The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1915-10-13
ABiter Bit
By F. A. Mitchell
By F. A. Mitchell

lit is obvious from this story that the
story teller was young man bent on
an adventure.l
One morning the postman left me a
letter with the firm name of Outcault
Hardy & Dunn, attorneys-at-law.
stamped on the left hand corner of the
envelope. l opened it and read the
following, signed by the lawyers:
Your proposition to unite the properties
so long in legal dispute by marrying Miss
Auchincloss has been referred to her with
our assurances that the tangle between
the two can never be unraveled except by
such a union. Present circumstances II
continued will in time eat up a property
which removed from litigation would pro-
duce an income of 5000 clear of all ex-
penses. Miss Auchincloss. never having
seen you. desires US to send her your pho
tograph-
1t was evident to me that the letter
doubtless intended for another An
thony Page had come to me. l in
closed my photograph in a note stat
ing in substance the note l had re-
ceived from the attorneys and adding
that l did not care to act further
through them, but would be pleased
to form her acquaintance direct. l
chose this course. thinking that the
real Anthony Page might be known
personally to Messrs. Outcault, Hardy
& Dunn and my photograph If sent
to them would give me away.
In due time ! received q note signed
Bertha Auchincloss acknowledging the
receipt of my photograph and in
closing one of her own 1t represented
a young girl OF eighteen or nineteen,
pretty as a peach and in whose eye
lurked an inexhaustible fund of mis-
chief. This will be q case of diamond
cut diamond. said to myself. and
see lot of fun ahead. The letter was
very short. stating that the writer
agreed with me in direct action instead
of the ''horrid lawyers" and inviting
me to call.
Without proper consideration as to
the risk / ran of being horsewhipped
by some of the young lady's relatives
| went to see her. She came into the
room smilingly and extended her hand.
which l grasped and pressed We be-
gan our acquaintance without the
slightest reference to the subject of the
union of property and. so far as that
first meeting was concerned, made
no progress in coming to an under
standing with regard to a. union OF
properties. This was gratifying to me.
for the moment we should enter into
details 1 would betray myself. On
leaving l asked permission to call
again. which was graciously accorded
Having made no reply to the note of
the lawyers, did not hear from them
again.
So delighted was l with my success
that on my second visit to Miss Au-
chincloss 1 ventured to mention the
object of my calls. She dropped her
eyes to the floor aud said that be-
fore the matter could be considered
she must take time to have inquiries
made concerning me. She could not
even contemplate such step without
knowing more about me. / WINGED at
this, for it seemed impossible for her
to make such inquiries without dis
covering that l was an impostor.
Nevertheless ! brazened it out and
offered to give her references. To this
she replied that she already had the
names of some persons who could give
her the required information. OF
course she meant friends of the real
Anthony Page and l hoped he had a
better character than l, though l did
not express the hope to her.
Notwithstanding the perils by which
was surrounded my bark sailed or
over an untroubled sea. At times
wondered how | could escape the dan
gers that beset me, but the truth is
was falling heels over head in love
with Bertha Auchincloss and was infat
uated not only with her, but the part
was playing. My calls grew more and
more frequent, but instead OF taking
up the matter on account OF which we
had come together she not only refrain
ed from mentioning it, but discouraged
my doing so. This, taken with the fact
that nothing adverse had come from
her injuries, gave me quite a cleaI
coast.
Plunging headlong into love as l was
| the time soon came when | made G
declaration without confessing my
Identity. | told her that l loved hel
and were the property on account Of
which we had come together sent t
| the bottom of the ocean still would
love her. still would | marry her If SHE
would consent She did not drop he
head on my shoulder and whispel
Yes" She burst into laugh.
1.-The next time" she said, you PLAY
a game like that, keep your wits abou
| you My aunt. for whom am named
is the lady you have supposed you wer'
visiting. Since you first came to Sc,
me she has married the other Anthem,
Page. She is forty years old. and he il
fifty. ! took an interest in that cas-,
and remarked the handwriting of tn,
letter he wrote my aunt and which wa
sent her by the lawyers. Believing tina
their reply to him must have fallel
into the hands of a scamp-for tn
writing was not his-I sent for you
photograph. thinking to have a littl
fun. Being pleased with it and realiz
ing that 1t takes two to carry out
lark. ] invited you to call. Accept N,
thanks for having afforded me the mos
amusing episode OF my life"
| was madly In love with a girl VIII
had been fooling me. Nevertheless.
began all over again and In time car
tured her. She says that in marrying
me she did better than her aunt witt
the other Anthony Page. since thei
property involved only hundred thou
Eyld dollars, while mine is half mil
Hon.