The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1894-02-09
a BANKRUPT's CLEVER SCHEME.
Startling Developments That Enlivened
Dinner to His Creditors.

Dinner to His Creditors.
This story is going the rounds at
Vienna: Among the prominent citizens
of the capital of the Austrian empire is
a gentleman called Fritz. He is the pro-
prietor of large factory and is, more
over, we'll known as jovial, whole
souled fellow, who delights to give large
Sinner parties.
Not long since he sent out invitations
to all his business friends to partake of
his hospitality at dinner party.
At first, as is frequently the case at
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
flow of g, iality and wit such as is
found only GA press excursions.
Good humor prevailed to an almost
alarming extent. Everybody present
was in hilarious mood. Just at this
crisis Fritz stood up and intimated that
he would like to make few remarks.
"Bravo!" said fat man with a red
face, pounding on the table with the
handle of his knife.
"Now we will hear something fun
n.y." remarked another guest, getting
his mouth ready to laugh.
"Speech, speech!" exclaimed several
of the guests who had contemplated the
wine when it was red.
There was a solemnity about the host
that almost convulsed the merry gentle
men present. Gentlemen, I see around
me all my creditors, and | have some
important information to impart to
you" And he paused. The fat man, to
whom Fritz was owing 10000 marks,
turned trife pale and seemed to be I'M
able to close his mouth, in which he
had deposited morsel of pate de foie
gras. Several other creditors looked at
each other.
Gentlemen, continued the orator,
"you will regret to hear 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 said:
Il wish, gentlemen, for your sakes
and for my sake that l were testing,
but am not Of late | have expert
enced severe losses. 1t is impossible for
me to meet my obligations. If, however,
you gentlemen are willing to give me
civ months fima 7 ran nav off aUarv-
thing and thus save my honor-and my
life, for"-and here Fritz drew re-
volver-"1 propose to blow out my
brains in your presence, and he placed
the deadly weapon to his temple.
The Mortified guests sprang to their
feet. A few of the more courageous en-
deavored to wrest the revolver from the
desperate man, but they did not sue
coed. Fritz declared that he would not
give up the revolver until 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 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 in the laugh of the fat man that
told of an aching heart. Fritz put up
his revolver, which, so it has been init
mated, was not even loaded.