Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1927-04-01
1T WAS THE
PROFESSORS
SCHEME
By FENToN BRIGHT
Copyright by W. q. Chapman


" no human being what
will give me work. You
wouldn't believe me If | was to tell
you that I'm Yale graduate, and
that my folks was as white as the
driven snow, would your Say, make
It dollar and I'll tell you my story.
Thanks, boss. Well, then, my
names Theodore Van Trump, and I
belong to one of the best families Of
Boston. And when I fell into love
with Marian Richards there wasn't a
happier man this side of the Com
mon. The only fly In the ointment
was Jim Burley, my rival. He wasn't
a college man like me, but he had the
rocks, and hadn't.
"She couldn't decide which one Of
us she'd take. 4 love you BOTH she
said. 4 love you both equal. If I've
got to decide I'll die an old maid.
Can't one Of you boys make me take
your
"'That suits me- says Jim. Same
here allowed. But how are we 60
ing to do itr asks Jim. Let's fight
for It, says l. Right answers Jim,
and we set to that night.
at was closed and locked empty
room, and the key was put on the
floor before the door, and the one that
first grabbed 1t meant I've had
enough A sanguinary battle It was
gentlemen. We fought thirty-seven
rounds by daylight and eighteen more
by candlelight. And when It was
over neither Of US would have recog
nized the other. But neither of ul
grabbed the key.
"T guess that won't do pantet
Jim, as he looked at me out Of the
corner Of his mouth from the floor
Same here answered, out of my
forehead. You see our features hat
become displaced, gentlemen. Lets
grab the key together Jim suggests
That suits me- answered. And &c
We did.
"Jim challenged me to a duel. We
went into the woods and shot at eaci
other at ten PAGES, then i've, theT
three We drilled each other like
sleeves, but we couldn't kill each other
This won't do, either says Jim t
me as we lay side by side In the hos
pital ward. I agree says I. Maxi
1t another dollar, gentlemen3 NOT Al
right, suit yourselves, then.
"Well, sir, we tried all ways, in
Guiding going up in bursting balloon
and clipping with Marian. Neither o
us could bring 1t of. When Jim hat
Marian half way 70 the altar l buttet
In and forbade the banns. When
got Marian down a rope ladder, jim
was waiting below with an az to choI
the rope before I reached the ground
And all the time Marian would have
taken either Of us; didn't care which
In fact, SO long as 1t wasn't anybody
else.
'Jlm comes to me one day. 4 got
IT, he says. Got whatr asks I. Tt,
says Jim, displaying a vial. This
was given to me by Professor Mac.
Start he says, and It's going to solve
our problem. Let's 20 to Marian's
house and we'll all talk 1t over to.
gether.'
"When we got there Marian wei.
coined US like kings. Have you de-
cided which Of you it's to ber she
asks. I'm sort Of getting tired OF
waiting, and it's only fair to tell you
that there's third party just butted
In. Not that care for him as I do
you boys, but can't wait for you for
ever
That's all right says Jim. my
friend Professor MacStart has agreed
to help us out Of our difficulties. It's
a duel he says.
mot for me- says I. I've fought
you enough duels, Jim, and you know
we're so evenly matched that neither
OF us could best the other, not even
In a spelling bee
"'rhis is different says Jim. I
have here vial. II contains two
doses Of stuff. Inside one of these
doses is single drop of Perfessor
MacStart's famous mixture for turn
ing white people black
az never heard of such a thing,
says Marian. Who wants to turn
white people blackr
""That's Just the point; nobody
does usually says Jim. However,
this Is case In point. This single
drop of Professor MacStart's famous
mixture won't mix. It's Just a drop,
floating In the center of the bottle.
1t can't be seen, heard, smelled,
touched, or tasted. Now, II we d.
vide the contents of this here vial,
one Of US must get the drop and one
won't It can't be divided. It's an
original mOlecoddleole.'
"Tm beginning to get you now
says I. The winner is the one what
turns black, and he gets Miss Marian
"'Neverr screamed Marian. I'm
fellows for mine
1.-The winner Is the loser explains
Jim Burley. In SIX to eight hours the
winning loser, what was white, turns
completely black. for keeps. The
loser is the winner. He marries Miss
Marian
mot before I've had time to see
he doesn't turn black. too says
Marian.
"'He won't says Jim, patlentllke.
Y see, he won't swallow the drop.
and he began to uncOrk the vial. Are
you ready, Theodorer he asks.
Entirely So says l. You see,
loved the girl well enough to be will