Jackson County journal. (Sylva, N.C.) 19??-19??, 1918-08-30
SHARP PRACTICE
BY EVELYN LEE.

estate shark, had once enunciated the
sentiment.
''He is a reincarnation of Nero, an
astral survivor of Attilla, with dash
of Caligula and a portion of Zamba
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 it 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 to purchase the
main business square.
Wise schemed and bribed and
cajoled until he had secured every
piece of property in the block except
two. One was one-story old frame
building occupied by widow named
Mrs. Roberts and her daughter, Mabel.
He offered a ridiculously low price
for the property. Mrs. Roberts re-
| fused to consider it. Then Abner Wise
set to work with all his inherent craft
to destroy the widows business.
The other piece of property that
Wise craved was a 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 to it. This had been purchased
by Mr.. Vance, once a resident of the
town, when it was supposed that the
tract would face the street.
Wise wished to secure it to build
rear addition to a growing department
store. He had written to the Vance
family to learn that Mr.. Vance had
died, directing no partition of any Of
his property until his youngest son,
Alison, was Of age. For that culmina-
ton the wary, willy old money grabber
was patiently waiting.
He was not aware of it, but one day,
having just attained his majority, Ali
son Vance arrived at Brighton to look
after the piece Of property in question
He put up at a hotel and essayed to
get a glimpse Of the lot with no &C
cess to the street. Finally, glancing
through the little stationery store he
had view of the open space behind
it. He entered the place.
A sweet-faced young girl stood be
hind the store counter and he coul(
not help but note her beauty AM
grace. Alison purchased a pencil ant
magazine.
'Would you mind allowing me to g
through the house to the rear?" h
asked. II am the owner of the prop
erty just abutting the store and woul'
like to look at it."
"Why, certainly" replied Mabel Rob
erts. Mamma" and she called to he
a mother who came from q rear Twin
. room repeating the request of thei
= visitor.
"Why, you must belong to tn
r Vances?" spoke Mrs. Roberts.
d Il am Alison Vance,"
e "And I knew your father when h
n lived here" declared Mrs. Roberts an
e matedly and Alison was made to fe,
e. that he was among friends. For nea
II ly an hour he fingered, listening |
f. the widows story of her little realt
{: holding, and so near to- Mabel that til
10 impression of her modest, cheerful NJ
ture attracted him increasingly.
That afternoon guest at the hot
became engaged in conversation wit
Alison. The latter CHANGED to me
as ton that property interests hi
brought him to Brighton.
"Quite coincidence" remarked Il
other. II am agent for an amuseme
ar syndicate who are starting a chain
as play houses. We intend to build
IS. theater here and of course it has
ic- be in the principal business squal
to All the lots in the main square a
he narrow and the only big one that W
sh do is owned by an old schemer nam
ri Wise. He knows I've got to take
his and he is squeezing me for about eig
he times it's value"
II have heard of the gentleman
the question:" said Alison. els a lal
lat frontage an absolute essential in yo
ur- plans?"
Ills "Not at all, so enough land at |
ong rear can be secured to build an eigh
n. foot auditorium"
the "Why, perhaps can offer someth
the Of interest to you," proceeded Ais
oall 81 have quite big tract off from
ne street, and think can arrange TO
twenty-fve-foot shallow front lot
front"
Err "You cant" exclaimed the syndic
man. "Why, that would be just
nite thing. 1t would provide pretty
trance, and the further the auditori
is from the street the better alws
on account of the noise of traffic"
as At once Alison revisited Mrs. r
hite erts and saw Mabel again. The 6
ard dictate man cemented bargain
4 the two pieces of property at pl
aver that meant q small fortune for
hen widow.