Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-04-06

is drOlrnCd!'
guaranteed on preference stock and q Ger.
tain 10 per cent or Is per cent on the or
binary and wound up with another dose
of cant. The company, he said, would
net he alone content with earning income
for its bopdholders. 1t would have as its
equal object the spreading OF the gospel
and the civilization of England to the ut
termost parts OF the globe.
Then the meeting cheercd and amend
ed and wrote out an application for TO-,
900 70 shares then and there in the room on
forms which were handed round, and when
it dispersed Mr.. Theodore Shelf and ]
drove back TO the offices.
Look here said to him, you've
put me down on the directorate of this
thing. with n salary of eI,o00 a year.
want to resign
What on earth for?'
Oh. shall we say haven't sufficient
money loose to take up enough shares?
- But, he said quickly, you needn't
take up any. You can draw your first
quarter salary ana pay that back to the
company's bankers on your first call.
That will qualify you.
No said, I'm not going to do
that. I'm going to be mixed up with this
new company in no degree whatever.
Flatly, I don't believe in the thing one
bit. It's n notorious fact THAT freights are
so low just now that thousands of tons of
shipping are laid up because it can't be
run at profit. and if you put more in
commission froights will tumble down
still lower
You speak from your ignorance he
said. Il should remind you that am by
far an older man and have n much deeper
experience. The business of Marmsduke
Rivers s. Shelf is n lasting monument of
what my humble talents can accomplish
and you will some day see for yourself the
newer company on an equal footing. Did
You not notice what enthusiastic conf
dence in its prosperity those humble
friends of mine showed this afternoon
"A fat lot they know about the ship
ping business said I. In the mood you
| worked them up to they'd have believed
| in an advertising stockholders circular
IL only there were "a text at the head Of
| the page
shelf pulled the check string, and his
| brougham stopped against the curb. MIR.
Fairfax, said he. your attitude pains me
Let us part here for the time, and let us
both pray that when next we meet you
| may BE- in a more Christian mind, where
upon out / stepped and came along here
| to Park lane. Amy, dear, l don't like the
| look of things at all The other business
the Oceanic Steam Transport company,
as il Is called oificially-is by no means
| in healthy condition, and remembering
| that it seems to me that starting this new
| company is something very nearly ap-
preaching u swindlc l believe that Thco.
| dore Shelf. knowing that he is in low wa.
| ter. is getting desperate.
Il don't know about the last" replied
| the girl thoughtfully; but, rs for being
| in low water, there think you are wrong
| Every week here they seem to spend more
money than they did the week before.
Mrs. Shelf was ut a picture sale yesterday
| and bought two old masters at 1000
| guineas apiece, and it isn't likely shed
throw away that sum on what is absolute
| ly and entirely luxury unless money were
pretty plentiful with her
| 1t can't go on at this pace, " said Fair
fax. II know what the limits of the bust
ness are, and am certain it can't stand
the drain which all this Rorgeousness must
entail Last year the profits were almost
nil. and yet did Mrs. shelf retrench at
all? Not bit. She goes in for more and
more display every week she lives. This
pace must bring about n wreck, and IL the
Oceanic Steam Transport company goes
down il is an absolute certainty that this
new Brothers company will be swamped
| with ii.
| And them"
more than 5000 poor people, for the
most part old. will find that the savings
| of a lifetime have vanished into nothing.
| ness before their eyes 1t lis an awful thing
| even To think such a suspicion against a
| man, but the idea is growing upon me
| and Theodore Shelf saw what / though;
| when he showed me ont Of his broughanl
| this afternoon.
Then what" asked the girl in hor.
rified whisper, will you do:"
Nothing. What can do. To breathe
n word Of it aloud wonld be a libel, and
IL I d'i not get sent 20 iail the5 would