News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1895-08-08
MIR. HAZLETON'S TRICK.
By Adeline Topham in Springfield Mass.
Homestead.

was her hopeless soft heartedness as
regards beggars. Not but what Mr.
Hazleton believed in charity discrimi
nately applied, but when it came tc
decking out every lazy, hulking
vsgabond in good clothes and filling
him up on the fat of the land it was
certainly carrying things altogether
too far. Then there was the ever
present danger of such villainous
characters into the house and Mr.
Hazleton firmly believed that his
hospitable quarters were famed from
one end of the state to the other, fol
no sooner did one OF the strolling
fraternity strike the town than he
seemed to make a bee-line for the
Hazleton domicle. In vain had he
coaxed, argued, protested, stormed,
even orderd; Mrs. Hazleton would
sometimes promise amendment, but
the very first ragged wayfarer who
presented himself with a tale of woe
was certain to not only wheedle her
out of square meal, but to depart
with substantial additions to his
wardrobe. Finally, one morning as
Mr.. Hazleton was preparing for a
days fishing trip, the discovery that
his wife had presented his last sum-
mer's cast-off suit to some more than
usually dilapidated specimen sent the
faint remnant of his patience flying
to the winds, and in language more
forcible than elegant he expressed his
opinion of tramps in general, and a
woman who was fool enough to swal,
low their lying yarns in particular.
Then, robed by necessity in his regu-
lar business clothes, he flung himself
out of the house, slamming the door
behind him.
1t was the first serious quarrel in
their two years of married life and
according to all traditions in such
matters he ought to have been
ashamed of himself and gone back to
make up. He didn't, however. In
stead of that penitent proceeding he
nursed his grievances all day long as
the bushes, branches and brambles
on the edges of the trout brooks
scratched and frayed his fine clothes
and as they drove home in the twi.
light he was mean enough to tell
Jack Vance the whole story.
"She's got my wardrobe pretty
well cleaned out now," he concluded
grimly; mot much left but my dress
suit and wouldn't be atall surprised
to get home anytime and find that
missing"
Jack Vance laughed. The idea O.
one of these travelling gentry shed
ding his rags in the Hazleton kitchen
and resuming his pilgrimage clad in
his friends seventy-fve dollar swal
low-tail coat, tickled his fancy i'm.
mensely. He quickly restrained bis
mirth, however, for it was plain that
the injured Tom was in no mood fol
1evity.
81 say, old mani" he suddenly ex
claimed, after a moments silence
"why don't you rig yourself up as 8
tramp and give her fright?"
She's too sharp. never undertook
to pull the wool over her eyes yet but
what she found me out" rejoined thu
husband obviously.
Still the notion appealed to hi.
imagination, and gradually the two
fell to discussing ways and means al
to how the thing might be managed
while, as they talked, Mr.. Hazleto1
grew more and more excited anC
charmed with the project. OF cours,
it was rough to frighten Marjorie
but really this thing had gone fa
enough, and if he could only so dis
guise himself as to impose on tha-
Jastute young woman and give he
some inkling of what might happier
should an evil-disposed rascal ge
into the house, he believed the who'll
nonsense would come to suddel
end.
Mr.. Vance proffered every assis
tance in his power. He would borrow
a large part of his necessary outfi
from Tim Pickett, the gentleman
who sifted ashes, cared for the law
and rendered other like services TO
his establishment, while wig, beard
paint and all such accessories coulC
be readily obtained from a costumer
81 tell you what, Tom, thes
women always pretend to have abou
two hundred per. cent. more brain
than they really possess, and
guarantee to get you up so you
would be willing to swear you wer
the genuine article yourself"
Tom resisted for a while, but hi
imagination was fired, and in tn
end he agreed to put the thin,
through. By the time they drov
into the city the details were al
planned, and the buoyant Mr.. HALE
ton was almost persuaded to believ
that the final settlement of the vexe,
tramp question was only a matter G
a few days. Thursday was the tim
fixed upon for carrying out tn
scheme, as that was the kitchen girl
afternoon out, and the prosperity
performer desired to have his victim
alone and completely in his power
and thus doing away with an,
chance of a convenient emissary VIII,
could rush forth to call in assistance
1t must be confessed that MI
Hazleton felt slightly uncomfortabl
as he entered the house that night
but Marjorie met him with smilin,
countenance, evidently bearing n
malice over the mornings explosion
and for the next few days no fres