The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-03-30
ROMANCES OFF STAGE
TRUE STORIES THAT ECLIPSE
 LURID MELODRAMAS
One From Nebraska-The Conspiracy That Kept Two Lovers Apart
 A December-Ma Un1on.

Considering the love making and TO- manticism of real life, there is no such thing as melodrama on the stage. Few tank scenes, with real water, in the ensemble, could be staged with the real ism that is chronicled almost every day in the news reports of the country. The galleries. even. would protest against the
 sairy story element that is in them, says The Chicago Tribune.
 Imagine the love affair of Hans kess- ne: and Miss Dora Hanson put upon the stage as an example of the legitimate.
 Two years ago kessner was tarm- hand. working near Plattsmouth, Neb: The Hanson family were neighbours of Kessner's employers, and Dora Hanson, a favorite daughter, was the belle of the neighbCrhood. A dozen young meI of the place had sought to marry her. but she had refused them all Certainly when Hans Kessner chanced to meet her while assisting with the Hanson harvest he had no hope of winning her affections. Perhaps it was his utter for getfulness of himself that first drew her smile upon any man as Miss Hanson be gan to smile upon the simple hearted Hans without awakening 'hopes.
 Suddenly the whole neighborhood was thunderstruck with the announcement of the engagement of Dora Hanson to Hans Kessner. The announcement was a dou- ble humiliation 10 the young men who had been refused. No one knows where aasesns sssa eS5 in taS aS aaSs mscn 2t An vagabond in the neighboring village was drawn into it, and for the promise of Sl00 in case he prevented the wedding he agreed to stop 1t at any cost.
 This was two years ago, When the day of the wedding arrived this tool of the plotters posted himself near the Hanson barn. near which kessner would have to pass, and as the bridegroom came up the man stepped out. accusing nf nxxyin nd ening to expose him to the Hansons if it was not paid on the spot.
 Thought Himself a Murderer.
 Kessner denied the charge strenuously but the accuser became more and more impudent, until, finally angered beyond measure. Kessner seized an old pick han dle and struck the fellow over the head. The man dropped in his tracks as if shot. For an instant kessner bent over him, and, seeing no sign of life in the man, he turned and fled into the gath tTing dusk.
 ',onftderat4s of the man were near. and they took up the senseless body. carrying 1t into the house, where the prospective bride waited. hey told her that Kessner. drunk and brutal. had as saulted a friend, an1. leaving him for dead. had escaped. The man was nurscd hack to consciousness, and in a ddv or two was himself again. He joined in the scandalous stories that were circu- lated everywhera and finally nearly eyerybudy had forgotten him save tho girl who remained true.
 Two weeks ago HaEs Kessner. hand. some, we'll dressed and prosperous. ap- req red at the Hanson homestead. In moment Dora Hanson was in his arms. Loyal always, she could take the ex pldnation for granted. These eXplana- lions were so much stronger than fiction that their truth was on the face ol them.
 Kessnel, believing shat he had killed a man, had fled to Germany. He went to Hamburg ard engaged In business. and about the 1st of January when he received a letter from an old friend in Missouri, he was worth more than $l00,0Q0. This letter, in answer to one that Kessner had written, explained that the supposed victim was only stuuned, that he had recovered fully. and that the whole story of the deep laid plot was out. Kessner prepared at once to sail for America, and his ar rival at the Hanson homestead was tho climax of the romance. The wedding was performed in the Hanson parlor by the same minister who had been sum moned two years before. and the young couple already are settled In their new home in Hamburg. Germany.
 This. on the stage, would ne classed as melodrama The following story, told in one of the old Bertha. the Shop Girl" libraries. would he classed as rank nom sense.
 Married Day After Proposal
 B. r. Flenniken of Knoxville. Tenn.