St. Landry democrat., 1884-02-23

SOL1b VI Gi1SSS udyS. OSSIbl9 we may
lose you altogether"
Ee looked at me with undisguised
establishment. what makes you say
that?''
million"
"Sec here-this is in confidence,
Ned they fay a great deal that isn't
true. But in this instance tiey are not
far wrong. But why should quit on a
million? Have some more mushrooms.
This is the only place I can get decent
steak in town.
I've seen the time you would have
been content with a quarter of mill
ion. =
'sYes; in the long ago. Do you
know, was a fool in those days Ma
ture never intended man should be
content. He ought to be just as eager
to make his tenth-yes. his hundredth
million for that matter as his first.
For my part-but mind you don't let
your hive know it; don't care to get
them after me-Ive no intention of
quitting till I've made five millions.
''You have only another step to take,
and you will establish your claim to oil
the privileges enjoyed BY aristocrats. :
He laughed.
mo, / am too sensible for that" he
replied; s'although. for that matter,
you know | always held nature had
made it's divisions. There will be heW-
ers of wood and drawers of water as
long as grass grows or water runs. 2
II meant there is danger that one day
you will look with contempt on man
with less than ten thousand year.
Don't blame me, my boy" he re-
piled, in patronizing manner / imme-
diateIy resented, ''if I've set my peg for
five millions.
''I've seen the time you were as well
off, enjoyed the world. literature, art,
the society of your friends, and, above
all, the companionship of your wife and
children. and all on less than three
thousand a year, for I happen to know
you gave literally and lent freely"
Il can only repeat-fiVe million is
my figure, And I've only made the
first notch on that stick
"How if you fail? You never know
when the see-saw will bump you on the
ground. =
The next day Eugene F lost a hum
bred thousand. A week later he was
not worth ten. There came out of a
contest, such as was never witnessed
before nor since between oil operators,
mere wrecks of men mentally and NOR
ally, physically and financially, chief
among whom was Eugene F.. The
tarantula's bite had poisoned his LIES
blood. He was was no longer the brisk,
neat, scrupulously-dresse quiet-man-
nered gentleman. He was unshaven
half the time. His eyes were shifting,
never steady, and partly discolored.
their traces stamped should say
branded him as an unsuccessful man.
once heard a man (and he belonged
to my own guild, more's the PITY, say
that all labor was degrading. He cited
our great manufacturing centers-point-
ed to the homes of the workers whose
products are the very pillars of the
earth, SO far IS its commercial monied
and many of its social institutions are
concerned, and proved to his own salts
isfaction that the tendency of all labor
was to brutalize; to harden; to destroy
the sensibilities. He made the too COM
mon mistake of confounding effects
with causes.
/ wonder what this student would say
if some one should cite to him the case
of Eugene F.. 1t might puzzle him
to define the precise value OF the patent
of nobility he derived through two
wears intercourse with the men who gov
ern the world 5 lnarts, and represent the
ramified interests of trade.
IL
walked as other men walk now--past
me one day, when caught his arm.
Hello! Howd'y old boy?n
That's precisely the question | have
determined to ask you. Come in here
and have. glass of wine. = AS led
him into a little snuggery few frequent-
ed, he answered: Permit me to nom
mate brandy or whisky for mine
Looking him in the face as Of old, I
said:
...rhe battle has gone against you"
Eyes. haven't a dollar to my name,
Ned.
Twas amazed. / thought there was
something left that he could turn into |
cash, and could not help expressing
my thought.
mo, no! Nothing of the sort. I |
could have--in fact I should have
managed differently, and put aside
something "a little bit in real estate, or
a few bonds but didn't
''What next?'
'.What nextP' he repeated dreamily
and drearily. 'fOh! I've not made up
my mind.
eugene, I said briskly, Ego back
and ask for your old place. believe
it's there for the asking. And in six
months you will look back on your ex-
perience in oil as 8 bad dream. .