The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-03-04

w nat Is ltg l asked
Ihen he unfolded to me the scheme of a
great Industrial enterprise, to be controlled
secretly by himself, but ostensibly by a
boa or managers; and of this board he
oHered me the presidency. 1 make YOU the
oHer,' be said, partly to show you that l
nave no personal feeling against YOU, and
that wish you well, and that in this fight
nave attacked, what you stand for, and
not you; and if you got hurt, it was because
you stood up too obstinately. But the chief
reason for my offer is that you are the man
most suitable for the position. Your name,
In spite of the innuendos that have been
thrown upon it, is still of great influence,
and will gain the confidence of the kind of
people we wish to get hold of. l have cal
culated that your help will be worth $50
0OO year to me, and that will be the
amount of your salary. The main lines of
the policy to DO pursued will be laid down
by me, but you will have full liberty as re-
CARDS details. You can do great deal of
good IN your own way-more than you will
ever be able to do otherwise. Do you &C
cept!
NO said 4 cannot accept it
"Remember,' he said, that l aEl not in
wiling you out of friendship. l don't con-
slider that l owe you any reparation or
apology for having defeated and ruined
you. We are both soldiers, in our different
ways, and all is fair in war. l invite you
for practical business reasons. Your name
and reputation will be useful to me.
If it were not so-if you were unknown or
forgotten-I would not offer you so much
as clerkShip at $50 month-not if you
were the Angel Gabriel, ana had saved my
lie. There Is the offer, to take or leave.
\ on will never get such a chance again.
Think of all it implies. Come, General,
oblige me!-takeit p
II felt at that moment how strong and
almost irresistible he was. He was offering
to pay me for the honest regulations which
should betray by taking his money. and
yet, instead of being angry, it was all could
DO to refrain from yiel ing to him. But
did refrain, and when he saw t1at | W Is
firm, he smiled and ceased to urge me. Pm
sorry he said, but you will gain moth
ing by your refusal except poverty and
your own self-satisfaction. Ishall get an
other man as like you as possible to fill the
place you might have had. That's all Pm
busy. Good-by, Weymouth"
Good-by,' l said, and walked out; and
l have not seen Golding since then until to-
day. And SO, at last, Miss Give, in very
roundabout way, come to the point of my
story.
II went to him this morning. He recog-
nized me at once, and greeted me as if we
had parted but day before. | told him
that l had been living during the past years
in retirement and on very limited means,
but that latterly circumstances had arisen
which made me desire to secure a larger in
come. l told him that had become deeply
and tenderly interested in young LADY,
here the Generals voice grew deeper and
cumberland that although | was no
longer young, but an old and broken man,
Ishould make bold to ask her to be my
wife. said that came to him as to tine
largest employer of labori in America, and
therefore the man most likely to have posi-
tons at his disposal. Would he give me
something to dog
"He said: The last time saw you Of
fered you place worth $50, 900 a year
'''You did, answered: but you asked
too much in return for the money
'''That may be true be said. L always
try to get the best of a bargain. Well,
you refused it, and that that is the end of it,
isn't itp
"'I had no thought of any position of
that kind; my requirements will be very
small, told him.
He looked at me for a few moments and
then said, L can do nothing for you Wey-
mouth. You come to me ON a matter of
business, and / answer you as a business
man. You have been living in retirement
for ten years or more. You have become
entirely forgotten Except for your hon
orable reputation for integrity and high
prin .iple, you never were worth anything
in practical affairs. AS l told you long ago
it was for your reputation, for integrity and
high principle that was willing to pay.
But now that you and your reputation have
lapsed into oblivion, you are worth nothing
at all to me. / don't say it harShly, or with
any feeling one way or the other, I only tell
YOU a fact And if | wanted to advise you
| should say, don't get married, and don't
try, at your age, to begin any new employ
ment.'
Il said nothing, but got up to go. Wait
a moment he said. Now that the business
part of our interview is over, am free to
talk to you as between man and man. |
always liked you, Weymouth, and ! believe
YOU are a good fellow though your theories
and schemes for improving the condition of
things are all wrong and foolish. If you
will accept 500, 900 from me as a free gift
you are welcome to have it, He opened a
CHI ok book and added, Say the word and
here itisp
az can't put myself under an obligation
to you told him.
|'Well, them he said. IN make out the
check to the lady you want to marry. What
is her nameF
Not that, either answered, Il do not
know whether she would have me for her
husband; and if she did could not ask her
to accept money in that way
every well he said, that's all can do
and 80, Miss Give" added the Gene al,
II left him, and here l am. see, now
that l have acted foolishly throughout,
But loved you, and wished to add some
thing to your life; and l thought that if
could make an income sufficient to sup 1ort
you in comfort you would perhaps consent
to let the close of my life be frightened and
sweetened by your companionship 1t
would have been happiness to me to work
for you, or to do anything for you. But
love made fool of me; and l should be
lad rather than sorry that my mission to
Goldng was failure. 1t saves me the pain
of saying that you cannot care for me-
You must forgive me for having INDUCED
myselfin the luxury of telling you in words
as we'll as by behavior and implication, that
love you and shall always love you. That
other love was not like this; it was of the
eve not of the mind and soul" He paused
a moment, and then said: ''She died a year
ago."