The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-07-06
Our Daily Sport Story

encounter if we married under the pres ent circumstances.
 For several months struggled with the problem. being encouraged by sweet notes from Bessie, and seing her a few times, for her aunt had come to believe that Bessie had given me up. and so had begun to relax her vigil | back and forth from one plan to an- other. First I began another picture and put into 1t the best that I was ca pablo of, working on 1t from twelve to | sixteen hours day. But alas. the l critics fiayed 1t even worse than my | first effort and to tell the truth the criticisms were just. Then I advertised | for art pupils. but only a few came.. and the pay was so small that 1t amounted to little. Among the many plans evolved only one promised suc- cess A merchant in the same busi- ness that my father had been in, wanted to sell out because of his Ill health, and he made me tho first offer because of his friendship for my father. The price was $10,000 cash, which was hardly one- third of what 1t was worth. I obtained the refusal of 1t for six months and tried to borrow the money. but no one was ready to loan money on no security to an artist with no experience, no mat ter how good the investment might be. l was in despair and to intensity the burden, Bessie's aunt had selected a young man of wealth. whom she was determined that Bessie should marry. She invited him to the house, threw Bessie continually into his society and 1t seemed that a proposal was near and the aunt was sure to demand that a speedy marriage should follow. I was at my wits ends, everything that had tried had failed. The little money that l had was nearly gone and I was worse off than ever. I went over for the thousandth time the various plans for relief. but all in vain. As marched up and down my small room. for of course l had given up my studio. trying to evolve some new idea. I ran full into Pop Browns old frame that I had standing in corner. The force of my Impact knocked down the frame and the jar in falling caused 1t to fall apart, 1t having been poorly glued, and the pie ture fell out upon the floor. I picked up the pieces and laid them upon the table, but one of them slipped from my hand and fell to the floor again, and in falling 1t gave forth the sound of a hollow box falling. The sound was so noticeable that I picked 1t up and ex- amined it. At first could not find any thing extraordinary in it, but when hollow sound. Finally I noticed that rapped 1t on the table 1t still gave that
 
 my knife I opened a hidden pocket, which operated with spring and four bank notes fell to the floor. These showed that Pop Brown had on deposit about $25.00O In four different cities, which now belonged to me. as his heir. To say that I danced with joy does not describe 1t at all. I hastened to the banks to see if 1t was correct and found that 1t was. l had no trouble in claim ing the money. as l had carefully es- tablished my heirship when Brown died and few days later found me in pos session of nearly S25.000.
 Of course 1t did not take me long to get word to Bessie. telling her of my find and within a week we had made our arrangements and she escaped and we were married before any one knew anything about 1t. The old aunt raved. words could not express her wrath. and she disinherited Bessie. but 1t was too late. It did not take me long to decide that l was not intended for an artist and to close the offer made by my fa- thers friend for his business. It was the only thing that I really knew any thing about applied myself to 1t with all my power to make money, and now l am rich man. Bessies aunt has for given our marriage, since she has found that I have some money, and our second child Is named after her. so 1 suppose we will get her money after all, as she has no one else to leave 1t to, and 1t all comes from Pop Browns old frame.