The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-03-11
WON HIS BET.
How an Elderly Gentleman Played It
on his Younger Companions for a
Mfnc supper

How an Elderly Gentleman Played II
on his Younger Companions for a
Wine Supper.
Chicago Record: In n hotel cafe
three men were talking about var
tous things, Including women. One
n them was an old man whose
personal charms. II he ever pos
sessed any had zone years before. He
was ilorId and bald and grizzled. yet he
talked rs K he we're q Lothario. An
arclent beau always amuses n younger
man who believes that he (the younger
mani Is really something OF q beau.
The say charmer was telling that
youth and good looks could not COM
peie with courtly pollteness and dlplo-
matte flattcry.
Now. You take any woman, and II
sou know low to approach her you can
70 up and engage In conversation with
her and she won't resent It," he said.
"Ot coIrse you must so at It carefully
and know how 10 introduce yourself so
as not to alarm her"
THAT sounds all very WELL" said one
0! the younger men. but I'd just like
10 see you put that into practice. The
idea. You bald-headed old egOtist! |
know twenty women any one OF whom
would freeze you dead II you ever at
tempted TO speak to her without having
been introduced to her FIRST You mus,
have 4 high. opinion of women or else
you must have associated with pretty
cheap lot" ~,
MY dear sir, no one could have n
more. exalted opinion oftwUmen than
! have" -said the old gentleman. ~
don't mean to say that these women are
Nlrts, but l do say that a4clever and
diplomatic man can so UP to a woman
he has never seen before and talk to
her, and II he Is smooth enough he can
put himself on familiar and conhden-
,al terms without the least protest
from her."
I've seen that tried" remarked the
second OF the younger men. What
more, I've seen men get some terrible
throw-downs.' go;
That's because the rlGlrt man didn't
attempt it," said his elderly compan-
ton. SE
Il suppose You think you: could have
succecdcd?" 80. =
81 ilatter myself that Iwould not have
been thrown down. as you term It."
Some OF these days TsWant to see
YOU try your powers Of fascination on
the right kind of woman. II you
don't get the worst of It I miss my
guess" EF.
ANY time nv dear how
All right. I'll just call that bluff.
Do you see that young iadS- lunchlng
BY herself over by the last window ?
suppose you could walk fright over
and enter into a conversation with her,
couldn't you?" NJ
Certainly" NAE
We'll. I'd like to see you do It."
III! do 1t II You make Il an object.
want You to take another good look
at the Young lady TO satisfy yourself
tina: she Is a model OF propriety. You
can tel! By looking at her that she's
refined. cultivated and well-bred girl
who knows exactly how to take care OF
herself and who, ordinarily, would not
be suspected Of taking up.a filtration in
q hotel cafe"
Especially with a bald-headed old
codgsr with pink nose" suggested one
Of the younger men.
That's all, right. Malign me as much
as YOU please. slmp!.- wish to have
YOU admit that II l 70 over there and
talkto her for several minutes without
offending her then I carry my point.
Now. I'll be game with You iel-
lows. You think I'll pretend TO
recognize her and call her by
some fictitious name and apologize
and sc: away. Well. I'll Go nothing OF
the kind. This IS TO be for dinner for
three. OF US, .unders;and?-and. every
thing that goes with 1t. I'll go over
thercand talk 20 that girl I'll sit down
besiGe her. and before I've talked to
her tyo minutes I'll pat her on the
shoulder, and chuck her under the
chin
And she won't object?''
IF she puts up her hand to push me
away or makes any movement to indI-
cate that what I'm doing is distastc.
tui TO E.r, you win the bet"
Il think yJu are crazy" said one OF
the younger men.
Well, SO DO t. addsd another.
The question Is. do you want to
TO make the bet?"
We'll. l don't want to conspIre IA
have young lady insulted.' said one
OF them. sSH
DON'T you worry about that. I know
NY business" 3D.
And I think You are bluNlne. Now
so ahead 80
He arose AMI with his hat In his hand
walked over toward the table at which
the pretty girl was seated. They saw
him approach the table and bow. II
was evident that he was saying some
th!nE. but they could not~hear. When
the girl first looked up she seemed tim
Idly surprised and then the expression
on her face changed TO one OF serious
interest. He continued 10 talk and the
EiE! was unquestlonably Interested.
PRESENTLY he relapscd Into the chair a.
he- side. and then. 20 their unspeaka-
pie horror, he reached over and pa.ted
heT on the shoulder and almost imme-
C!ately afterward chucked her under the
enin. She did not shrink from him.
she made no sign OF protest.
Hes hypnctizcd her." said one OF the
!oseTs. Did you ever see anything to
hea; that? What In the world DO you
suppose he said to herr" IiI
u give It up"
When the elderly companion returned.
smiling and victorious. he firmly de-
c!Ined 10 tell what he had said 10 the
Young woman. t .E:.
We dine at G:30," he said.
Trey never learned how he managed
me attractive young woman who
had lunched at the hotel cafe was talk
ing 70 her intimate friend.
On. Helen. | had such an experience
9-eay' She exclaimed You know
"heh you teleDhoned that you couldn't
come | went into the cafe and had