The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1908-10-08
A Yankee Trap.
[orIeinal.l

| ways been English country gentlemen
and landed proprietors. therefore whel
he got involved In lawsuit with Iii
next door neighbor and lost prett,
much everything he had he gatheres
up the fragments and came to Americ,
with view to continuing the family
| traditional life. He was impractical
and visionary. fancying that In thh
land Of large production he wouls
make fortune and go back to Eng
land to live under his beloved British
nag. He had a daughter, Hilma. TWEEN
ty years old, whom he wished to re
main single until this happy return
when he hoped his altered fortunes
might enable him to marry her to 9
younger son Of some nobleman.
But Hilma Bowman fell In love witt
young farmer, Mark Evans, who
owned the adjoining property, and bel
love was returned. When he proposed
she told him frankly Of her fathers
plans for her. Mark proposed to marry
her despite the old mans opposition
but Hilma was an English girl, and
marriage without her parents consent
was with her entirely out of the
question.
Had Ezra Bowman known Of the sit
uation he would have forbidden Mark
the house. AS it was, he took quite a
fancy to the young man and made him
welcome whenever he came to his
farm, and when Mark came 1t was os-
tensibly to call on the old man, max
ing 1t appear that the other members
Of the family were a secondary consid-
Grafton. Bowman was very fond Of
games, and Mark WAS the only person
living near by that he could get to play
with him. Chess and checkers were
his favorites, and. since In Mark he
found worthy opponent he was al
ways ready for game with him.
Now, whatever be the strong points
Of the British people, they can never
cope with their American cousins In
shrewdness. Bowman was as stolid
as a stone meeting house; Evans was
a Yankee with all that name expresses
Bowman would fight for an opinion
TIL every support had been knocked
from under 1t, then fight on with just
as much obstinacy as If 1t had not
been disproved. One day Evans told
the old man that he was thinking of
selling his farm. 1t was a splendid
piece of property, and Bowman would
have been delighted to get it If he
could have raised the money to buy 1t.
Nevertheless he asked Mark what
would be his price for 1t. Mark re-
piled that he had not made up his
mind to sell it, but II he could get
$25, 900 for it he might let 1t 60 Since
this was nearly $4,000 more money
than Bowman had the conversation
was dropped.
Soon after this Mark took the man
whose son-in-law he wished to be over
his farm, showing him the land, the
dwellings, the barns, the stock, the
farming tools, everything They were
all in prime condition, and Bowman's
cupidity was excited. 1t troubled him
that he had no money with which to
buy such a fine property. and he con-
fessed this to its owner. Mark told
him that he would sell the property to
him for one-half of what he would sell
It to any one else. But as the half was
no more to be raised than the whole
this diG<lot help matters.
One day when the two were playing
checkers Mark said:
"Mr Bowman, I've made up my
mind to go west and shall sell my
farm. Now, since you want it wish
you to have 1t. Make me an offer"
81 couldn't raise $780," said the old
nan
They finished the game, Mark beat
ng because his opponent was think
ng Of the coveted property. Then
Mark leaned back in his chair and said:
"Pll tell you what I'll do, Mr. Bow
nan, with you-mind, with you, not
With any one else. I'll sell you my
arm on these terms. Let me see. The
arm is 100 acres. l will sell 1t to you
With everything on it on the following
erms: For the first ten acres you are
o pay me at the rate of cent an acre,
he second ten acres at the rate of 2
ents an acre, the third ten acres at the
ate OF cents, the fourth 8 cents, and
n this proportion to the end. But
will sell all or none"
There was covetousness in the old
mans eye. He looked for some reason
Why Mark wished to sell SO cheap.
surely he had been over the property
nd had found everything in good con-
ition. He ran up the amount in his
cad till he had reached the eighth lot
( ten acres, which he found to cost
My $3.50.
Are you going to give me the farm p
e asked.
mo; propose to sell 1t to you"
Bowman went on figuring.
81 won't leave the offer OPEN" said
lark.
Done" said Bowman, ceasing to fig
re, and, taking ten dollar bill from
is pocket, he gave it to Mark to bind
lie bargain. Mark without wasting
ny time called for pen and paper and
'rote out a bill of sale on the terms
1t was executed, and Bow
ian gave sigh Of relief. He had
cared there would be slip. Then, L,
liking a pencil, he figured up how