Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-09-29
to face with s'maa. towiag ana scsap
Ing, who said. politely:


from the nerveless hands Of jacob
Schmidt, and he trembled like . leaf
Rather nervous, see. Sorry. o.
on jag last night, Ell? Well, I'll see
that you have good time while here
old boy. Wide-open town, you know
Fine place. Will bless the day yon
came" said the real estate man, en-.
couragngly, as he picked up the ".
lise and umbrella and threw them to
the porter. After shaking the Ger
man cordially by the hand, he linked
his arm in his and escorted him into
the hotel.
"Mr Schmidt, Mr.. O'Brien," said
the real estate man, introducing the
German to the hotel proprietor. Gen
tleman sent on from our house in Los
Angeles. Tired, / suppose-want to
rest. Ell? Well, well. see you this
evening-eight O'clock" Ana Mr..
Thomas Bregg, real estate broker,
winked his eye significantly, and ejac-
ulated, "You know" and, wringing
Jake's limp hand, retired.
"How soon can get out Of this
city," asked Jake of the astonished
O'Brien.
AT four o'clock-to Los Angeles"
no! no! Mine Gott in himmel!
Not to Los Angeles!" cried Jake, in
terror.
"Then to San Francisco by steamer
tomorrow night"
"Goot. Buy me tigget Can You
gif me quiet room and hat all my
meals sent dare?'
Certainly"
81 am zick. Don't tell no Won my
numper. don't want to see NOBODY"
Upon being refused admittance to
Mr. Schmidt's apartment that even
ing, Mr.. Thomas Bragg, the real es.
tate broker, felt morally certain that,
some competitor had got hold Of his
man and got him Jagged" and i'm
wardly cursed himself for his weak.
ness in not staying with him. He
then and there Determined to see Nv.
Schmidt at all hazards. The next
morning he watched for the waiter
to take up the breakfast and after he
had retired, Bragg knocked loudly at
the door Jake was so terrified that
he locked himself In the closet. Sud-
denly the knocking at the door ceased
and, after cautiously surveying the
room, he ventured out and resumed
his meal. In few moments he heard
a sound near the door, and, looking
up, he saw, with open-mouth amaze
ment, the head and shoulders Of
Thomas Bragg, real estate broker,
framed in the transom window. The
knife and fork dropped from the help
less hands of the German.
$50, you will go out with one Of my
competitors and cut me out, will
you?"
go away, go away" Jake piteously
implored.
"Not much. | won't go away until
you have taken my propositions under
consideration with those OF my com.
pettors." And he whisked out map
from an inside pocket.
At this critical juncture Jake's cum
ming asserted itself Approaching tho
door as il to take the protfered map,
he slyly turned the screw that held
the rod supporting the transom sash,
and bang! went the window upon the
head of Thomas Bragg There was
q great crash as the real estate mar
fell backward OIL the ladder, followed
by volley of oaths.
l "Yes, 1t was a great chase had, to
be sure" continued the detective. Il
first located him at Pasadena by tho
discovery Of his trunk, and followed
his trail thence to Los Angeles, San
Diego and San Francisco. He spent
a day at the Baldwin Hotel, then all
trace Of him disappeared. | was baf-
fed for weeks, One day, while stand
ing on Grant avenue, | noticed
ragged urchin. carrying parcel Of
food, enter one of the old and almost
tenantless buildings in that quarter.
Why stopped and questioned the lad
| can not say.
"'Oh, there's an old guy ] carry
grub to upstairs he said, But l
mustn't say nothin' bout it.
cts all right | answered, shows
ing him my star, I'll 60 up with you.'
81 followed the lad up to fourth
story garnet and entered a room after.
him.
"Men Gott in himmel The real
estate man has found mt. Take dot
money, Don't gill me, don't gill me!
Oh, mein frau--mein little Gretchen!'
walled the inmate OF the room,
crouching in a corner. It was none
other than our friend Jacob Schmidt,
very dirty and disheveled. ! took my
cue in an instant. i don't want your
money said; i have been sent here
, by your frau to protect you against
the real estate men and take you
home to her and the little Gretchen
And poor Jacob Schmidt wept tears
Of joy upon my neck. ! am now fill
ing the interesting role Of protector
and defender against the fierce South
ern California real estate agents."
Such is the history Of the adven-
lures OF Mr.. Jacob Schmidt, grocer,
in the far, far West, who is probably
the only man who ever returned to
Ria aasfern hnme from the Los Anne.