Life — April 12, 1883 — page 3: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ry, two, : dole retail + put fe bor ner. AND pata APRIL 12, 1883. 1155 Broapway, New York. Published every Thursday, $5 a year in advance, postage free. Single copies, 10 cents, (#" Subscribers who do not receive their copies will please notify the office at once. JOHN PYRITES’ STRATAGEM. “ ILL you be mine ?” he said. “TI enjoy the confidence of my employers and an average income of $1500 yearly.” “Yes, dear,” she answered, “I will be your’s with great pleasure. Butas the sum you mention is quite inadequate to your own support, it would not be suf- ficient for yourself and me, even though we lived in a flat and wore our present clothes for years to come.” “True,” he replied, “but your esteemed parent, whose renown upon the street is greatly to his credit, will assuredly come down when you go off! His in- vestments in A., B. & Q. are widely noised abroad, and safe as Government four per cents.” she returned, “my dear father is imbued with prejudices of other times, adapted to modes of living not like ours. He believes that no man should marry unless he can support his wife. If you were rich he would make me rich, too, and bid me be your bride ; but since you are poor, he will laugh you to scorn and bid you get money as he did.” Hearing this, John Pyrites was troubled in his soul, and still holding her trustful hand he led her to a chair upon which they sat down and were lost in thought. “And it would be unusually idle,” she continued, “to address my father now, since he has been for two days shut up with an attack of gout, which is likely to keep him in his room for weeks to come.” “Poor man ; how does he amuse himself ; does he improve the opportunity by assimilating tracts and oat- meal ?”” “Not tracts. He has a stock indicator in his room, and all he reads is the tape which he holds in his hand as it rolls off.” “Ha!” said Pyrites. “Heart’s dearest. Even yet we may fix the old , arrange your dear father. On what side of the house does the wire for his indicator enter ?” . “Tt comes over the roof of the house adjoining?” “The one with the tailor’s shop on the first floor, and rooms to let in the attic ?” “The same ; my own.” “Tis well!” & * * * * * A few moments later, a young man discreetly at- tired, engaged apartments in the top of the house next to that of Rufus Dubble, Esq., stipulating for immediate possession. The same afternoon, a couple of practical electricians presented themselves, saying that they had orders to put in a telegraphic call box for the new tenant. Having satisfied the person in charge that they were not plumbers they were allowed to go upon the roof and manipulate the wires at dis- cretion, Before noon of the next day a peculiar looking tele- graphic instrument was in working order in the newly hired rooms, an expert operator sat and read the news- papers except at such times as he was wanted. At one o'clock Rosalba Dubble entering her father’s room found him sitting up with knitted brows scan- ning the tape which passed through his fingers. He refused to take food when the servant brought his lunch, and to his daughter's filial inquiries he returned impatient answers. At two o'clock his perturbation was even more ap- parent ; he tried to rise from his bed, but excruciating pain from his toe forced him to aban- don the attempt. Still watching the tape which kept passing through his fingers, at three he had grown pale and abstracted. He sent ~ presently for a mes- senger, and a close observer might have noticed that the boy came from and returned to the house next door. In an upper room of that house John Pyrites and the expert tele- grapher sat in executive session. At four o'clock the visiting card of Mr. John Pyrites was brought to Mr. Dubble’s chamber with a message comicbooks.com