Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-11-15
BETROTHFD IN
BANKRUPTCY
By c. d. Lewis
Copyright, 1896, by Ruby Douglas

left her a snug property and a goodly
gum of life insurance, and at fifty years
she became money lender.
She had no friends rs a girl, she had
few as Il wife. and as a widow and
capitalist people did not speak in her
favor. She drove hard bargains and
had no pity. If her capital or interest
was not forthcoming Oh the day and
date she invoked the aid Of the law
and accepted no excuses. She had al
ways been a woman of stingy disposi-
| ton, sure to avenge what she deemed
| 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 a fourth had not one Of the mer-
! chants had business transaction with
the widow Allen and been obliged to
| go to law over it. 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 money
| to young George French, who had for
| several years been a clerk in the store
! of the merchant she wished particularly
to ruin. He was bound hard and fast.
| The widow wanted revenge. but she
didn't propose to lose any money over
| II. She was hear fifty years old and
| the new merchant not yet twenty-six,
| but she let 1t be known that when a
| marriage took place between them the
| firm name of George French & Co"
might be shortened to George French"
There was a rush of customers to the
new store. To keep expenses down
! and make an innovation young French
| employed q girl bookkeeper and an
other girl as clerk.
| As the widow insisted on his board
Ing with her so that they could talk
| business and he he under her watch,
she did not become jealous for time.
| The day came. however when she an
nounced that he must get rid Of both
| girls and nplace them with men.
He ra. 4 ed to heed her in this, point
| ing ont til saving and other good rea-
sons Onc of the reasons that he did
not give WAS that he admired the
! fatherieSS girl. Jennie Warder, the
| bookkeepcr. who was SUI porting a wild
| owed mother by her Efforts, and to
whom he lId been attracted from the
| first day His admiration must have
| been patent 10 her in {, hundred ways
and vet he had spOkeIs no word. The
new store was an experiment; II 1t was
| q success he might avow himself. If
! failure lie would have no right TO ask
her to share his lot
The widow Allen concealed her cha
| grin and did not press her point. The
young merchant was hustling and max
| ing things gloomy for her victim. At
| the proper time he would offer an alter
| native.
Nine months of liberal advertising,
| low prices and attention 10 business on
| the part of the new storekeeper
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 certain
prices and he dared not depart from
| them. He had bound himself to repay
| a certain amount of the capital invest
| ed at the end of the first twelve
months. and figure as he would lie
could not see his way clear to do so.
| The widow was waiting for him to
| speak, and then she laughed and limited
at matrimony When her hints were
| turned aside she said quietly:
"At the end of the year you must pay
me as agreed. II not the law will put
me In possession and you will be out of
| employment
But you are no, pressed for money
You can give me time" he protested
II have worked ike n slave TO make
the store q success. | put in 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 - into bankruptcy
shall buy in the stock and put some
| one else in your place"
Her declaration lost her her boarder,
but when he walked out of the house
he knew that he was ruined in busi-
ness He could not pay her the half
of what he owed her. and call at the
| lawyers brought him no comfort. She
had spoken of marriage, bat 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 way out for the
merchant wGO finds bankruptcy star
Ing him in thp face and fetv take il
who cannot excuse themselves to their
own consciences. The merchant went
over the ground time and time again,
but he always came back to the one
thing. If his store was burned out be-
fore the year was up the insurance
| money would pay the widow Allen
and leave him something to start
anew. Meu recoil from this Idea at
! first but j. the situation is pressing
large proportion grasp it in the end.
Young French looked around his
store and saw the favorable situation
Of things. All he need do was TO leave
lighted candle among the litter un-
der the stairway when he went home
at night BY midnight or an hour later
the whole building would be in flames,
with 10 possibility OF anything belEg
saved. The widow Allen alone might
suspect him, but she would have no
proofs.
The merchant debated the Idea with
himself for two weeks before he adopt
ed it, 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 cIul'h on him. She even
Interpreted the glauces he cast around