Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1903-12-16
CASTORIA
For Infants and Children.
The Kind You Have Always Bought
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TIT FOR TAT.
A Christmas Story.
BY FRANK PRATT.

VI COURSE. WHICH, l. tel llllS SUI ~ VI
things that happened in the middle west
ern states, | do not expect people to en-
quire too closely about the exact geo
graphical position, OF the cities where
they happened. beg the reader not to
try to guess exactly where the two cities
are. They are two cities within half a
days Journey of each other. both stand
on the same river, and each has more
than 100000 inhabitants.
l make no mystery about it. that this
is tale of a Christmas reconciliation. /
know the circumstances because | helped
to make them.
Living on the border line between two
states, Strong could hardly be expected
to resist the temptation to run off with
Elise Bertshaw, cross the line and marry
her. Nobody knew why her father OBJ
jected to the match; probably Mr.. Bert
shaw did not know himself; anyhow, the
reasons he gave We're simply futile.
First, ne said Elise was too young;
and that was nonsense, for the girl was
over %. at least she was by the time
she and Strong made that bleak, autumn
afternoon trip across the river into the
next state.
Then he said that Strong was an I'M
stable young fellow who didn't know his
own mind; and that, as | was bold
enough to remark to MIR. Bertshaw, was
quite inconsistent with the fact that
Strong had persisted in his wooing. OF
Elise for over two years.. When i said
that, the obdurate and unreasonable pa
rent pulled his gray moustache and def
antly asked me il | thought Mr.. Strong
could afford to support a wife, and |
answered that the only trouble about
Mr.. Strong was that he had more money
to spend than was good for him as d
bachelor.
That ended my interview with Elise's
papa. He got out Of temper with me
because his own reasons were worth
nothing, and | as good as told him SO,
and he said | was "a special pleader'
a term which [ suppose he, being law
yer, knew the meaning of-and that |
was ar impudent young man for coming
to lim with a brief for Strong in my
pocket"
The funny thing about it was that I'M
til Strong openly appeared as a sutton
for the hand of Elise, old Bertshaw never
had anything but good to say of Strong
always insisted on entertaining Strong
when he went over to that city and al
ways came to see him when he-old
Bertshaw-visited our city. For Strong
and I lived, and still live, in the same
city, and in bachelor days we had our
rooms in common.
[ would not for worlds have advised
either Strong or Elise Bertshaw to skip
across the river and make a runaway
match OF it. | hate runaway matches, if
only because | think them vulgar. b
plainly expressing this opinion to Strong
after he had made up his mind without
my knowledge to commit the runaway,
[ incurred his resentment. He said h2
had intended to ask me to be best man.
but, as | entertained such contempt for
both her and him, he could not offend
my fastidious taste.
SO it was that Strong went off down
the river to his lady love, went across
the river with her III the evening, mar
ried her and brought her to our city
without my assistance / might as well
mention here that old Bertshaw refused
to believe this.
[ very soon found some one who had
assisted them through. That was Polly
Harkins | would never have suspected
Polly if she had not told me of it her.
self. Here IS the letter | got from her
a week after tic distressing event:
please come over by an afternoon
train tomorrow and drop in on me at 8.
| want to talk to vou'
Without the least idea what she want
ed of me, | went. and the first thing she
asked me was,
How are the dear young things?"
IF you mean Mr.. and Mrs. Leonard
Strong" | said, Il have not seen them
since they were made one. They refuse
to include ME among their friends
'.I'll see to that said Polly. ''You
didn't act right, but, if you'll help me a
little now, I'll get Leonard to forgive
and Elise
Il don't suppose you approve of such
proceedings" | said. You wouldn't do
such thing yourself, would your
ANY way" she said Il wouldn't tell
my friend, as you did, that it was vul-
gar, after | knew he was going to do it.
And if You care to know, | suggested
it."
/ was very much taken aback by this
frank confession. Polly Harkins. | be-