The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1875-06-05
CHAPTER ~.
RUIN.

J Company, tIieIcu HIS BllNdtC OhASO AAOhu
lunch eagerly. The mail from Australia
had arrived, and the Shooting Star with
private dispatches had forwarded them to
/ London.
He was greeted by hurried tap at the
| door as he seated himself at his desk.
Come in, he said, half-pausing in the
act Of opening letter, to see who the in
truder might be.
| keeper, who with nervous anG agitated
manner held an opened letter i'll his hand.
What is it, Earle.
Ruin, sir, absolute and irretrievable
ruin -
! The young capitalist rose from his seat
with face as white AS the paper, and
! leaning upon his chair for support, muir
INJURED hoarsely
. You do not mean 1t
"It is So" crowned Earle The
Shooting Sta, mail brought the letter
hold ia my hand. Ii states that the mines
were III good working order one week pre-
vious to the departure OF the Star. That
four days after the miners arose one morn
ing to find the mines flooded"
I" Flooded p
Ave, five feet Of water in the cut and
! the entire ravine submerged to an average
depth If at least tive feet. The machinery
is destroyed, the miners demoralized, and
the place is being rapidly deserted. To
SUN the whole affair up the ruin is utter
and irretrievable.
Cecil Esmond sank into his seat pale
and mOtionless, and buried his face in his
l hands To his vision was revealed the
past the present, and the future. The
glowing hopes and expectations of the
company when first started, the degrada-
ton and ruin of the present, the disaster
( staring him in the face. The blow had
( fallen, and 50 unexpectedly that its force
/ for the time being deprived him Of all
reasoning faculties A groan of horror
burst from his palid lips as he med itated
upon the probable consequences Of the
/ bonds which had been issued. But q ray
Of hope penetrated his mind--he could
/ raise sufficient on his remaining mOrtgaged
property t. redeem the bonds, and thus
| avert dishonor. The other stock bonds
were all covered and secured by his mort
cages 20 the government, and therefore he
could readily indemnify all those who had
J invested in the same. Even if poverty
we're his, honor still remained, and there
was consolation in the thought, Eveline
WAS his.
He raised his face shade more natural
in its color TO that of the book keeper,
who troubled and nervous, stood awaiting
his next utterances.
sit is true" he said, as after having
looked at the letter in his hand he saw
that the book-keeper's words we're veri-
fed. "Your statement is correct. All IS
gone, but thank heaven we can pay the
face value of the bonds to tbe last dollar.
Let all business he suspended, and pla-
card written stating that the company will
place all of its business finished, and in
the hands of the government. Inform
the auditor of the facts Of the case at once,
and pay the clerks of out of cash in hand,
for in bank we have none. All outstand-
ing bills must wait payment until the
mortgages to the government are sold.
No one shall lose a dollar. Poverty has
come sooner than | anticipated, but the
Australian will set an honorable example
for all others to follow. Send Mr.. Faber
70 me-"
Earle retired with bow and a murmur
Of admiration at the honor and integrity
displayed by his employer. A few mo-
ments later the secretary Of the company
entered the private room Of the president.
He had been awaiting The summons to his
cousins presence, and he was well pre-
pared to use any deception or trickery in
order to secure the ends he had in view.
.You have heard the news ?" asked
Cecil as his cousin entered the room and
seated himself.
"Yes. The whole street is ringing with
Il. A bad outlook for us and a worse one
for the stock holders"
"How 50 r. demanded Cecil quickly in
some surprise.
because panic will set IN and men
will sell at a ruinous reduction The gen.
eral order of the day will be to sell bonds
no matter what the sacrifice may be, and
a great loss must ensue. The mines are
useless, the company is a failure and its
projectors and directors are looked upon
as knaves and tricksters. We need not
hide the truth" he said, his mind tri.
umphant and vindictive, bent only on in
flicting misery upon the man whom he had
ruined, and now come unconsciously tC
the victim, TO gloat over him. 1.-The pub
lie are not charitable. The Australian ha,
been fsvorite company, and many poor
man has investedlhis all on quarter, tenth
they must face"
Cecil Esmond averted his face, growing
steadily whittier, and groaning at the words
Of the secretary.
"The collateral bonds 7" he finally ut
tered
The secretary started, but regaining hi
ordinary cOmpOsure Of manner and word
said simply:
: The bonds gave to q friend to oh
tain the loan. | have received no Wor'
} from him a. yet"
At that moment what would not Ceci
{ Esmond have given to have back the bonds
/ Dishonored paper at the bank was moth
: ing to the suspense he was compelled ;
, endure from the issue Of this stock. III
had not willingly done q criminal deed
Q but he had placed himself in . positio
! which he felt it would be very difficult t
. | retrieve himself from in the estimation Q