The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-02-22
A BANkaUPT's CLEVER SCHEME,


Startling Developme nts That Enlivened
Dinner to His Creditors.
This story is going tho rounds at
Vienna: Among tho prominent citizens
of the capital OF the Austrian empire is
a gentleman called Fritz. He is the pro-
prietor Of a large factory and is, more
over. we'll known as a ~Jovial, whole
souled fellow, who delights to give large
dinner parties.
Not long since he sent out invitations
to all his business friends to partake of
his hospitality at a dinner party.
At first, as is frequently the case at a
dinner party at which there are gentle
men only, the proceedings were some
what tedious. BY degrees, however, the
guests became more lively under the
stimulating influences of the wines.
Their tongues became loOsened by the
frequent ~lubrications, and there was a
flow of gcniality and wit such as is
found only on press excursions.
Good humor prevailed to an almost
alarming extent. Everybody present
was in a hilarious mood. Just ut this
crisis Fritz stood up and intimated that
he would like to make Il few remarks.
"Bravo!' said a fat man with a red
face, pounding on the table with the
handle OF his knife.
Nov we will hear something fun
ny, remarked another guest, getting
his mouth ready t. laugh.
speech. speech exclaimed several
OF the guests who had contemplated the
wine when it was red.
There was solemnity about the host
that almost COnvulsed the merry gentle.
men present. "Gentlemen, | see around
me all my creditors. and l have some
important information to impart to
You. And he paused. The fat man, t.
whom Fritz was owing 20, 600 marks.
turned a trifie pale and seemed to be un-
able to close his mouth. in which he
had deposited a morsel of pate de foie
gras. Several other creditors looked mt
each other.
'Gentlemen. continued the orator,
you will regret to hcar that | ana
bankrupt
Roars Of laughter. That is good.
Over the Hills to the Poorhouse. -
sang another.
The orator did not join in the laugh
ter. With increased solemnity he sand.
II wish. gentlemen, for yOur sakes
and for my sake that | were testing,
but am not. OF late | have expert
enced severe losses. 1t j. ilnposslbie tu1
me q meet my obligations. Ii, however.
Won Dt1II lennon a, wil1jr,r o., w ,
six months time. | can pay OFT every
thing and thus save my honor and mv
life, for and hrre Fritz drew a re-
VOlVer-'l propo>" to blow out MY
brains III your presence, and he placed
the deadly weapon to his temple.
The Mortified guests spl ang to their
feet. A few Of the more courageous en-
deavored to wrest the revolver from tho
desperate man, but they did not SUE
coed. Fritz declared that he would not
give up the revolver until a certain doc
ument giving him an extension of six
months was signed, and he suddenly |
drew the document from his breast
pocket.
AS we have already intimated, all
the creditors, owing to the wine, were
in a most genial mood, and in a few
minutes the document was signed by all
the creditors of herr Fritz.
Then the merriment was renewed in
earnest. although there was a hollow
ring III the laugh of the fat mar that
told of an aching heart. Fritz put up
his revolver, which, SO it has been init
vas not even loaded.