The Pleasantville press., 1926-09-07

ISR AEL VANDERBURG and
L Philip Scarsdale were highly re-
spectacle gentlemen of good tinan-
cial standing. They cherished a
thorough detestatiOn of each other.
1t had sprung from trifiing dis
agreement ten years before and.
watered and nourished by self-will,
had reached its present proper
tions.
Israel had a daughter, Gladys,
and Philip had son, Thomas; and
the young couple were so far from
partaking of the paternal animosi-
ties that they considered each
other about as nearly perfect as 1t
Is given to mortals to be. Both
parents got wind of the fact and
Illuminated and dogmatized upon
the subject to their degenerate
children.
II had an awful row with dad to-
day about you" said Gladys one
evening to Tom when they met
upon the neutral ground of one OF
Mrs. Stuyvesant Mulgroye's dinner
dances.
Having them oftener than usual
lately?" inquired Tom.
'Yes, l think so," replied Gladys.
"and I'm tired of them. Yet I'm
awfully fond of dad, too"
Il had a bit Of run-in with the
governor, myself, yesterday about
yOu," replied Tom "The governor
Is an old trump In other respects;
but when 1t comes to the question
of our getting married he's the
limit. What say, Gladys, let's go
off and get married anyway. Nei-
ther of our respected parents shows
any symptoms Of recovering from
what ails Them
Gladys was silent and thought
full for fully two minutes-then she
said: ''We are going to be married,
Of cOurse-that is settled. But 1t
would be so much nicer If we could
do so with the consent of our par
ents. Before we take the step l
think we should exhaust all the re-
sources of diplomacy. 1t sounds
immoral, l know, but the easiest
way to rule a man is through his
pet weaknesses. Now you just lis
ten to me"-and she proceeded to
formulate plan Of action.
"Torl," said Mr.. Scarsdale sud
denly at breakfast next morning,
II hope you are not still dangling
after the daughter Of that old thief,
Israel Vanderburg
"Well," replied Tom slowly, you
see, 1t is this way. Mr.. Wander
burg has announced his intention
Of casting Gladys off and cutting
her out of his will If she marries
your son."
"Oh. he has, has he?" growled
Philip.
. yes, SIR" said Tom, "and he is
really violent about the matter
declares such an alliance would
break his heart and be a disgrace
to his family. And as you are set
against the marriage also. and
have threatened to cut me Off If 1t
takes place-why, there you are =
Israel Vanderburg Is an old ruf,
fan and always was" said Mr..
Scarsdale, and flung away Fl ON the
table. But his sons statement of
the case kept recurring to him all
wat udy. ne WOuiu ~ ~ ulLiioSt
any length to spite old Vanderburg.
Meantime Gladys was having a
session with her paternal ancestor.
II suppose you will be hard-heart-
ed enough to be glad of It," said
she, trying to squeeze tear or
two into her bright blue eyes, "but
Tom and ! are up against it. First
you objected; and now Mr.. Scars
dale Is furious at the idea of his
son marrying your daughter-says
it would disgrace him"
Disgrace him!' cried Israel;
"does that old ruf1ian have the
cheek to talk that way?" And Is.
rael departed, turning matters over
In the gloomy and yindictive cham
bers Of his mind.
For ten years now the former
friends had been seeking for an op-
portunity to do each other a mis-
chief, and had fouTY1 none. Now,
at last, was an opportunity pre-
sented.
Tom" said Mr.. Scarsdale thai
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