Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-05-07
DICKIE'S ENTRAPMENT.

| or course YOU know Dlckle SpO0ner.
No you don't! But ] say you do if you
are anybody yourself and know what
what and who who as you can't help
| doing if you read the newspapers. Well.
| then, YOU know Dickie SpOorer, though
perhaps not by that name, for, though he
is one of the heaviest Of Phliadelphia's
| heaviest swelis and cuts prominent fgure
at al thu grandest assemblies and most
exclusive parties, he Is, after all, a very
modest little chap at heart, and | would
not dare 10 call him his real name right
oui loud in meeting for fear that he would
never recover from the shock. But you
will know who | mean so it's all right,
AMI if you re afflicted with chronic obtuse-
ness and cant guess, just drop me a line,
| enclosing a stamp and Il! tell you IN the
strictest confidence.
Dickie's blood being of the real ceru-
lean tint, he could not be anything Lut an
| honorable gentleman; but he has bis
| faults, and one of these is that bumper
or champagne presented by small white
hand Is simply irresistible to him. Now
Penelope Hunt knew this and awaited her
self very cleverly Of Dickie's weakness.
She had been trailing him for years, but
for all the traps she set he never quite
thrust his head in, and at last Penelope
and her mamma, as mighty a Nimrod as
there Is before the Lord decided upon
supcrb cup 'etat, which was to force the
gay and thoughtless Spooner into spider
little paTlor, whether he liked it or not.
They had him I'D to dinner one night.
when 30 other guests were there TO prove
the buwark, and between them piled him
steadily with Namm's extra dry. The
polite Dicl5je protested feebly. but his
An. really, really now, you are very kind
| INDEED. but think will take no more"
was h, eded about as much, or as little
rather, as the renowned fly S buzzing was
| by TIE 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
moe, till he was very. very mellow and an
easy prey for his Deliah.
She took hlm into a pretty little room,
AL perfume, flowers, and easy chairs, and
with the light iudiciously subdued to hide
the powder and the--the other business on
her face; wrought on the fellow feelings
by talking the usual stuff about her lonely
misunderstood life, her yearnings for love
and sympathy IN the midst Of the world
hollow gayety, and so on ad nauseum. till
Dickle, unusually soft-hearted-the wine
|
ald 20 save himself from this proposed!
Just audibe but still audible. and over
door and called her mamma, who came and
gave her blessing.
Dickie. nearly sobered by his folly, got
away as soon as possible and went home to
sleep his headache off. When he awoke
the memory OF bis capture swept over him
like d wave, and ne sunk FRUSTRATED In ut
look him up, when the wretched Spooner
poured forth his tale Of woe and madness
to his friend well, Dckie, ! always
said you we're fool, said Devereux can
didly, but you have reached heights
never dreamed OF you scaling. However,
cheer up Behold, a Devnreux to the res
cue! 1t is scrape too horrible to leave
you in another day, for the Hunt has
| tracked you with d determined cruelty
that arouses indignation in the most
calious heart. and mine for you, my
! gentle lad. is putty. | must baIk her of
her prey; but how, but how? To work, my
mighty brain, and in the cause of friend
ship strain even my prodlgious strength
and tell me how"
Dickie groaned despairingly. Look
| here, Devereux OF course | know Pene
lope Hunt has meant to marry me for
some time, and that she has been rather
unscrupulous in carrying her point; but
she's woman and I'm hanged if I'm GO
ing to do anything dishonorable in the
matter. No. not if | do have to marry
her!' "Pshaw, my dear boy, who wants
you to write her note saying you We
changed your mind and really can come
to taw? Give me a moment and I'll show
you better and quite as effeciual plan
| know as we'll as you that 'Brutus is an
honorable man.
Damon strobe once or twice up and
down the pretty bedroom. while Pythias
watched him anxlously, when springing at
SpoOner Devereux tore his dressing gown
from his shoulders, hustled him into bed
and pulling the covers on him laid a wet
handkerchief OF his brow. what on
esrth?" gasped Dickie.
Hush, hush, my poor chap, your are
very i'll. Lie still and don't let soul dis
turb YOU. Ill instruct yonr man about II
while go for doctor. Devereux was of
ere the confused patient could pTote t, and
returned In a few minutes with young
DR.. Lancet, to whom, jolly good fellow
and an intimate friend of Spocner DP7e-
reux confded the history of the case, The
doctor looked grave, felt of Dickie :
pulse, and prom unced hinl suffering from
brain fever, and after leaving instructions
that not human being was 10 ste him.
departed to pay as many calls as he could
before midnight to circulate the news thai
Dickie Spooner lay raving mad ard that
the attack had been several days coming
on. Upon which many of the sick man s
friends recolected distinctly hat they bad
noticed that his manner had been strange
and flighty.
ooh, say. Devereux!" protested DicAie,
1T feels as if this was not honor
Hush, you re raving. l tell you. old boy
LOOK here to be. serious, though, Were
you. or were you not?''
Il wasn't, of course, but
We'll, then, you weren't and that's pre-,
c1sely the plea on which we are going tc