Arizona republican., 1911-04-23
BANKER RECEIVES HURRY
CALL FROM WICKENBURG
ROMEO WESTFALL HEARTLESS-
" TREATED.
Leaves In a Rush on Evening Train.
Led on by "Phoney''
TELEGRAM.

over ttt BUSINESS Slludllpl anu STUDY
mp on the advantages which viii con
duce TO the future prosperity Of the
Salt River valley. f. :. Westfall. the
cashier and principal organizer of the
Farmers and Merchants bank. has
been greatly pleased with the cour-
tesy shown him by the business men
in his pleasure however. The rou-
tine Of business has gone well enough
and the pleasant hours with his friends
and associates have drifed by like
spring blossoms in the swift current
Of mountain brook N. y. These
poetic touches viii be appreciated by
the reader after more Of the story
has been told but the cup has had
. measure Of bitterness in il. He has
felt the absence Of his family. and
has not been able 10 appreciate to its
fuIlness the beauty of the land. or
sky
What Il bitter thing To be so near
To happiness, and yet have its full
fillment withheld because Of the alb
sence of one whose presence is the
one thing needed 10 complete the
landscape, and transform into charm
ing lOveliness all the sordid littleness
Of everyday life Such were Mr.
Westialls views until he received in
telligence a few days ago that-his
wife was on the way west. and would
soon be with him in Phoenix
From that day until yesterday his
friends had no rest As might he
supposed Mr. Westfall thinks Mrs
Westfall the most charming woman
in existence. and like all 50 afflicted
he holds forth on her good qualities
on all occasions. and at every oppor-
tunity. When asked how business
prospects We're he would reply My
dear sir my wife will soon be here
Do not veN me. l beseech YOU. with
vulgar cares Of carnal existence
think on a higher plane Ny wife is
coming" When asked To state the
capitalization Of the Farmers and
Merchants bank his mind. being
drawn to money and figures. turned
to a consideration Of little present
he is planning 10 give Mrs. Wcstfall
after her arrival II asked about the
weather he would observe, My era
ciouS, / hope it doesn't rain when
she gets here | want Mrs Westfall
to see the country at its best" In
other words Mr. Wcstfall became a
living incarnation Of Romeo He was
heard reciting on the porch Of the
Stag Friday evening the famous lines.
20 she doth teach the torches to
burn bright
Her beauty hangs upon the cheek of
night,
Like rich jewel in an Ethiop's
Beauty too rich for use, for earth
and he refused to stop when Mr.
Shedd broke i'm with harsh. % dry
up. Westfall"
So much for Mr. WestfaH. But all
was not well. His friends decided to
play Mercutio with him, and Mr.. Nc
Elroy. with Frank Shedd, prepared
one Of the finest mesSes Of pottage
ever presented to an unsuspecting.
trusting. ingenious mortal. Said Nc
Elroy, poor Westfall He is all
worked up. How can he bear to wait
for her arrival" Said Shedd. When
is she due to arrive" on the even
ing's train" replied McElroy And
then they got their two heads to-
gether and planned to do a dreadful
thing. These events happened yes
terday afternoon. and ought to be de
scribed in detail as showing the wick
edness OF Messrs. McElroy and Shedd
They prepared a ''phOny' telegram
addressed to Mr.. F. s. Westfall and
managed to have il presented to him
about five minutes before the evening
train left for Wickenburg. The mes
sage read. in effect. Meet me at
Wickenburg. and return to Phoenix
with me-" and was signed Mrs West
fail
The cOnspiratOr were seated with
Mr.. Westfall in Green and Griffins
office when the message was deiv-
cred and as the messenger boy came
in they looked at him with sublime
unconcern. Their air was blandly dis
Interested as he broke the envelope
and read the contents. but when he
read it aloud and said Il must go at
once they had hard work to pre-
serve their equilibrium. Without wait
ing TO pack his grips or make any
preparation whatever he asked Shedd
To take him to the depot on high
speed, and the party piled into the
auto, McElroy and Shedd both eX-
pressing great concern over the i'm
port of the message. They agreed
with him that it would be best to
go But the trip to the depot was
eventful The auto broke down every
ten steps. and Mr.. Westfall was eaten
by his furious impotence. What
VIII she think Of me McElroy. if |
fail To get there on time?" he vocif-
Grated. 20 suds. Shedd. what on
earth is the matter with your old
buggy. anyhow? Wen never get
there in time to make the train"
etc. etc, etc. Finally he thought he
heard the whistle blow and running
away from his escort he called a
nearby auto that seemed to be i'm
working order hired the driver To
take him to the depot, and went off
in cloud of dust and anxiety.