Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-04-24
A LITTLE GAME.

@ANv Wv ee'S - 1880 S'S NhtoF AobtA Az
extremely difficult to make the old man
in the case understand the interesting
fact. She was the only daughter of the
old man who acted the stony hearted par
ent, and the youth on whom she lavished
her whole affection, alas, was only an an
derpaid clerk in the old mans Wall street
office.
Algernon-his name was not a bit like
Algernon, but let it go at that-Algernon
was a bright, promising young fellow,
and be had been a welcome guest at the
old m~illionaire's house until one day he
had almost made the old man throw a fit
by declaring his love for Belinda. He had
other views for his only daughter, and
Algernon was sternly forbidden to see or
even communicate with the gentle Belinda
again ON pain of instant dismissal from
the office, while the lovesick maiden was
shut up in the family residence, closely
guarded, and all the mail at both office
and residence was personally supervised
and examined by the millionaire hilmself.H
In spite of all these precautions the low
ers found some mysterious mean to COM
municate with n another. The old man
was sure of this, but when he stormed and
demanded an explanation Of how Alger-
non knew the most minute detail of Be-
linda's home life, when he bullied Belinda
to tell him how on earth she learned ev-
cry little happening to Algernon at tho
office, even to the particulars of his pri-
vate conversations, the pair would only
smile happily and say, ''She, or he, is my
affinity, MY alter ego,' and no power OIL
earth can make us live apart"
"Boshr' replied the stony hearted one,
but still he was perplexed, for in spite of
keeping a sterner espionage over the pair
their revelations of their absolute knowl-
edge of each others movements and affairs
became holder and more marvellous every
day.
Not contented with this, they dared the
old man to put their mutual hypnotic con-
troll to the test.
"Tonight, sir, when you arrive at
home," said Algernon, Belinda will
meet you in the hall and with a kindly
smile of welcome she will take your hat
and cane and escort you to the library.
When the dinner is over, she will take a
red rose from a vase on the table and pin
it in your %buttonhole, after which she will
go to the piano and sing one verse Of ooh,
Promise Me- Should you ask her for a
second verse, she will sadly reply, i San
not sing that song, for l am not permit
ted to keep my promises Those will be
her exact words. Then she will retire to
her room.
"You will be so mad that in the morn
ing you will threaten her with Punishment
to Europe, but she will tell you that space
cannot separate affinities and offer to
prove the glorious fact to you"
"Bosh!' again calculated the million
aire, but when everything happened pre-
cisely as his underpaid clerk had predicted
he felt uneasy and passed a most unpleas"
ant night.
In the morning he did not threaten his
dainty daughter with Punishment to Eu-
rope, and he chuckled as he thought that
A%lgernon was wrong for once, but as the
obedient Belinda handed him his hat and
cane he jokingly asked her how 1t was she
never more asked for news of A%lgernon.
ut is not necessary, papa,' said the
maiden with downcast eyes. "We are
afinities, you know, and ever present,
each with the other"
"Boshl" again exclaimed the irate old
man. He was fast coming to a point when
he knew of nothing else to say, so strange
were the circumstances surrounding him.
II suppose you know what he would do
If I should fire him from the office and
ruin all his prospects In life?" continued
the furious old man.
II know you would not be so cruel"
said the little maiden. "Indeed 1 know
that today you will consent to my seeing
him again, for l will prove to you that
we are together in soul already. Listenl
See if I am right!
''Soon after you have entered your pri-
vate office today" continued Belinda, in
tragic tones and with a faraway look, like
one peering into the future, she will
knock three times at your door and offer
you a present. You will angrily refuse.
He will softly whistle a bar or two of If
Yo' Amt Got No Money, Yo' Needn't
Come Round, and resume his seat. Ex-
actly one hour afterward he will knock
twice and extend another peace offering.
Again you will reply angrily. One hour
later he will knock only once and enter
without speaking. When you ask him
what he wants, he will reply, THE hand
of your daughter If you again refuse,
you will return to find your Belinda is no
more"
Again the old fellow felt inclined to
say "Boshl' but the word stuck in his
throat, and he hurried from the house
with an uncanny feeling creeping all
down his back.
When he reached the office, he plunged
lus,J,1 L. snko h,,o;,,noe h,,t hic haort 1oovad
wildly when he heard three steady knocks
on the door and the handsome, insolent
face Of A~lgernon peeped in, asking the
absurd question, "Would you like a few
peanuts, governor"
With an oath the millionaire drove him
out, but his blood almost froze as he heard
the clerk, in no way p%erturbed, softly
whistling the first bars of May Twins
latest popular song.
Just an hour later "Bangl bangv
came the knocks again. This time the
peace offering took the shape of a square
of c%ocoanut candy. Such audacity had
never been heard Of, and the Wall street
man was furious. But when, after so
minutes, the apparently crazy clerk knock
ed at the door of the private office only
once and entered silently Belinda's stern
parent was almost speechless with mingled
rage and fear.
"What do you wants" he instinctively
roared.
1.-THE hand Of your daughter, was the
solemn reply.
Then the doting father could no longer
doubt the power Of ~af1nities. He feared
to refuse lest the full and fearful penalty
should fall on him. Lest he should return
and find that by his relentless conduct he
had killed his darling daughter, he capitu-
lated and gave his full consent.
He felt a happier nan as he started for
home that night. Even when his hat blew
of at q windy corner and he crushed IL
out Of shape in stopping 1t with his foot
he did not swear. It was not until, on
picking IL up, a piece Of his wi office pa
per fell from under the lining and he read