The record-union., 1894-12-22
Iauncey PelIew's Quiet Christmas.

Copyright, 1894 by Edgar L. Wakeman. All
rights reserved.
Launcelot Pellew, known in the high
est political, social and commercial cir
cles of the Old World and the New as
Launcey Pellew, companion of Princes,
Prelates, Presidents and Potentates, and
ever referred to by the prideful para
graphers of his own country as "Our
Launcey," was one of the foremost char
acters of modern American life.
In many respects he was one of the
most princely men in the princely repub-
lie OF Princes.
This was certainly true of him as to
wealth. 1t could not be gunsayed OF
him as to his genius for diplomacy. He
was a social lion. No man living could
outrival him in intellectually or in ora
tory. He was also great President Of a
great railway company-the Great Cen
tral-at a great salary; so great that the
starving reporters who gloat over the
dazzling incomes of other folk, always
hesitated about permitting statement of
this matter to ever slip into cold type be-
low SIX portent figures and the bewitch-
ing dollar mark before them.
Perhaps, too, his charities were equally
colossal.
Perhaps, as this was the second day be-
fore Christmas, the bestowal Of these
very charities had had their share in eX
hausting and unnerving MIN. For it
cannot be denied that great qualities en-
tail grave responsibilities; that great
wealth is almost endlessly eaten away
by petty redIStri button among the less
fortunate, and that greatheartedness,
especially when the cruel zones of hard
times girdle the whole world remorse-
lessly, can never wholly cease active re-
spOnse 10 the pitiful WretchednesS among
our fellow men.
No doubt all these things were largely
the secret canker at Launcey PeileW'S
heart. No doubt, when he had sat at his
desk with his Private Secretary and faith
fully gone over the vast list of cases
which the mails and accommodating
friends mad brought to his attention, OF
bitter individual needs, of deserving men
staggering wildly between success or
failure, indeed of frighttul suffering
within a stones throw of the Great Cen
traPS offices, or almost within the Shad-
ow of his own splendid mansion, the
checks had necessarily been so many aud
had been signed so rapidly and so long
without cessation, that Launcey Pellew's
sympathetic contemplation OF immeasu-
rable human misfortune about him, had
quite overcome him. UnqueStionably
these things had SO tremendously over
balanced the largest possibility of his
large generosities, that his heart still
bled for what must remain undone.
No doubt of all this; SO near was it to
the blessed Christmas tide, when the
rich and great find their supreme privi-
lege and JOY typllylng the mission of the
Master in lifting up the sore of heart; in
seeking OUT The discouraged and unfor-
tunate; in transforming despair to hope
a oil
timely, mighty and universal largess,
which over plucks the fangs from An
archy's hateful and dragon-like head.
There had, OF course, been other bur-
dens than sentimental ones OF mercy
upon the railway magnate's mind and
heart at this, the closing season of the
year.
The annual reports had required his
closest attention. The directory had been
in almost constant session for week.
The question OF vast and rigid economy
over great railway system alone en-
tailed great mental anxiety on the part of
its President; for, whatever the public
may choose to think about the matter, the
problem of reducing several thousand
employees to that nicely adjusted eXtrem-
lty OF privatlon which mercifully falls
just short OF actual starvation i'll order TO
keep dividend paying property as
near as poSsibl at par, and especially in
skill which can accomplish these feats OF
mastertul tlnancierlng, Is one which only
a certain class of managerial minds can
adequately cope.
To say nothing of the spider-web
schemes for the absorption of other prop
critics, Tor a great railway SYSTEMS ten d.
lacler must ever clutch at and suck the
life from lesser systems, countless min
utes and perhaps more eXasperating dip
lomacies had been particularly wearing
upon Launcey Pellew at this holiday
season of the year.
To the degree that corporate power en-
slaves labor, destruction from incompe-
tency aud piracy from dishonesty pro-
portlonately increase. These antagonis-
tic factors had become great menace
and must be given Launcey Pellew's
gravest consideration.
The character of the laws, TOO, must be
continually changing, while The character
and demands OF law makers were as con-
tInuously presenting new problems.
complex conditions must be anticipated
and the statutes wisely altered. or framed
10 meet the requirements OF the most inn
portant Interests of which a great rail-
way President could by any possibiIitv
conceive. And had not his noted pre-
decessors outlined the policy that should
heneelorth prevail, as between railway
management and the public, that the lat
Ter should always pass into summary. if
lmpollte, condemnation?
Again, and 1t is mentioned as q svmna-
theuc excuse Tor Launcey Pellew's un-
pleasant mood at this particular Christ
mas time, mad not hosts OF great and Iit
tie acknowledgements the church.
the State, the press, the courts. great
financial institutions, the legal frater-
nifty, State and city officials. tari+i
leaguers and free trade leaguers. together
with detectives, sheriffs and constabies
the heads of all labor protecting schemes
and unnamabl e what-nots in genera -
swamped his desk for more than a month
now, offering their holiday congratula-
tions and everlasting loyalties for the
trlHlng boon of an annual pass over tnf
Great Central lines? Aud had not Lam
cey Pellew, with almost Mephistophaliau
cunning weeded the grain of valuable
possibilities from the pretentious chaff Of
manhood selling, ana, with his compli.
ments, sent within the week these giided
subtle strands of power TO the uttermosi
boundaries of the land, with a sneer al
the cheap purchase following the writing
OF each beneficiary's name?
And then there was that irritatino
claim department. Launcey PelleM
often told his friends, the Presidents ano
various foreign Princes and Enperors
the richest OF his unctuous anecdotes re.
garding the absurdity of these exasper.