
kitchen stairs.
where's DavlsP" asked Squire Foster
Please, sir policeman arrested him a
while ago for being a burglar" said Betsy.
Davis a burglar! Nonsense! He never
was Ourgler! roared the squire.
No. sir, suppose not. please SIR" said
Betsy.
squire. '
Gone for ride, siI."
"What?"
Gone a-riding, SIR"
Where? Who with?"
PLEASE, sir, l don't know where. With
real nice young gentleman, with black mus
taches, sir, replied Betsy, demurelv.
For an hour or two the neighbors all won
deIed what had happened at SQUIRE Fos-
ters, and the cook said she wondered the
roof did not fall In, for she never heard
such language.
ana the return Of Davis, with his account
OF falls arrest and imprisonment, did not
mend matters. N'N N0'
But Ellen was right, after all.
In lew months the old gentleman felt
Inat ne could not do without his girl, and
nnally wrote her letter which re.estab
Ished the happiness of the family.
To-day the young cashiers stratagem and
MS method of getting Old Davis out of the
way IS considered an excellent Joke by bis
worthy NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. News.