The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1911-04-21
THE WINNING
OF NELLIE
By M. QUAD
Copyright. 1911. by Associated Lit
erary Press.

men the year round, and he was
good man to work for. His family
consisted of only wife and daughter,
the latter being named Nellie.
Jacob Briff was not boaster in a
general way. There was only one par
ticuar thing he boosted of, and that
was that he had never been taken in
and done for by sharper. He had no
sympathy for man who had. lot
that he was always bound to get the
best of bargain, but that he wanted
to protect himself.
When Nellie Briff was nineteen years
old along came a college chap seeking
employment for the summer. He was
so superior to the average farm hand
that he was taken into the house to
lodge The father and mother saw the
college chap and their daughter falling
in love and for time had little to say.
The day came, however, when Jacob
said
Look here, Mary, that young man
is going to ask us for Nellie pretty
soon."
Eyes, think So"
Two weeks later the young man ap-
preached the father In the usual way
and put the question in the usual way
and stammered and blushed in the
usual way, and the answer was:
I'm not saying yes or no just now.
I'll wait week."
The next day but one Mr.. Williams
was told to take a certain horse to
town and effect a trade. What was
wanted was a heavier horse for the
farm work. The animal he took was
perfectly sound In wind and limb,
though nothing was said about that
He was simply cautioned as to the
weight and strength of the other.
as it a testW asked the wife of her
husband when the young man had
gone his way.
AYE, Mary. I'm no horse trader, but
do contend that the man who gets
the worst in horse trade will get the
worst in everything else. Williams
gets or loses Nellie on this"
But he has never traded horses be-
fore, and he isn't used to the way that
men lie and deceive"
"But it's his native wit and keen
ness Pm testing. I'm looking for him
to get cheated a little, but not too
much"
Five hours later Williams came back
on the horse he had traded for. His
look told Of exultation. Jacob Briff
received the end of the halter from
him and began a thorough lookover.
At the end of twenty minutes he said:
"There are wind gals, there are
spavins, there is a quarter crack, the
horse is blind in the left eye, and he
has touch of the heaves."
Eyes, but the other had bolts, poll
evil and was going blind in both eyes.
He was hip locked to boot"
"Who told you so?
"Why, the fellow traded with"
'Humph! Sound as a bell. Mr..
Williams. you can't have Nellie"
Because I've been cheated in
horse trader"
aye, it was a test. You haven't
SOl IbO 5hdlIJ " hOiO SOhi O"h'
You'll have to 60"
"But, Mr. Briff, you have been cheat
edw was protested.
"Tell me when"
"Then you will be. No man Is so
sharp that he can't be taken in"
"Eh? Eth? Well. you wait till 1t |
happens and then come back for Mel
lie, providing she is ready to wait a
hundred years. Aye, and you shall |
have half of what I'm worth to boot. |
Well talk no more now Have one of |
the men take this wreck out and shoot
it. Pm $3.50 out of pocket"
Mrs. Briff shed tears when she heard |
the ultimatum. Miss Nellie was 60
ing to, but she didn't. After a talk |
with her lover she even smiled.
Six weeks passed away, and then a |
stranger came He expressed his con-
viction that there was box of silver
buried on the farm.
1t was the only thing in the world
that would have excited the farmer
Treasure-and on his farm! How
much?
"At least $780," replied the stranger
-"perhaps a thousand" What share
would Mr.. Briff give him for locating
It?
They haggled over this for a whole
day. Then, at the solemn hour Of |
midnight, with a divining rod to To-
cate the exact spot, the treasure was
unearthed and carried to the barn. 1t |
was in a box which was old and
moldy. There was 5000 in silver half
dollars, and the coins were wrapped
in brown paper-$50 in a roll.
Jacob Briff had made a clean $500
in one night, and the stranger was sat
isfied with his end of the business.
He had Mr.. Briff's 5000 in greenbacks.
A week passed away, and Jacob
Briff was arrested for passing coun-
terfeit money. Not a coin Of that
treasure was genuine And then along
came Mr.. Williams. and in most jo-
vial way he announced that he was
after a wife and half the farm,
did you do it?" asked the farmer.
81 did. l borrowed the counterfeits
from the officers who had seized them
and then hired the stranger to play his
part"
"But thought you had no wit"
"Well, haven't I won NellieT
AYE, you have, and now, as you
are to be my son-in-law. you must get
me out Of this scrape. No decent
young man would want to have his
father-in-law in Jail when the we'd
ding cake was eaten"
GOOD AND EVIL