Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-01-10
A YOUNG NAPOLEON.


"when Is II to bes'
asked John Strong this question be
cause he was my intimate friend. He hat
eod me all about his engagement will
Var.na Vincent, the pretty school teacher
tie had opened his heart 10 me, and fel
that had the right to ask when the wed
ding would take place,
To my surprise Strong's handsome facs
riouded and he paused for a moment be
fore making reply.
ITO tell you the TRUTH he said. 'twt
do n,s see oar way clear TO an early mar
riAge. We are both poor, but we are
young and can afford To watt
] said nothing. but | could not heir
thinking. In smah town like Cotton.
vile Strong WAS regarded as very pros.
porous young man. He had saved few
Thousand dollars, and his salary was the
highest paid to any one In the place.
Only a few years before Strong had en-.
tered country store as clerk on starva-
ton wages, lie had advanced steadily
until he Ind become tho cashier OF the
only haak Ia Cottonville.
-! have done pretty well,n resumed
Strong. giving me a keen glance, ''bnt |
do not know exactly how stand. Some
OF my Investments may turn out well, or
they may ruin me. Besides, have Dor.
rowei some money!
THAT Is what canno. understand" I
interrupted "fou are prospcring and
yet you borrow money for speoulntions
That is not wise -
Strong laughed. and threw his head
back proudly
"old fellow, you don't know my plans. "
he answered.; 81 have never made "A fail
IRE yet. have the gift OF seeing farther
ahead taan most people, and am going
20 utilize II. borrow money, but know
where to place IL. | don't venture he
yond my depth. Debt is blessing under
some circumstances. The most successful
nations and individuals so the deepest In
debt"
II was useless to argue with Strong In
our debating society he had always come
OF victor In every discussion Self poised.
well equipped and magnetic, there were
few men. or women either, that he could
not win over TO his side.
"Vnrina understands me-" he said.
'She Is willing TO wait. She knows that
II il best FOR W. both"
well, my young Napoleon" I re.
marked, II hopo that one of your brill.
fant speculative campaigns will satisfy
your ambition, and that you win then
Settle down and marry and take life as
you ind IL. Only n few men find the
short cuts TO fame and fortune, and II is
dangerous 10 seek them"
Everybody In Cottonyille called Strong
the young Napoleon OF business His
brilliancy, his rapid intuition. his iInperi-
Gus ways, and the fact that his clnssic
features resemblcd somewhat those of the
great Corsican, had fixed the name on
hun when he was In his teens And he
liked II. All men like to think that they
resemble heroes aud conquerors.
Twenty Thousand dollars profit In cot.
ton fuiurest'f
IL wis big thing for Cottonville. But
the young Napoleon took Il quietly. He
WINS not surprised, he said to his inquring
friends. He Ind felt certain that he would
make n ten STRIKE.
II arm oil for New York; said Strong.
the next day after tho intelligence of his
good fortune had reached him. "Goodby,
old fellow"
"Bnt when are You coming back ?" |
asked, holding him by the hand,
"oh. don't know. | can't very well
say al present"
There is Varina" exclaimed. "Ah,
see. After your return there will be a
wedding"
Don't bother me with that subject
now, snapped my friend; "my head il
full OF important business matters, and |
must 60 to New York There Is no way
cut OF IL, II Is all right with Varina OF
course | am coming home as soon "a /
possibly can, but | have an opportunity
OF getting on the inside In Wall street,
and must go"
Getting on the insidef''
"fes, ] said 40. hut you know nothing
aoou, speculation and care less. mean
Just this. ! have some friends there who
will put mo up 10 something that will pay
better thnn amy Of my past ventures. ("
Ny dear friend" | urged, why rot
let well nlonc' With your present start
you will soon lie the richest man In Cot
tonville"
"lu Cottonvlller' he sncered. "Tbere.
never mini that ! like the town and |
am coming back. Goodhy.n
People shook their heads at first. Ina
few weeks their suspicious were confirmed
Strong had plunged into the very vortex
OF tho speculative maelstrom in Wall
street, aud il was not long before we
heard that he had made another lucky hit
strong Us phenomenal genius In his
way. said Banker Jones TO me one day
"Iie reads human nature at u glance and
can adapt himself to any class Of men.
have no doubt that he is rs much at home
among the New York capitalists as il he
had been one OF them always. And he
Will impress them, too Just rs he i'm
pressed PEOPLE here"
ventured to express doubt
You are mistaken" said Jones.
"itaye you never noticed few rare men
who seem 10 have nothing In common
with the people around them-mcn who.
from their birth, are cosmopolitan by ma,
ture, with nothing provincial about themf
Strong h such Il man. A stranger could
not tell from his appearance and con
yersation what part of the country he il
identified with. In New York, San Fran
cisco or New Orleans he would be Mt
home. II is only here, where he was born,
that he appears 10 be altogether different
from his fellows"
Banker Jones was something of
philosopher and had 10 yield 10 him.
saw Narina every day Sometimes I
was at the postotiice when she called for
her mail and was always well pleased
10 see her bend her pretty head and hurry
OH with white envelope bearing the New
York postmark, and addressed in the
handwriting so well known to me.
IL was nearly year before Strong re
turned. and then it was only on a fiying
visit. special car bearing some of the
biggest railway magnates in the country
passed through. Strong was with the party,
but he left IL. and spent half day at his
old home. He was with Varina most of
the time and saw him only a moment.
Il, n