Crittenden record-press., 1918-06-13
SHARP PRACTICE
BY EVELYN LEE.

NS"'c shuih, huu OuSc euuhCiuteu tiic
sentiment.
HE Is reincarnation Of Nero, an
astral survivor of Attilla. with dash
Of Caligula and q 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 1t 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 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 q square area Of
two hundred feet, directly In the GEN.
ter Of the block and completely shut
in, with no alley or passage way lead
Ing to It This had been purchased
by a M. Vance. once q resident Of the
town. when It was supposed that the
tract would face the street.
Wise wished TO secure 1t 10 build q
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 aga For that culmina.
ton the wary. willy old money grabber
was patiently waiting.
He was not aware Of II, 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 hotel and essayed to
get glimpse Of the lot with no &c.
cess to the street. Finally. glancing
through the little stationery store he
had a view Of the open space behind
II He entered the place.
A sweet-faeed young girl stood be.
hind the store counter and he could
not help but note her beauty and
grace. Alisoa purchased q pencil and
q magazine
"Would you mind allowing me to 60
through the house to the rearf" he
asked II am the owner Of the prop.
erty Just abutting the store and would
like to look at It"
"Why, certainly" replied Mabel Rob.
erts. Mamma. and she called to hss
mother who came from a rear living
room repeating the request Of theil
visitor.
why. you must belong to the
vancesl" spoke Mrs. Roberta
II am Alison Vance,"
"And I 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 tc
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.
Tint afternoon a guest at the hote
became engaged In conversation with
Alison. The latter chanced to men
ton that property interests hat
brought him to Brighton.
"Quite a coincidence" remarked th(
other. II am agent for m amusement
syndicate who are starting chain o.
play houses We intend to build {
theater here and Of course It has Il
be In the principal business square
All the lots In the main square ar,
narrow and the only big one that vii
do Ia owned by IN old schemer nnmet
Wise. He knows I've got to take 4
and he Is squeezing me for about elgh
times Its value"
II hive heard Of the gentleman II
question:" said Alison. as q larg,
frontage IN absolute essential In you
plansf"
"Not at all. 30 enough land nt IN,
rear can be secured to build an eighty
foot auditorium.
"Why. perhaps can offer somethin,
Of interest to you." proceeded Alison
II have quite big tract on from III,
street, and I think can arrange for {
twenty.fve.foot shallow front lot Il
front"
sYou ssn'~ exclaimed the synacat,
man. "Why. that would be Just III,
thing. II would provide a pretty en-
trance. and the further the auditorium
10 from the street the better always
on account Of the nsise Of traffic"
At once Alison revisited Mrs. Rob
srts and saw Mabel again. The syn
disats man oementst bargain 70
the two pieces Of property at a pric
that meant 4 su>an fortune for tn
widow.
A few days later Abner Wise BIT hi
nails In fury and snarled like the hu
man hyena that he was as he rea,
In the local paper Of the sale q IN
two pieces Of property he hr,i 40 Gov