Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-09-29
A .STRATAGElI.

wan 70 man. You do not love her but for
She money she will bring you, which would
% Sl,ooo, with which you would set your
sell up In the turning business. Her father
favors you, for you are decent sort of
fellow, and dislike5 me, for am somewhat
OF devil Now, as money is the idea. I
will give you hard cash in hand 81 500 to
Snke yourself out Of the way
What, pay 1t to me on the spotp''
eyes, on the spot
IAN right then, give me tho money and
I will leave the city,
Now, it happened, as is frequently the
case, that the fair Gretchen liked the bet
ter looking man of the two, despite his
spice of gayety. Her father, tobacconist.
however, was SO dead set against him that
1t was impossible for him to visit her OPEN
ly, and SO the two had recourse to strata
gem.
They met in the dead OF night out of the
sound Of the SHORES of her honorable fa-
Their, and they agreed to all shat was happy
ana customary. She was shocked ut the
ease with which Franz let her go and after
pondering upon it she became afraid that
there was some little farce in tho trans,.c-
ton, and, sure enough, three days after
ward, during which her father had growl-
cd at the nonappearance of the lover,
she startled her friend Carl by whis-
pering in his ear that she was sure that
both she and her father wero to remove
from the city, as she had witnessed many
strange movements which could not DO az
counted for in any other way
Hum, hum!'' thought that shrewd
young man. ''Yhis will not DO. TRY and
bewail Franz for u day or Two, and per-
haps your father will tell YOU
The little blue eyed mink ACTUALLY did
this wicked thing and wept copiouSv for
hours together.
Deserted oh, Franx.
Franzi Oh, the wickcdness of wrotchel
mani"
1t worked we'll. The father was at first
triiie suspicious; but, being finally con-
yinced by his fair daughters prolonged
misery, whispered this in her car:
Don't BIO alarmed, my love. am glad
you are awaking to tho merits OF this
esSlmable young man. He is not far off,
only 100 miles or SO, and We will 20 to
him. 1t is necessary that he should be hid
for tho present on account of the vengeance
OF some rascalS whom he ruined, but no
cannot get on without you, and SO tolnor-
row we Will meet him, and you may mar
Fy the dear boy as soon rs you choose, and,
to tell tho truth. we have arranged to
have tho ceremony performed ut the third
station from this city by friend of mino,
Who Will get aboard the train at that
point" M.
All this WAS not long withheld from the
gaping ears of Carl, who stared ut this
new evidence OF the falliblityof mankind
He tried to cheat me out of my 81, 500,
did he? Well, then, we'll SEQ if wo can,r
do son,e cheating OH our own account.
Kiss mo, Gretchen, and hug me- if you
choose, but don't DO afraid Go on be-
Wailing.''
The time came. The goods and chlttels
OF the tobacco merchant were packed, and
IN the darkness Of tho night he smoked his
parting pipe, sitting on corded box con-
tanning his wardrobe, while Gretchen, ,alo
anu shivcring, sat beside him, holding her
sachel and ioS'-ing anxiuusly at her foro-
finger, on which as Yet no ring appeared
Meanwhile strange things wc-" going on a
few miles out of town. Tho virtuous
Franz walked out of his lodgings and
proceeded to the depot, chuckling He
was In his normal condition, half intoSi-
Gated.
At dark part of the way he was jump
ed upon by Il strong fellow, who took him
up bodily and carried him to stable
IN the rear OF some buildings preventing
him from crying as he went Ho entered
dark spot and thon on shutting a door
be turned up u light Of course it was
Carl. He took some leather straps from a
harness and bound up the fellow very
tight and bnndagcd his mouth '2
Now, my dear DEVIL wo are likely to
be even. You shall stay where you are
until somebody finds you in the morning.
ano ! snail go and marry your intended
wife. 1t was all found out, and have
half a mind to thrash you on tbs spot. It
was mean trick you attempted to play
informally mean-but We shall be even,
my lad
An hour later train steamed into tho
station, and Il man with Franz's drunken
gait ms cloak and cap. staggered into the
rear compartment whore We're the honest
tobacconist and his daughter and tho min
lister, with divine powers.
The tobacconist embraced the new
conner.
Ah my beloved Franz, my son, my
Jovial boy No wonder you drank on this
Joyful day. A
Franz, however, seemed to prefer tbs
mbraces OF the sweet girl, who flew at
MN with all ardor 1t was necessary thai
the work should be done quickly, us the
honorable minister must get out at the
next station to go to a dinner party So
they stood up, and in u few minutes it
was completed. The minister and the
tram came to the station. Carl anea his
wife arose.
But you are not going to get out here,
Franz" cried the father.
Yes" replied Carl las well here as
anywhere. -
All alighted. They went into the bill
nnntly lighted saloon Carl took off his
hat.
The tobacconist uttered an oath like the
sound OF q mortar and sank PROSTATE upon
the seat Ten minutes did he glare, and
ten more did he rave and curse
IL blew over. All things blow over.
Franz got SIS damages for bruised ankles
and hurt spirit, but all are now happy in
the extreme. Exchange. "a
1t 10 quite useless Tor e1tncr man ty
woman to expect perfection The man
VINO Will not marry until he gets this
must necessarily rarnni,, ,,n,,a,...i..1l n.