Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-04
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES f. TRACER ELL.

Is there any one who doesn't like
| to see schemer fall into the traI
he has set for another? There is
; something about such situation that
satisfies ones sense of justice. "He
got what he deserved is the common
verdict.
A classic instance in literature oil
man being hoist by his own petard
is that of Nathaniel SoWerby, i'm
pecunious landholder, who selected
the wrong way to propose to the
wealthy Miss Dunstable, as detailed
by Anthony Trollope in "Framley
Parsonage
Mr.. Sowerby decided that he
would he a slick fellow and win the
hand of the sarcastic heiress of the
patent medicine king" by strictly
modern methods.
Sowerby had n married sister, Mrs
Harold Smith, whom he had worm
her way into Miss Dunstable's conf
dence, and thus find out for him just
what sort of woman the rich old maid
really was.
Mrs. Smith. being a great schemel
herself. took her time about the
affair. She never breathed a word OF
it. but carefully observed the intend
ed victim. The carefree Miss Dun
stable made all sorts of fun of the
many suitors who came to her pro Z
ing love and devotion. but who she
knew all the time were only after
her money.
Crafty Mrs. Smith never said a word
She kept her counsel. The time was
not ripe for MIR SoWerby to propose
The exact method must he determined
on. The heiress seemed to get along
a., nj Sb
seemed to enjoy being in his company
Everything looked propitious.
X i
Crafty persons usually overshoot the
mark, however. They are too crafty
for their own good If this were not
so, this would be u poor world for all
OF us who are not crafty.
When Mrs. Smith and her brother
put their heads together as to the best
way of winning the wealthy lady, they
came to the following agreement: That
the sister was to make the proposal in
her own way, which was to be a
strange way, indeed.
TO the credit of Mr.. Sowerby. let ii
be said that he did not approve alto
gether of the scheme, which was, in
truth, rather startling. 1t was so up
to-datf A1dea<t .'>at Sdvsrhy did not
have the heart to try 1t hln1sr.., 50
delegated it to his sister.
The plan was to tell Miss DunStable
freely and frankly that Sowerby
wanted to marry her for her money.
but at the same time he had ii high
regard for her. and that she would be
better off, as the wife Of the Parlia.
ment member, than as Miss Dunstable.
If she really likes you-and ! think
she does-she could forgive you any
other crime but that of swearing that
you loved her" advised Mrs. Smith.
II should hardly know how to pro
pose without saying something about
it," hesitated SoWerby.
But you must say nothing-not a
word: you must tell her that you are
a gentleman of good blood and high
station, but sadly out at elbow"
She knows that already"
"Of course she does: but she must
know it as coming from your own
mouth. And then you can tell her that
you propose to set yourself right by
marrying her--by marrying her for
the sake of her money"
To Sowerby's remonstrance, the too
clever sister replied, Your first object
is her money, and your only chance
for success is in telling the truth"
\ * X X
The full details of this unique court.
ship may be found in chapter "A of
Trollope's novel, but for those who