The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1918-07-25
SHARP PRACTICE
,pyrisht. 1918, Western Newspaper Uni
BY EVELYN LEE.

A classical victim Of the keen wiles
Of Abner Wise. money loaner and real
estate shark. had once enunciated the
sentiment.
Gle Is n reincarnation OF Nero, an
astral survivor Of Attilln. with dash
Of Callgula and n portion OF zanba
priest of Thanet In his blood"
Money had been the god Of the
crafty knave all his life and he had
become the richest man In Brighton.
When the railroad came through the
town II was found that. getting an ad-
vance tip. he had bought up most of
the ground In the vicinity OF the new
depot. AS the town began to grow he
got high prices for the lots. Then
the ambition grew 10 purchase the
main business squire.
Wise schemed and bribed and
caJoled until he had secured every
piece Of property In the block except
two. one was one-story old frume
building occupied by widow named
Mrs. Roberts and her daughter. Mabel.
He offered a ridlculously low price
for the property. Mrs. Roberts re-
set to work with all his Inherent craft
10 destroy the widows business.
The other piece Of property that
Wise craved was square area Of
two hundred feet. directly In the cen
ter Of the block and completely shut
In, with no alley or passage way lead
Ing 10 II. This had been purchased
by Mr.. Vance. once a resident Of the
town, when II wns supposed that the
tract would face the street.
Wise wished TO secure II TO build a
rear addition TO a growing department
store. He had written 10 the Vance
family 90 learn that Mr.. Vance had
died. directing no partition OF any OF
his property until his youngest son.
Alison. was OF age. For that culminn-
ton the wary. willy old money grabber
was patiently waiting.
He was not aware Of Il, but one day.
having just attained his majority. ALI
son Vance arrived at Brighton 10 look
after the piece OF property In question.
He put up at hotel and essayed 20
cess 10 the street. Finally. glancing
through the little stationery store he
had view OF the open space behind
II. lie entered the place.
A swect-faced young girl stood be-
hind the store counter and he could
not help but note her beauty and
grace. Alison purchased a pencil and
a magazine.
"Would you mind allowing me TO 80
through the house to the rearf' he
erty just abutting the store and would
like TO look ut H."
"Why. certainly" replied Mabel Rob
erts. Mamma" and she called 10 her
mother who came from a rear living
room repeating the request OF their
visitor.
why. you must belong to the
vancesi" spoke Mrs. Roberts.
IL am Alison Vance"
"And knew your father when he
lived here" declared Mrs. Roberts AMI
matedly and Alison was made TO feel
that he was among friends. For near
ly an hour he fingered. listening TO
the widows story OF her little realty
holding. and so near to Mabel that the
impression Of her modest. cheerful ma
ture attracted him increasingly.
That afternoon guest at the hotel
became engaged In conversation with
Alison. The latter Glanced 10 men,
ton that property interests had
brought him to Brighton.
"Qulte a coincidence" remarked the
other. II am agent for an amusement
syndicate who are starting a chain OF
play houses. We intend TO build a
theater here and Of course II has to
be in the principal business square.
All the lots In the main square are
narrow and the only big one that will
do Is owned by an old schemer named
Wise. He knows I've got TO take II
and he is squeezing me for about eight
times its value"
II have heard Of the gentleman in
question:" said Alison. ais large
frontage an absolute essential in your
plansr
"Not at all. so enough land at the
rear can be secured to build an eighty
foot auditorium"
"Why, perhaps can offer something
OF interest to you" proceeded Alison.
II have quite big tract OF from the
street. and think can arrange for q
twenty-fve-foot shallow front lot in
front"
"You cant" exclaimed the syndicate
man. "Why. that would be just the
thing. II would provide a pretty en-
trance. and the further the auditorium
is from the street the better always.
on account OF the noise OF traffic"
At once Alison revisited Mrs. Rob-
erts and saw Mabel again. The syn
dictate man cemented a bargain for
the two pieces Of property at a price
that meant a small fortune for the
widow.
A few days later Abner Wise bit his
nails In fury and snarled like the hu-
man hyena that he was. as he read
l..