The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1907-12-14

only d count but he was worth his
mllllone. When tho nobility had TO 90
he found himself poor man. Some
counts would have committed suicide.
but he was not that sort Of count
Tie cast around for a way TO rebuild
sis fortunes. After many failures and
appointments be- has finally struck
Il That's what brought him over to
see me"
But he didn't come over from France
especially 10 see you. did her asked
Mrs. Bowser.
Certainly. lie came straight to the
Office from the steamer. He came to
see Bowser first OF all He would have
waited all day for me TO come in. Mrs.
Bowser, want you TO know that your
husband Is just as well known In Eu-
rope, Asia and Africa as in America.
The count had scheme TO lay before
me- and, being a business man, be
didn't waste any time. Do you know
the value Of the French wines made
every year?'
81 have no idea"
"Over $300,O0O,000. my dear. Two
thirds OF them are made of grapes, but
the other one-thlrd OF something else.
The profit on them Is enormous. There
Is no earthly reason why French wines
can't be made right here In our own
city. All you have to do Is to mix up
the stuff and put French label on the
bottle The count came over to pro-
pose a business partnership, and ! am
going In with him. Scuse me a min
ute. dear"
He stepped out into the hall. and this
time there was no mistake about the
gurgle. There was a glad light In bis
eyes as he returned, but he had to
scratch his head and look up at the
ceiling before he could remember where
he left off, and continued:
Enormous profits. Mrs. Bowser-
enormous. Five bushels OF the Amer
lean hucklcberry, together with one
gallon Of alcohol, two pounds OF log
wood aud ten barrels Of water make
$4,000 worth Of the best French wines;
clear profit. $4,000. Any gold mine
TO beat thatl Fat your husband on the
back and call him bully boy. | at
tend TO the huckleberry part and the
count TO the rest | advertise In the
morning paper for 10000 bushels OF
huck-huck'-
There was no longer room to doubt
Mr.. Bowser's condition. He was smil-
Ing feebly and looking up at the cell
ing. and he seemed to have come to
the end of his story. Mrs. Bowser
passed around behind him and took q
pint bottle Of some dark liquid from
his breast pocket. There were but
few sips left In the bottle. The CUR
Cling noise was explained.
"What do you call this?" she asked.
"Zhat? That's our huck-huckleberry
wine. Count had bottle OF 1t all
ready made for me. Mrsh. Bowsher,
zhe profits are enormousl"
do you know that you are intoxl-
catedy
Me 'toxlcatedl Ha, ha, hal Good
shoke-lt's Just err logwoOd making me
feel good Five bushels OF American
huckleberries, ten barrels of-of-ten
barrels Of what did shay? No mat
ter. zhe profits are simply gigantic.
Don't even have to use er best kind
OF logwood. Any old sort Of logwood
will do. Err count shays That half er
profits Will amount toto
"Mr. Bowser, you must so TO bed"
she said as his head fell forward on
his breast. Il wouldn't have the cook
see you in this condition for anything"
Cook? Shee me? Condishun? Whaz
you mean, Mrsh. Bowsher? Can't
take FIVE bushels OF Observation-Disclosures
and ten bar'ls OF wa-water and
Then he slid out OF his chair under
the reading table and knew no more. !
French counts. huckleberries. logwood
and alcohol were no more to him. The
profits had been enormous, and he had
made his millions. II was a warm
night. and Mrs. Bowser slipped sofa
pillow under his head and turned out
the gas and went upstairs to bed and
left him by his lonesome.
NJ. QUAD.