Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1920-01-09
CA
Ladies' Man
By ALvAH JORDAN GARTH

Albion Steele came to Weilston un-
heraIded and without Introduction. No
body asked him for credentials or
antecedents, for from the first he made
good impression He was accepted by
the male portion of the community as
a quiet, obliging and eminently re-
| spectacle person, and he won the adj
| miration and esteem of members Of
the gentler sex through his unvarying
courtesy, handsome face aud exquisite
good taste in the matter of dress.
It was a high tribute to his attrac-
| tiveness when 1t became known that
he was engaged to Rita Morris. She
was the belle of the village. Her par
ents were only humble folks, but had
brought her up well. Flare and gilt
ter could never have secured her at
tention. The tested sincerity and in
nate merit of Steele had alone won her
regard, and to her his courtier-Iike
presentment was simply the well-bred
refinement of true gentleman.
1t lacked a month of the announced
marriage, when all WellstOn was set
| agog with the intelligence that
wealthy relative had left Rita a for
tune of nearly hundred thousand
dollars.
"Of course the Wedding won't take
| place" averred one critic. Rita has
become the richest girl in the district,
is we'll fitted for high social life and
her folks viii look beyond Steele"
Steele. meeting Mr. Morris on the
street one day. suggested that Rita I'M
der new and unexpected conditions
might wish to change her mind"
you're wrong there; nor do We"
at once asserted the bluff whole-souled
old man. "We have been glad to think
of you as a son-in-law and we're not
of the purse-proGd kind"
So the wedding took place. Steele
kept right on with his professional
practice and proudly refused to in
dulge In any extravaganza on his
wife's means.
Rita lived entirely for him. 3he was
ambitious for bis sake and urged him
TO enter public life He was elected
| president of the town board and later
named as candidate for the state
senatorship. 1t was while Steele was
campaigning that Ben Beazly and Tom
Wall, travelling patent medicine hawk
ers, came to Wellston.
well Y said BeazIy, fiaring open
the local paper and revealing large
picture of "our esteemed townsman
and the next state senator" do you
recognize him?"
Il don't" replied Wall promptly.
"Then you've got a bad memory.
That is the young fellow whose room
we took when we boarded at place
in Dover Recollect how we paved
over lot of rubbish he left behind
him, among them dozen or more
photographs of himself and different
ladies, taken together?"
"Why. it does sort of dawn on me-"
said Wall.
Don't you recall how said he must
be a professional masher to have Sc
many lady loves? Well, since then he's
come to this town, has married the
richest girl in 1t, Is up for state SEN
ator and--I have those photographs
back homev
"What of it?.'
"Why, good big bribe, or I'll give
him away. What won't he give to
suppress those pictures of his giddy
days? What won't his political rivals
pay to get possession of them?"
A few days later Beazly called at
the Morris home. He proceeded to
business at once Mrs. Steele" he
said briskly, Il am assuming that your
husband and his friends would give
a good deal to see him land the SEN
atorshlp. Well. am the man who can
make it sure for him or defeat him."
II know nothing about my husbands
political or business affairs" spoke
Rita, resenting the familiar manner of
her visitor
'0hl you win be interested" coolly
assured Beazly. PLAINLY, lady, l have
some photographs taken at period
before Mr.. Steele was married"
Rita stared aghast. Every one Of
the pictures showed man, unmistak-
ably her husband. with a different
woman, each time making love. In one
he was kneeling at lady's feet, In
another he was kissing lady's
hand. in all of them his attitude and
facial expression portrayed the lover
fun and complete. Rita vas too shock
ed to speak.
Il want the five thousand dollars
in cash." began Beazly, when the door
opened and Steele, who Unexpectedly
returned, entered.
''What is chis?" he cried, and as
the agitated, nearly heart-broken Rita
iisjointedly explained. he INDUCED in
hearty laugh.
''Why. my dearl" he spoke with ami
nation, those are mementoes Of my
experience when for one year acted