The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1918-06-20
SHARP PRACTICE
BY EVELYN LEE.
(Copyrigh;, lsls. western NeWsP

A classical victim OF the keen w!les
OF Abner Wise, money loaner and real
estate shark, had once enuncisted the
sentiment.
He is q reincarnation Of Nero, an
astral survivor OF Attilla. with dash
OF Caugula and a portion OF Zamoa
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 il 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 20 grow he
got high prices for the lots. Then
the ambition grew 20 purchase the
main business square.
Wise schemed and bribed and
caioled until he had secured every
piece Of property IN the block except
two. One was one-story old frame
building occupied By q widow named
Mrs.. Roberts and her daughter. Mabel.
He offered g ridiculousIy low price
for the property. Mrs. Roberts re-
fused 10 consider It. Then Abner Wise
set 10 work with ell his inherent craft
10 destroy the widows business.
The other piece OF property that
Wise craved was q 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 il. This had been purchased
By Mr.. Vance. once resident Of the
town. when il was supposed that the
tract would face the street.
Wise wished TO secure II 70 build
| rear addition 10 g growing department
store. He had written 70 the Vance
/ family 10 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 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 al a hotel and essayed 10
/ get a glimpse Of the lot with no &C
cess 10 the street. Finally, glancing
/ through the little stationery store he
had a view Of the open space behind
/ it He entered the place.
! A sweet-faced young girl stood be-
hind the store counter and he could
not help but note her beauty and
grace. Alison purchased pencil and
a magazine.
would you mind allowing me TO 90
through the house TO the rearT he
asked. Il am the owner Of the prop
erty Just abutting the store and would
like TO look at II"
why. certainly" replied Mabel Rob
erts. Mamma" and she called TO her
mother who came from a rear living
room repeating the request Of their
visitor.
why. you must belong to the
vancesT spoke Mrs. Roberts
Il am Alison Vance"
"And I knew your father when he
lived here" declared Mrs. Roberts AMI
matedly and Alison was made 10 feel
that he was among friends. For near
II an hour he fingered. listening 10
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 a guest at the hotel
became engaged In conversation with
Alison. The latter CHANGED to men-
ton that property interests had
brought him to Brighton
quite q coincidence" remarked the
other. II an agent for an amusement
syndicate who are starting a chain of
play houses. We intend to build q
theater here and Of course il 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 il
and he is squeezing me for about eight
times its value"
II have heard Of the gentleman In
question" said Alison. is a large
frontage an absolute essential in your
plansr
"Not az 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
Il have quite big tract of from the
street, and / think I can arrange for q
twenty-fve-foot shallow front lot in
'front.'
You can exclaimed the syndicate
man. why, that would be Just the
hing. 1t would provide a pretty en-
trance, and the further the auditorium
s from the street the better always
,n account of the noise Of traffic.
At once Alison revisited Mrs. Rob
arts and saw Mabel again. The syn.
iicate man cemented a bargain fol
he two pieces OF property at a price
hat meant a small fortune for the
. widow.
A few days later Abner Wise BIT hi
a iails in furv and snarlod Ike tho hr