Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1893-01-12

the old curmudgeon in that way
And he chuckled at the imaginary
triumph he would achieve. 'Pon nv
soul would. / never, as | told you,
allowed anybody to get ahead OF me-
But would that be honorable
'Honorablel the deucel Isn't ey-
erything fair in love and war?
thought you had some pluck, Dick.
Lord, how should like to see the
stingy old chap rave and stamp about
on his gouty toes-for he must be
gouty-when he heard of your elope-
ment.' And be laughed until his
portly sides shook, at the picture he
had conjured up.
He'd probably never forgive me-
said Dick, dejectedly. And then
what could | do with q wife brought
up to every luxury, and only a poor
clerks salary to support her on?'
Never forgive you7 Stuff and
nonsense They always do forgive.
They can't help it. Besides with a
confidential wink. Il think | know your
man. It's that old skinhint Clarkson.
I've heard of your being spooney on
his daughter. She's a good girl,
though sne is his child. Oh, you
needn't try to deny it |! noticed
how you hung about her last winter.
and when | joked about it with nv
daughter next morning she as good
as admitted that it was true and
would be a very good match for you.
Now, owe old Bill Clarkson one, for
trying to do me on those P. D. O.
shares last March; and mean to get
even with him some way. I'll tell
you what I'll do. l mustn't ask,
mind you, who the girl is. Nuns
the word. I'm not to be known in
the business at all, of course; but I'll
give you leave of absence for couple
of months, and a check for $500 TO
pay for your wedding trip, if you'll
elope with the girl. Is it agreed2 All
right, there's my hand on it. Here's
your check. Bless my soul, won't
the old boy howl when he hears you
have done him?'
Dick still hesitated, however, and
it was not till Mr.. Holley, eager to see
his old financial rival done up, had
urged him repeatedly, and promised
to stand by him, that he finally con-
sented, and took the check which his
employer persisted In forcing upon
him. Three days afterward, Mr. Hol-
ley came down to the Office in high
glee, for he had been handed note
at the breakfast table, that morning,
which ran as follows;
DEAR SIR: I have with much difficulty
persuaded her to elope. ltwas not, however,
until showed her your check that she would
consent to do 30. She said that she was sure
you would not recommend anything that was
wrong; that you would advise her as If you
were her own father, and sha hopes that you
will stand by Us. We are off by the GAO train
to Dayton, where we shall be married this
morning before Mr.. Olarkson 10 up, spend
the day at my mothers and start west by
night express. Very thankfully,
R1cHARD WnBY.
The old gentlemanbrought the note
with him to the Office, spread it out
before him on his desk, adjusted his
spectacles and read 1T over and over
again.
1'd give couple Of thousand, said
he, chuckling, to see Bill Clarkson's
face, when he hears how Dick has
played it on him.
Mr.. Harcourt Holley was just putt.
ing on his hat to go to lunch that noon
time, when messenger boy appeared
at the Office door with Q telegram ai.
dressed Mr.. Harcourt Holley.' And
this is how it read:
Dear Father: Dick and were married at
8 O'Clock this morning. would not consent
to an elOpement till Dick assured me you
had advised it. and had shown me your check
as proof He says you promised to stand
| by us, and know you pride yourself on new
or breaking promise. We shall expect your
blessing to overtake rs by the time we reach
San Francisco. RosABRL.
well, I'll bel calculated the
old gentleman, profanely, when he
fhad regained his breath, the impudent
disobedient'-
But here he stopped-stopped and
nopped his bald head, which, in his
excitement, had broken out in pro-
fuse prespiration. He remembered
Just in time that his clerks would
overhear him. He remembered that
be had himself advised Dick to elope,
and that, if the story got out, he would
be the laughingstock of the whole
street, including-hardest cut of all
Mr.. Bill Clarkson. He remem bered,
too, that he had but one child, and
that she was all and all to him. So
ne accepted the inevitable and tele-
graphed back at once:
You may come home, and the sooner the
better, SO as to have the $500 for pin money.
| Tell Dick he's too smart to remain a clerk,
and that Itake him, from to-day, into part
n ership, Only he must remember that part
ners never tell tales ont of school. God
bless you. HARooURT HoLLEY.
The eloping couple returned by the
next train. The marriage proved,
too, an eminently happy one. The
story never got out. l only tell it
now in confidence.