Gilpin observer. (Central City, Colo.) 1897-1921, 1918-07-25
SHARP PRACTICE
BY EVELYN Lee.
Scopyrlsht. lsls. wsstern Nevsp.psr Union.

A classical victim Of the keen wiles
| of Abner Wise, money lOaner and real
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
GRITTY 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 adj
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 1t. 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 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 1t. This had been purchased
by Mr.. Vance, once a resident Of the
town. when 1t was supposed that the
tract would face the street.
Wise wished to secure 1t to build a
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 hotel and essayed to
get glimpse of the lot with no &C.
II
through the little stationery store he
had view of the open space behind
1t. 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 a pencil and
q magazine.
v,,tr o1In 81
through the house to the rear?" he
asked. II am the owner Of the prop
erty just AUDITING the store and would
like to look at it."
"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
Vances?" spoke Mrs. Roberts.
II am Alison Vance,"
sand 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 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 CHANGED to men.
ton that property interests had
brought him to Brighton.
"Quite a coincidence" remarked the
other. II am agent for an amusement
syndicate who are starting a chain of
play houses. We intend to build q
theater here and Of course it has to
be in the principal business square.
All the lots in the main square arc
narrow and the only big one that will
do is owned by an old schemer named
Wise. He knows I've got to take It
and he is squeezing me for about eight
times its value"
II have heard Of the gentleman in
question:" said Alison. as d large
frontage an absolute essential in your
plansY
mot 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.
Il have quite big tract Off from the
street. and I think I can arrange for
twenty-fve-foot shallow front lot in
'front.'"
You cam" exclaimed the syndicate
man. why, that would be just the
thing. 1t would provide a pretty en-.
trnnce, 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
dicate man cemented a bargain for
the two pieces Of property at a price
that meant q small fortune for the