The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1892-02-20
An Interesting Visitor.

An Interesting Visitor.
jay Gould has had q visitor. Hil
name ives Pine. He pinned fol
riches Gould pinned for him ID
leave. He was modest man, wal
Could visitor. lie was, moreover, q
'farmer-looking''' man. He wanted
million and q half, and he wanted
it badly. Big scheme, you know.
He would buy up all Of the land
about Delaware bay, between Cam
den and Atlantic city; also about
IS factories. He proposed further to
build a new city near Center Grove,
into which he would run five rail-
roads. A great ranch was also in
cluded in his scheme, but he was
not selfish. He had read of Gould
and liked him. He was prepared to
share profits equally with the wiz
zard, who was required to furnish
the money, only. His benefactor
would do the rest, even to furnish
ing the brains.
The visitor, with degree Of style
that was perfectly agonizing, car
ried three satchels. It will be re-
membered that Russell Sage's late
interviewer contented himself With
one. For reasons satisfactory to
himself Jay did not materialize in
the front office during his visitors
stay; but a battalion of clerks, jan
itors and other retainers of the
gilded great, obsequious and trem-
bling, met him with grotesquely
grinning features. ready to sacri-
fee their lives for their masters
safety, and fairly tumbled over each
other in their anxiety to anticipate
and crafty his slightest wish.
In addition to his three satchels,
Mr.. Pine carried a great big Bible.
This was to give solemnity to the
exercises he had in contemplation.
Two of his satchels were empty.
These were designed to carry the
money away in. The third one was
securely locked and was fondled by
its possessor carefully, tenderly,
lovingly as young mother fondles
her first born. In this satchel lay
hidden the mysterious cause of
the mysterious visitors mysterious
power over the Gould retinue. He
had but to glance quietly in the
direction of that talismanic treas
ure to cause all of them to leap like
jumping jacks in a box to obey his
faintest gesture, and to humor his
within, almost before it was
formed. After half an hour of heart
throbbing COMPUTATIONS and con-
situations, George Gould was sum-
moned by private telegram. He
the fateful summons and
when a series of unmolested walks
back and forth past the Office door
had raised his courage up to the
necessary pitch Of sublimity, he
the paternal lair. The mo-
ment of his filial entrance upon the
pallid scene was big with suspense.
On one side stood the memorable
visitor with his little satchel; on
the other a dozen menials, each
with a foot poised in mid air ready
TO spring at the word of command
from the complacent custodian of
the frightful satchel.. A memorable
tableau was thus formed. Georges
wits were not sharp. If he had seen
in the situation a chance to wrest a
million and a half of dollars from
some other fellows pocket he would
nave known just how to proceed
out the other fellow was now the
wrestler, and George was nonplussed.
He cogitated he had to. The affa-
Die Pine held on to the satchel.
Another half-hour went by-a
lalf-hour OF torturing solicitude.
light penetrated the
gloom of the heroic George.
A plan was born to him. He would
cause Mr.. Pine to be courteously
informed that the formidable Jay
vas out Of town and would not be
pack for week. The plan was
adopted with charming alacrity. A
clerk willing to be offered up as a
sacrifice was deputed to break the
lad. news gently and reverently as
possible to the man Of satchels.
The bold clerk proceeded with in
Unite caution and trepidation to
execute the strategy. It was sue
:essfully performed, and had the
desired effect. Gould senior held
MS breath till the appalling climax
mad passed. As in duty bound,
the rest held their breaths. also.
. Satchels' considered, and decided
10 go without the money. Mean
lime perspiration was raining
down from the clouded brows of all
the expectant throng. "Satchels"
II will call again." and
departed. Jay "hove" long drawn
Sigh. The son followed suit. Taking
their cues from their generous
examples the trained eubalterns
sighed in unison, and the dreadful
scene was ended. What was the
frightful and affrighting secret Of
The satchel2 A dirty shirt, perhaps.