The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1892-10-29

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He opened It and read.
Ogden Chalmers had just reached New
Orleans and procured the first mail that
he had received for six months. It was
characteristic Of his-a within, it might
have been called in another man-to be
bothered as little as possible by letters,
papers or kilograms when travelling. It
was also characteristic that he often put
himself wholly beyond the reach of wire
or post-perhaps to make doubly sure
against such interruption.
He had been in Mexico this time. over
on the west coast, as far from civiliza-
ton as he could get, and one may get
very far from it indeed there, as every
one knows who has had the courage
to leave the beaten routes of travel.
For, although q finished cosmopolite,
Chalmers could adapt himself to the
manners Of any people who lived close
to the ways of nature, and hence was as
much at home among the ignorant poems
of Oajaca or Chiapas as upon the pave
ments and amid the more polished civil
ization of New York or San Francisco.
There was no apparent reason why
Ogden Chalmers-man of fortune and
of leisure-should not wander as he
pleased or hide himself from the world
where and when he chose. He was al
most wholly without ties-with the sim
gle exception of a half brother somewhat
younger than himself wholly without
and his money safely invested, rather SO
as to avoid care in its management than
with view toward securing the largest
possible income, he was of course free
to go and come as he would.
He had now come direct to New Or
leans via steamer from Vera Cruz, and
all the way across the gulf had been
wondering why he was coming hither,
and which way it would be best to turn
next. It really mattered very little, but
he supposed he must come to decision
of some sort in the latter respect. It
was winter, and SO he did not care to go
farther north. California was an old
story. LII Cuba the hotels were bad; he
could find more comfort in an Indian
tepee than there. Then, again, he won
dered why he had come this way at all;
he might better have joined those news
paper men he had met at San Benito--
Bohemians, but most thoroughly good
fellows-and gone with them down to
see the revolution in Guatemala.
Yet, after all, something was to be said
in favor of New Orleans in midwinter;
it certainly was not the worst of places
at that season; perhaps he might as well
make up his mind to stay awhile and
Gee what would turn up. Having COME
to which conclusion Chalmers placed
his name upon the register of the st.
Charles, and went into breakfast, TAX
ing with him his six months accumula-
ton Of mail. There was not much Of it,
aud he noticed the fact whimsically, as
indicating how slight were the ties be-
tween himself and the world. There
were but two letters and single paper.
One Of tho letters was from his brother,
and bore various postmsrks, showing
how it had followed him about. He
opened it and read:
! DEAR O0DEN-I am In devil Of . fix about
money. win you help mo out9 II you will,
come homo at once, as shall need \ big lot.
can hold things Off for q month, but II you
can't help mo by that time must 60 under.
Your affectionatc brother.
GEORGE CnALMERs.
The letter was dated September first
1t was now the fifteenth of January.
Chalmers was so deeply engrossed by
The contents Of this one that he opened
the second letter mechanically, without
observing that the address was. written
IN a woman's hand. Mechanically, too,
his eye ran over its brief lines, until
their import flashed suddenly upon his
brain. This letter read:
DEAR Ma. CaALMERs-Your brother has
Oeen arrested for emhexxlcment. Tho bank
claims TO have lost more than \ hundred thou.
sane dollara. write You because George Will
not, aud think you ought to know. He says
you VIZ not help him. Must l believe its
aou' 1siS, rely. .siTsl LANA TENANT.
! This letter was dssed October first,
Just mo.iih after his brothers letter
was written-just the month, he mo-
nced, that George had said he could
"hold things off,"
The paper still Law unopened beside