The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1922-09-13
. MARTINS STRATEGY
BY WiNlFRED DUNBAR

Martin, I'm In sore peck Of trou-
man Of Grafton.
"Sorry, judge. Can help you out
of It In any way?" questioned Martin
Blake, one of the humble ones Of the
village.
TIN afraid not" replied Mr.. Grant
in a really worried and mournfui tone
of voice. 1--WE put my foot In Z bad
and deep. I'd give lot to get back
on the solid rock. declare, it's get
ting on my nerves and I dread seeing
my wife,"
To have the judge almost make
confidnnt Of him stunned Martin and
raised his hopes vastly.
Those hopes Of the ardent young
man centered about the bonniest girl
in Grafton-Jessie, the judges only
daughter. Martin loved her from the
depths of his heart and Jessie as fer
vently returned the sentiment.
The sudden acquisition of quite
fgrtune from relative had given the
Judge some new grand ideas. Martin
was poor, Jessie was an heiress. The
match was unequal. He cast about
removing to pore aristocratc town.
He cut quite Il swath, he fancied, go
Ing with his family to fashionable
watering place.
He had Just returned looking both
cred and dismal.
"You see, it's all along Of my want
ing to get to a bigger town, Martini
somewhat sheepishly explained the
Judge. "When we started on our out
ing l gave orders to put up the OLD
home here for sale"
ayes. / heard Of that" nodded Mar
tin.
81 also gave my lawyer power o.
attorney to act for me. We'll, he mas
sold it,
"And I've got to talk out my misery
to somebody. My wife made u terrible
scene. came on here because this
Mr.. Morgan was here today. l offered
him back his money. doubled 1t. NO
use. lie said it was the ideal place
he had been looking after for years
and his wife and children were equally
pleased with ii. They're coming here
tomorrow to look it over to plan some
improvements.
Judge" said Martin, Il see way
out of this"
{"You do" cried the Judge eagerly.
L.
much wouldn't do for you If you
HELM me out Of this awful dilemma,
and he grasped the hand of the young
man fcrvently.
Judge. leave it all to me- sad
Martin grandly.
That afternoon Martin visited first
an old colored man of numerous fami-
" at the edge of town.
When, the next morning, the new
prospective residents arrived, they
found Martin bustling about assuming
the role of Il person who had been
deputiZed 10 overhaul the place.
g" declare! what is that horrible
Odor?" exclaimed Mrs. Morgan, as she
entered the house.
Martin pointed to the plumber ham,
mering ut some pipes, mumbled some
thing about "hunting for sewer gas,
and hustled outside after whispering
TO the plumber ito use some more or
that chemical"
"A series of frightful screams soon
Issued from the cellar. Up the stairs
came Gying one of the misses OF the
family.
she was fairly hysterlcal, she near
n. fainled away. Two snakes, Il toad
md some frogs had crossed her pain
In the cellar!
Next door to the Grant place was
a small house that had been vacant
for years. 1t was temporarily occu-
pied that day, however. In fact the
artful Martin had especially hired
MIR. Ephraim Brown, whitewasher'
and his numerous family to take pos
session of the domicile.
Mrs. Morgan, inspecting the garden,
came TO a halt as an open space in
the shrubbery showed the dividing
fence. Beyond 1t great whsIihs
Haunted from the rlothesline. A fat
nanny was bustling about, with one
half dozen piccaninnies at her heels
Old Eph was splitting wood. On the
fence sat four ebony cherubs eating
bread and butter.
"For mercy's sake" cried Mrs. Nor
gan-"who are they?'
"Your neighbors," responded Marnn
glibly--'very well behaved people
too"
"But-black almost shrieked the
sensitive lady and collapsed to gar
den seat.
That settled IL. Within the hour
Mr.. Morgan was down TO the Office of
the lawyer. Willingly he Cancelled the
contract of purchase and received
back his forfeit money.
A Telegram brought MIR. Grant to the
village, iubilant and excited.
aanaIL.