The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1901-05-10
The Trick Was Exposed.


= WAS young man possessed of
sufficient means to enable me to
live at my ease, when suddenly
there came blow which scattered my
prosperity to the winds and forced me
to labor in the general struggle of gain
ing living.
Securing a clerkship in the house of
creditor Of our late firm, my first care
was to look up less expensive board
ing house. inserted an advertisement
in several city papers, asking for rea-
sonable board in strictly private fam
lily, and received a multitude Of an
swers by next post. Out Of this motley
installment Of epistles, there was but
one which pleased me, and l decided
to answer that one in person immedi-
ately.
Grace Kingsley was the name of the
favored landlady writing to- me, and
the letter stated that her house was
entirely private, she having no board
ers whatever. l was much pleased
with the fair delicate handwriting, and
an idea took possession Of me that
Grace was young and fascinating
widow. I was not disappointed when
l reached the house, and my ring at
the doorbell was answered by the lady
herself. She invited ME into the par
Tor In manner that was so courteous
and yet so modest, that had fallen in
love with her before even crossed the
threshold.
Before leaving my former boarding
house, letter was handed me by the
pOstman, but I did not find time to
examine 1t until was comfortably en-
sconced in the parlor Of Mrs. Kings
ley's cosy establishment.
Opening it, discovered it to be from
wealthy uncle, residing in Vermont,
who regularly sent me letter every
year, but whom I had never seen.
About year previous my uncle
made some pressing Inquiries respect
ing my matrimonial prospects, and
stated that if wasn't already married
l should Immediately enter into the
welded state and let him know Of it
or "he would never more be uncle of
mine.'
Now. as my uncle lived in Vermont
and I in Philadelphia, and l never
anticipated the old gentleman would
ever pay me visit and discover the
falsehood, I wrote to him and inform
ed him that was not only married,
hut also the father Of bouncing boy.
This intelligence so pleased him that
he sent me Il gold goblet and silver
pap-spoon, to be presented to my child.
I ut first sat down and wrote very
romantic letter to my uncle, thanking
him for the present and then visited
the nearest jewelry store and turned
both the goblet and the spoon into cash,
which pocketed.
had received no further letters from
my uncle until the one which I read
in Mrs. Kingsley's parlor. The post
script to this one not only astonished.
but absolutely frightened me- 1t read
as follows:
phia so have decided to do so at once
and get look at you and your wife
and child. You may expect me about
the 10th Of the month";
"Good gracious; my uncle coming to
visit me- 1 exclaimed. land it. is past
the 10th Of the month now! I don't
know ut what moment he may pop in.
What am to do for wife and child?e''
At that moment there came terrible
ring at the door bell, as If the man who
pulled it imagined he owned the
house and could make as much noise
as he pleased. A sickening sensation
took possession of me- for had mis-
giving it was my uncle. > '.E'' '<''@ =
Now, as good fortune would have it.
Mrs. Kingsley had gone out for a few
minutes and had requested me to have
an eye to her child while she. was gone.
AS Iglanced at the cradle, and thought
OF my uncle at the door, bright idea
entered my mind. I determined in
case the visitor was my uncle to, claim,
the youthful occupant of that cradle as
my own. '-s=' ,':s =.
The visitor proved to be my uncle.
knew him by the pictureyof;him I had
seen, and he likewise recognized me