The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-02-02


 Finally. the portrait of the great mill lonaire and the picture Of his workshop are gwen as follows:
 In the pieasantes: stree; Of New York. which by common eonsen; Is now held to be Fifth avenue although much nigh, be said for ihe picturesque neigh borhood of the Battery, long since de | serted by the world of fashion-in Fifth avenue there stood a house which at ,racted no particular attention from the passer by, but 10 which visitors came l from all parts of the United States. And ye, there were seldom an, signs of gaiety, or even of the ordinary hustle of life about the place. Social festivities were almost unknown within those walls the brilliant equipages of wealthy New Workers were rarely seen to stop before the door. The rooms facing the street were gorgeously fitted up, although they seemed 10 be al- most uninhabited. Al nigh,-when, by an odd chance, most of the occupants $ visitors were in the habit of calling to see | him-no lights were ever visible Tn the front windows, and by day the heavy vel vet curtains were seldom drawn aside. l .A, the end of long passage leading l from the stree, door a few steps de scended to d back room. which pre- sented great contrast Tn appearance to all the rest ot the house. There were no handsome carpets. no mirrors, no pici- ures. Everything MAS plain and unpre- tending. And this was the private sanct- uay of the famous Mir Dexter File. whose exploits in the tield of finance had l frequently astonished the world. and whose name was better known on every exchange ln Europe than that Of the er- peror of Russia or the master of the Turkish legions
 In the middle of the room stood a large desk, full of drawers. and still larger iron safe completely filled up one corner. Near the safe number of ivory knobs were inserted in tine waii, and Inc click ing of d tele graphic instrument was heard behind curtain. which was drawn across one end of the chamber Behind tha; curtain there was also table. a; which a shorthand reporter was seated every eveGing till the last of the visitors had taken his departure: bu, no one who er- tered the house had the slightest .uspi- cion of his existence. He did his work Tn silence. and the words which were taken down were known 10 no one but himself and hls employer. One of the knobs in the wall opened up telephone communication with Albany. where. as everybody IS aware. the legislation for the great state ot New York IS carried on another communicated with Boston, and third with Philadelphia for grca, capitalists lived in those cities, and Mir. Dexter File held important relations with the chief of them The ticking behind the curtain came from private telegraph wire. which was connected with an At lantIc cable, and this cable was practi- cally the pris2,e property oi Mr File. II enabled him 10 ascertain the exact state of affairs III every market Tn Europe at any moment. and sometimes to commu- nicate 10 his agents Tn London and Pans information which caused no slight per ,urbation Tn those markets, especially as regards the securities of Mir. Files native land. 1, had cost fortune 10 lay this cable, but Il had earned a much larger one in various ways; and Dexter File knew perfectly well tha, II would be easy enough 10 get rid of |, after Il had fully served his purpose.
 
 acuons Tn SIC. ks winch would have stag gered d Rothschlld Mos, men, even of large ideas, are content ,o deal with thousands. or with tens of thousands Files dealings were frequently with mil lions. The formation oi gigantic com binations. destined No produce results more or less mpoitAn, wherever stock exchange eNtsted the organization of an immense speculation Tn which the prin- CIpai railroads of the entire American continent would be affected ; the con trlyance of s-heme by which some pop ular enterprise would be exposed, or dis credited protect rendered suddenly popu- lar r-such was the nature ot the work which NIT. Dexter File carried on in his room. This work absorbed all hls thoughts He did no, drink he did no, smoke; books he never read l: he was u,- ,erly lndiifcren, to the temptations of the usual pleasures of life. l; was useless to ask him out 10 dinner, for he would not go one description of food was the same to him as another. His dinner was gem erally over Tn ten minutes. He had no animosities and very few friendships. No woman had ever been seen inside his house-eSceps, of course. his domestios and they seldom came in his way. Yet. although Dexter File had 50 few associ- a,es. he would no, have known what was meant if anybody had told him that he led a solitary life.
 Many men al various times had de- ciared war to the knife agalns, Mir. File, and had gone forth with the determlna- llon 10 make an end of him and his car eer. They soon found tha, they mlgh, as well have tough, against the stars. Sooner or later they fled from the field in dismay. defeated and mos, likely ruined No one knew even the eas, of FiIe's plans for he had no conhdants, and never talked about hls affairs to any one ender any circumstances which sur rounded him lie was never troubled with those weak moments which come to others. when no watch $ SC, upon the tongue, and when eonhdenccs are gwen to be at,erward betrayed. Mir. t.le's be- lief as that Tio man -ss ;G 5e trusted still less any woman. His taclturnity