The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-07-16
will be happy too see you. ! live at 4O3

-
- street. - ;,
"Thank you. l shall certainly call.
The two men separated, young HOW
ard wondering why Mr.. Clarkson should
have manifested any special concern Tor
him. What had been said about the
DANCER of confusing the mind by drink
in business hours fingered IN his
thouohts. and the more he pondered 1T
fine more its significance grew upon him.
In the evening he called upon MIR. Clark
son as he had promised.
"Glad to see you, my young friend, ;"
WAS the kind greeting he received. 81
knew your father years ago, and there
are many things in my memory of him
that L recall with pleasure. He was a
true man, Mr.. Howard, and the world is
better off for his having lived in it. 1t
was the thought of him that led me to
speak as / did this morning. / might
almost say it was voice of warning
from your father through me"
81 cannot but feel little surprised at
this" said Howard, frankly. my fa-
Their used wine. l have often seen him
take glass at his own table when he
had company. He set it before his
guests, and partook of it on such occa-
sions. At my sisters wedding recep-
ton, which occurred during his lifetime,
wine was served as at the reception this
morning."
A shadow passed over Mr.. Clarkson' S
face. After little silence he replied:
81 know all this. And your father
never used wine to excess-did not care
much for it-was only in accord with a
social habit. And yet, temperate as he
was, you are poorer to-day by many
thousands of dollars than you would
have been if he had not taken few
glasses of wine at your sisters wedding
reception
"You cannot mean what you say, Mr..
Clarkson!" the young man exclaimed,
his face flushing and paling by turns.
I" 1t is true, my young friend, he an
swered. "And |, too, was hurt beyond
recovery by the wine drank in health
to the bride on that occasion. 1T was IN
business hours, and it robbed my mind
of the clear sight needed at a time when
to blunder was next to ruin.
81 am more surprised than I can ex
press" was the young mans remark.
"My father hurt by wine It seems
impossible. Are you very sure about
this thing, Mr.. Carkson z"
, 81 cannot be mistaken. The recep
tons of disaster are cut very deep.
CIVIL you tell me the whole story -
at is still fresh in my memory. II
seems an event of yesterday. l had M
engagement to meet your father after
the reception. The Lake Superior cop
per mining fever was then at its height
Your father was cool, clear-headeG
man, and generally kept aloof from
schemes of money making not connected
with legitimate trade. 1t so happened
that one of your restless, over sanglin,
men, who are always on the lookout fol
some scheme by which money can be
made more rapidly than III competitive
mercantile or manufacturing operations
had made visit to the Ontonagon re
gion, and, in company with a county
surveyor prospected for mine. Ac
oording TO his representation they hat
discovered one of the richest deposits il
the whole Lake Superior region, ant
held the secret of its location. He haC
come ont East to organize a company
and had yet only talked TO a few CAPT
talists, who had arranged to meet him n
/ o'clock on the day | have referred TO-
in order to get full development of hi
plans.
"Neither your father nor felt mucl
interest in the matter. We had ittl,
faith in mining speculations, having seel
more money lost in them than gained, 10y
thousand per cent. But we had beel
/, so strongly pressed to attend this meet
; ing that we were constrained to be pres
ent.
"From the wedding reception, flushed
with wine-we had each taken three OF
four glasses, and our heads were no
very strong-we went to this meeting tC
hear about the maIvellously rich deposi
of almost virgin copper discovered some
where on the range of the great Mime
sofa conglOmerate belt. Maps anC
= plans were spread before us; specimens
} OF copper were exhibited cost of land
and the particulars of working mines
and the money needed for development
: set forth in eloquent detail.
" / saw that your father, in whose face
5 was an unwonted glow, and in whose
: eyes shone an unusual brightness, was
becoming much interested, and foremost
in making inquiries and getting at facts
| bii'i iiS hAtH. LILO oltiAIA"ig COOhtSS dlt
5 reserve were gone. He had permitted
, himself to come under the magnetism
, of the plausible individual WHO wished
, to draw us into his scheme of fortune
making, and was completely carried away
by his representations.
81, too, saw golden visions, and wher
your father said, Gentlemen, / mean tc
go into this thing, / was the first to re
spond, so do l. Our example was in
fictitious. We had the reputation of be.
ing prudent, far-seeing men; and the
, fact that we saw money in an undevel
, oped copper mine had strong influence
, upon those present, none of whom haG
the remotest suspicion that our judg
, ment was obscured and our vision dis
torted by wine.
There were ten individuals present
at that meeting. Under your fathers
lead and mine, the preliminary organi
cation of a joint stock company was
made, and committee appointed to
{ procure charter. The capital was to
be two hundred and fifty thousand dol
, lars, divided into five thousand shares AT
fifty dollars each, the money to be paid
in by installments as needed. AS shown
It- f,,ll "a i