Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1911-04-21
A Catspaw

ter Betty was taDOOed. NoI Only
"hands off" was her fathers order to
the young men who coveted her. Dut
tongues off, and even eyes Off, She
was not to be touched, or talked TO,
or even looked at, and woe TO tne
daring youth who ventured to trans
gress the squires command.
No wonder the young men of Bung-
town coveted Betty Coram. Not only
was she very pretty. but she was re-
puted to be amiable and 1ntelngeht'
and was an heiress.
Among those who went wild after
Betty Coram was Excelsior Podd, the
only son of Philetus Podd, editor OF
the Bungtown Banner. Excelsior hao
been so called because the elder Podd
felt a prophetic impulse that his son
would rise higher In the world than
any one else.
"Why not?" said Philetus Podd. II
the boy should inherit his fathers In
tellectual powers, and those powers
should be developed under the sagacl-
GUS instructions of that father. there
would be no limit to his capacity for
rising in the world. 1t was well, there
fore that he was named Excelsior.
AS vet, however Excelsior Podd had
shown no remarkable appreciation or
the exalted destiny that awaited him.
He had lust advanced beyond the posi-
ton of devil in his fathers printing
office, and had been promoted to the
dignity of ease"
He was chiefly noted for being an
overgrown, gawky youth OF Nineteen
who had mo more sense than the law
allows" and was often the butt OF the
village wits.
But Excelsior had no knowledge OF
his deficiencies, his opinion OF him.
self being reflected from that OF his
father, who looked upon his offspring
with admiring eyes. AS his bump OF
self-esteem was wclideveloped, he did
not consider that he was at all pre-
sumptuous in aspiring to the hand or
sweet Betty Coram, or in believing
that he might succeed where so many
had failed.
His disadvantages, of course, were
the same as those which the other
young men labored under, but he
showed considerable ingenuity in over
coming the principal obstacle. He in
vented all sorts of pretexts for gaining
admission to Squire Coram's house
and for obtaining interviews with the
lovely Betty In these efforts he was
often successful, the more so, perhaps,
because the squire did not believe
that his daughter could be in the least
endangered by the presence of Excel
sior Podd.
Excelsior thought otherwise. He
believed himself to be a lady-kller.
and was sure that Betty Coram had
fallen before his invincible onset. The
truth is that Betty was kept so seclud-
ed that the visits of even Excelsior
Podd were a relief to her, and she
did not try to conceal her pleasure at
the sight Of a young man.
This particular young man was sure
that he had made conquest, and his
assurance was rendered doubly sure
when George Deering, the son of the
postmaster, brought him note, d.
rected in delicate feminine hand.
"You are in luck, Excel" said Deer
ing. Here is a note for you from
Betty Coram."
Creation, George! how did you get
hold Of it?"
easy enough. She came to the Of
fee this morning with the squire, and
managed to slip this into my hand.
supposed it was for myself, and was
right mad when | saw that it was for
you. l don't know how it is, old fell
low, that you have got so far ahead
of all the rest of us, and l can't help
envying your good fortune"
Excelsior eagerly grasped the note
and went off to read it by himself. 1t
was in these words:
"My Dear Friend, Excelsior Podd:
1 have noticed your looks, and believe
that you love me. If you do. now is
the time to prove it. | can no longer
endure my fathers tyranny, and am
anxious to leave home. If you are
willing to take me out of here, will
trust you to do so. Come tonight, at
IL o'clock The dog is chained, and
there is no one to fear but father, and
I am sure that you are smart enough
to keep out of his way. Do not fail me,
and am Yours ever, BETTY"
Excelsior was in ecstasies, he hard
ly knew whether he stood upon his
head or his feet. Here was the beau
ty Of the village, the heiress of Bung-
town, actually proposing an elope-
ment, and with him! OF course he
would seize the opportunity. There
could be no question of that. He
would jump at the chance.
During the rest Of the day he was
In such state of excitement and dis
traction that he was unable to attend
to his duties at the printing office. At
night he arrayed himself In his best,
stole out of the house. and directed his
steps toward Squire Coram's mansion.
Although Betty had not given him
directians he knaU what to do