The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-10-26
BY SALLY A. HUMES.

ladies. At any rate, he never could spend
an evening in company without feeling
mortified aud ashamed of something he said
or did and the lady who was so unfortu-
nate as to please his fancy generally went
home vexed and angry for week. he
never divided his attentions between half
dozen fair ones. but perslsteutly followed
his victim from place to place, and persisted
in making himself disagreeable by his blum
dering wit and open admiration. He had
tried to play The agreeable to all the girls OF
his acquaintance, never getting beyond the
first evenings filtration, till he was snubbed
and made to feel that he must look else
where.
But among the village girls Of Stratford
was one whom Jake Whitehead resolved TO
win. She was the belle of the town, and
exceedingly naughty in her treatment Of
poor Jake. He had followed her for three
years, taking insult and abuse for an
answer to every advance he made. But
faint heart never won fair lady" seemed to
be his motto, as lie bore patiently all the
sights heSped upon him.
While lie was cast down, but not IN
despair, a new rival appeared in tie neld.
Lucy Ross had never been conquered by any
Of the village beauX. but tilrted deSpeTately
with all except Jake, whom she too utterly
despised to crafty with smile, unless 1t
was filled with contempt But Oscar Ryan
had long considered himself the one 10
whom she would finally succumb. Guess
his Indignation and surprise, therefore,
when she made light Of his offer, and said
she would as soon think Of marrying Jake
Whitehead With a muttered curse he left
her, ana Il bright idea seemed to possess
him as, striking his hands together, he
Kissed;
IN see 1t done, or my name is not Oscar
Ryan,
Ned Winters, didn'ty you have Your wings
scOTched, hutteTing round Miss Ross Ike a
month last summer
Yes; have you shared my fate, old fell
low? l knew It would come without my
telling you, SO patiently waited to see you
wilt"
well, I wouldn't mind the refusal so
much, bat she says she would as soon marry
Jake Whitehead as me-"
''She didn't say that to yOu?"
Yes, AMI by George! l mean she shall
marry him. You must help me.
"Why, Oscar, has her r-jeetion set you
crazy? How could you accomplish such
thing p
marry the yeIiest idiot for the sake OF
wei, Jake hasn't the money, and is
nothing but a smutty blacksmith. He has
not even the claim to a good farm, which
you and possess"
"Irue; but Lucy wants something above
farmer. My plan is that we see Jake, sym
pathize with him, and take him into orr
confidence. We will advance him money
enough to quit work a while and act this
gentleman. Then we will get up a great ey-
citenent about an immense fortune that has
been left him by an unce just deceased.
lie must ride in fine turnout, wear broad
cloth and become at once q gentleman OF
leisure"
Capital! But ii she falls to fall in love
with him ,?
"She will not miss the fortune. 1 tell you,
and, once married, he must 90 back to his
shop Z support himself and wife. | tell
You, Ned, il wi serve her right"
Il am tempted to help you. but if we fail
we will have made perfect asses Of our
selves"
That's a fact; but we will not fail"
Before parting they had laid their plans,
and agreed to call on Jake the next morning
and see how lac would fall in ~ith them.
Hello. Jake, have good news for ynu,"
called Ned Winters, meeting that indigid-
ual on tie street Come uD to Oscar
Ryan's room, and we will talk it over"
Jakeimmediately joined Ned, and the two
went in search OF Oscar. He was alone in
his fathers office, the old doctor having
rode out to his farm that day to be gone
few DAYS,
well. Jake" said Oscar. as the young
men entered; 4 suppose you know you
have the fed clear at last? |, your rival,
have been vauquishei by Miss Ross, aud am
DOW ready to aud you all l can IN winning
the prize
Jake bIushed, stammered. and tried to
speak, but could not
You see, contuu4 ID Ned, "shs has Just
boldly told Oscar she would rather marry
von than him; so all you have TO do is to
make yourself as agreeable as possible"
Jake's eyes aud mouth were vide open
now.
gasucd.
she has just done that very thing; and
now, to help you on a little, we propose a
plan by which she may become your wife
in less than three months. In the first
place, you must promise entire secrecy and
entire willingness to do as we require Of
you. You must pretend to have come into
a large fortune, aud quit work altogether
for time. You must get fac turnout,
wear the finest broGdeloth. and APP; ear to
haye plenty of money you must commence
digging the foundation OF very large house
on that corner lot of mine, aud pretend you
bought II to put up one OF the finest houses
in town. You must -"
But Jake could wait no longer.
BOYS, you are making fool of me. You
know l cannot do all you ask"
But we will help you. We will Iurnls h
you the turnout, get you a suit OF fine
broadcoth. pay your board at the Eagle
and give you a bogus deed for the lot
Father is going to have soma stone hauled
there for building, and he need not know
our little plot till it is all over"
But how about the fortune? | am an
orphan, without living relative that
know, though l have few old papers that
my father gave ME when he died, saying
that If l ever heard anything about my
uncle George Whitehead | must show them.
But suppose he's dead long ago, for he was
older than father"
"WeIl, no matter" said Oscar, a little i'm
patiently, 1--WE don't expect this dead uncle
to turn up. We will circulate story that
will answer our purpose, aud, after you are
married, you can pay US just what you
think our help was worth; OF, if you like,
you can give us mortgage on your shop,
and we will forward you $500 to win your
wife"
but how do you know that money will
do it? never could get much encourage
ment from her"
The boys exchanged some glances. Ned
was seizrd with a sudden fit of coughing,
and Oscar could not conceal A smile.
The fortune will help YOU; she don't
quite fancy marrying q blacksmith. that's
all. She told my sister she meant to marry
a fortune some day." said Ned, who was the
first to recover his speech. After you get
her, you can make the fortune"
Jake sat silent for some time, then he
said:
II kinder hate to disappoint her; but
then. maybe. she wouldn't mind If made
her good living"
"Of course not! She loves you've know
that-aDd you only-lack little fortune to
win her."
well. boys, here's my hand. But IL we
fall. don't be poking fun at-me"
"'Pon honor, no, Jake! Well keep still
as mice"
The next weekly paper startled the viii
layers with an account of great fortune
left to their hOnored fellow-citIzen, Jake
Whitehead, stating that he had gone to
California to settle up his uncle's estate
After an absence Of a few days, however,
he returned, saying he had given the entire
business into the hands Of a lawyer, whom
he met just ready to start on another i'm
pOrtant business, and willing to undertake
his affairs for good pay. He at once took
rooms at the Eagle, kept phaeton and
ponies, wore fine black suit, and was so
transformed that half the girls were in love
with him. And, indeed, dress did very much
10 improve both his looks and manners he
no longer appeared so awkward, and his
stammerng almost disappeared as he was
surrounded by a beyy of bright girls,
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