Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1911-04-22
THE WINNING
OF NELLIE
By NJ QUAD
Copyright. 1911. by Associated Lit
crnry Press

Jacob Brfff was not boaster in a
general way. There was only one par
tbcsla< thing be boasted of. and that
was that be had never been taken In
and done for by sharper He had nc
sympathy for man who had Not
that he was always bound to get the
best of bargain. but that he wanted
to protect himself.
When Nellie Bril- was nineteen years
old along came q college chap seeking
employment for the summcs. He Wa
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 Ms for Nellie pretty
soon"
Yes. think So"
Two weeks later the young man ap-
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 certain horse to
town and effect trade. What was
wanted was 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.
us it testlr asked the wife of her
husband when the young man had
gone his way.
AYE. Mary. I'm no horse trader. but
I do contend that the man who gets
the worst In a 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 I'm testing. I'm looking for him
TO get cheated little, but not too
much"
Five hours later Williams came back
on the horse he had traded for. His
look told OF exultation. Jacob Bril-
received the end of the halter from
him and began a thorough Iookover
At the end Of twenty minutes he said
There are wind gals, there are
spavins. there is a quarter crack. the
horse IL blind In the left eye, and he
has a touch Of the heaves."
Yes, but the other had botts, poll
evil and was going blind in both eyes.
He was hip locked to boot"
who told you soY
"Why, the fellow I traded with"
"Humph, Sound as bell Mr..
Williams. you can't have Nellie"
Because I've been cheated In q
horse trader
AYE, 1t was a test. You haven't
got the sharpness to hold your own.
You'll have to CO.
But. Mr.. Bril-. you have been cheat
edv' was protested
Tell me when"
Then you will be. No man h 30
sharp that he can't be taken I'm"
"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.
Wen talk no more now. Have one of
the men take this wreck out and shoot
1t. I'm $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 n
stranger came He expressed his con-
viction that there was a box Of silver
buried on the farm.
1t was the only thing I'm the world
that would have excited the farmer.
Treasure-and on his farmi How
much?
AT least $780," replied the stranger
--'perhaps q thousand" What share
would Mr.. Briff give him for locating
It?
They haggled over this for whole
day Then. at the solemn hour OF
midnight. with 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 Brifr had made clean $500
in one night. and the stranger was sat
isfied with his end of the business
He had Mr. Brifrs $500 in greenbacks.
A week passed away. and Jacob
Briff was arrested for passing coun-
terfeit money. Not coin of that
treasure was genuine. And then along
came Mr.. Williams. and in most 10
vial way be announced that be was
after wife and half the farm.
did you do ity' asked the farmer.
II did. borrowed the counterfeits
from the officers who had seized them
and then hired the stranger TO play bis
part"
"Buf I thought you had no wit"