The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-07-14
BETRoTHED IN BANKRUPTCY.
By c. B. Lewis.

Uy Cs ns 1c"h1s
 Copyright, 1906. by Ruby Douglas,
 After the death of her farmer hus- band the Widow Allen moved into the village of Fergus. Her husband had left her a snug property and goodly sum of life insurance. and at fifty years she became a money lender.
 She had no friends as a girl, she had few as a wife, and as a widow and a capitalist people did not speak in her favor. She drove hard bargains and had no pity. If her capital or interest was not Forthcoming on the day ana date she invoked the aid of the law and accepted no excuses. She mad ai- ways been a woman of stingy disposl- ton, sure to avenge what she deemed a slight, and when she came to know the general opinion of the villagers she ground her teeth together and made up her mind to get even.
 The village of Fergus boasted of only three general stores. That was more than was needed to supply the wants of the people. There would not have been fourth had not one of the mer- chants had a business transaction with the Widow Allen and been obliged to go to law over 1t. She was beaten In the suit, and to get even she planned to. start another store. Not being an educated woman and afraid to try the idea by herself she lent sum of mon ey to young George French. who had for several years been u clerk in tho store of the merchant she wished par ticularly to ruin. He was bound hard and fast. The widow wanted revenge, but she didn't propose to lose any mon ey over 1t. She was near fifty years old and the new merchant not yet twenty-six, but she let 1t be known Ant ri RHn4 V.Ta A- tween them the firm name of George French and Company" might be short ened to George French"
 There was a rush of customers to the new store. To keep expenses down and make an innovation young French employed girl bookkeeper and another girl as clerk
 As the widow insisted on his board ing with her so that they could talk business and he be under her watch. she did not become jealous for time The day came, however, when she un- nounced that he must get rid of both girls and replace them with men.
 He refused to heed her in this. point ing out the saving and other good reasons. One of the reasons that Inc 1 did not give was that he admired the | fatherless girl. Jennie Warder, ths | bOokkeeper, who was supporting q widowed mother by her efforts. and to whom he had been attracted from the | first day His admiration must have been patent to her In a hundred ways and yet he had spoken no word. The new store was an experiment; If 1t was success he might avow himself. If a failure he would have no right to ask her to share his lot.
 The Widow Allen concealed her chagrin and did not press her point The young merchant was hustling and making things gloomy for her victim At the proper time he would offer an alternative.
 Nine months of liberal advertising. low prices and attention to business on the part of the new etorekeepei brought bankruptcy to two Of the other merchants. but they brought no such profits to French as he had hoped for He had bound himself to sell at cer. tain prices and he dared not depart from them. He had bound himself to repay a certain amount of the capital invested at the end of the first twelve months. and figure as he would, he could not see his way clear to do so. The widow was waiting for him to speak, and then she laughed and hint ed at matrimony. When her hints were turned aside she said quietly:
 At the epd of the year you must pay me as agreed If not the law will put me III pOSSSSSlon anu Sou WAAA DS ON@ VI employment"
 But you are not pressed for money. You can give me time" he protested T have worked like a slave to make the store a success. l put in a thou sand dollars of my own money. You would not drive me into bankruptcyT
 If we are not married on the day your notes are due shall demand my money. If you go into bankruptcy shall buy in the stock and put some one else in your place"
 Her declaration lost her her boarder. but when ne walked out of the house ke knew that he was ruined in bus mess. He could not pay her the half of what he owed her. and a call at the lawyers brought him no comfort She had spoken of marriage. but he turned away in disgust at the thought She had said she would ruin him. and she was a woman to keep her word.
 There is always a way out for the merchant who finds bankruptcy star ing him in the face. and few take itI who cannot excuse themselves to their own consciences. The merchant went over the ground time and time again, thing. If his store was burned out before the year was up the insurancel money would pay the Widow Allen and leave him something to start anew. Men recoil from this idea at first. butt If the situation is pressing a largel proportion grasp 1t in the end.
 Young French looked around hIsl store and saw the favorable situation of things. All he need do was to leaVsI a lighted candle among the litter un- der the stairway when he went home at night By midnight or an hour lat CT, the whole building would be In flames, with no possibility of anything being saved. The Widow Allen alono might suspect him. but she would have no proofs.
 The merchant debated the idea with himself for two weeks before he adop- ted 1t. In the store he gave no sign that he was troubled. but the book keeper was not deceived. She knew what the profits were. and she knew who had a clutch on him, She even interpreted the glances he cast around the store. and when she saw him ad- ding to the litter in the closet she could have told him his purpose.
 One windy. rainy night. when there was excuse for shutting up early. ana when only thirty days remained be- tween French and business ruin. he made a pretext to be the last one out and the candle was placed and lighted The young merchant went to his board ing house and to his room. and all ha had to do was to wait
 The wind rose and the rain fell more