Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1891-04-24
DICKIE'S ENTRAPMENT.

you are anybody yourself and know
what's what and who's who. rs you
can't help doing il you read the news
papers. Well, then, you know Dickie
Speoner. though perhaps not by that
name. for, though he is one of the
heaviest of Philadelphia heaviest
swells and cuts "a prominent figure at
all the grandest assemblies and most
exclusive parties. he is, after all. "a
very modest little chap at heart, and |
would not dare to call his real name
right out loud in meeting for fear no
would never recover from the shock.
But you will know who | mean, so it's
all right, and II you are afflicted with
chronic obtuseness and can't guess,
just drop me line, inclosing "a stamp,
and I'll tell you in the strictest conf
dence.
Dickio's blood being Of the real GER
ulean tint, he could not be anything but
An honorable gentleman; but be had
his faults, and one of these is that "A
bumper of champagne presented by
small white hand is simply irresisti-
bic to him. Now Penelope Hunt knew
this and awaited herself very cleyerly
OF Dickie'S weakness. She had been
trailing him for years. but for all he
played about the traps she set he never
quite thrust his head in. and at last
Penelope and her mamma. rs mighty
Nimrod as there is before the Lord.
decided upon suberb coup d'etat,
which was to force the gay and thought
less Spooner into the spiders little par
lor. whether he liked it or not. They
had him up TO dinner one night. when
no other guests were there TO prove
bulwark, and between them piled him
pretty steadily with Mumm's extra dry.
The polite DiclIie protested feebly but
his "Ah, really, really now. you are
very kind indeed, but | think ! will
take no more" was needed about as
much. or as little rather, as the re-
nowned fiy's buzzing was by the very
pressing spider. Just one more with
me, Mr.. Spooner," the fair Penelope
would cry, and silly Dickie would drink
the one more glass, and the one more,
till he was very, very mellow and i'm
easy prey for his Delilah.
She took him into a pretty little
room. all perfume, flowers, and easy
chairs, and with the light judiciously
subdued TO hide the powder and the
the other business on her face; wrought
on the fellows feelings by talking the
usual stuff about her lonely misunder-
stood life, her warnings for love and
sympathy in the midst of the worlds
hollow gayety, and so on ad nauseam,
till DiclIie, unusually sOft-hearted--
the wine was stia in his veins-was
about TO weep, and to save himself
from this proposed! Penelope turned
shy, and tailored "a yes just audible,
but still audible, and overwhelmed at
her own boldness ran to the door and
called her mamma, who came and gave
her blessing.
Dickie. nearly sobercd by his folly.
got away rs soon as possible aud went
home to sleep his headache of. When
he awoke the memory of his capture
swept over him like wave, and he
sank FRUSTRATED in utter misery, till
Randall DcvereuX came to look him up.
when the wretched spooner poured
forth his tale Of woe and madness to
his friend. We'll. Dickie, / always
said you were "a fool" said Devorcux
candidly. but you have reached
heights / never dreamed of you scaling
However, cheer up! Behold. n De-
vereuX to the rescue! II is scrape
too horrible to leave you in another
day, for the hunt has tracked you with
"A determined cruelty that arouses
indignation in the most callous heart,
and mine for you, my gentle lad, is
putty. | must balk her of her prey;
but how, but how? 70 work, my
mighty brain, and in the cause of
friendship strain even thy prodigious
strength and tell me how"
Dickie groaned desperately. Look
here. Devereux! OF course | know
Penelope Hunt has meant to marry
me for some time, and that she has
been rather INSCRIPTIONS in carrying
her point; but she's u woman and I'm
hanged If I'm going to do anything dis
honorable in the matter. No, not il
do have TO marry heri" "Pshaw, my
dear boy. who wants you to write her
note saying you've changed your
hiuN <1io htdliN Gttn COlho W btiMs
Give me a moment and I'll show you
better and quite as eifectual plan. /
know as well az you that "Brutus is an
honorable man."
Damon strobe once or twice up and
down the pretty bedroom. while
Pythias watched him anxiously. when
springing at Spooner Devereux tore
his dressing gown from his shoulders.
hustled him into bed. and piling the
covers on him laid wet handkerchief
on his brow. What on eath?n
gasped Dickie.
Hush hush, my poor chap. you are
very i'll. Lie still and don, & let soul
disturb you. I'll instruct your man
about II while / go for doctor"
Devereux was off ere the confused pa
tient could protest and returned in a
few minutes with young DIR. Lancet. TO
whom, jolly good fellow ard an init