Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-05-21


ne asked IN an eager whisper that seem.
ed to say he saw u solution of the diff.
Guilty if it were financial.
"Oh, dear, mol have all the monev
ana more, that any one can wish. "
The old mans countenance fell. II
money would not remedy the state of
things, then he was out of his depth.
Wont you tell me the troubleP Per-
haps can suggest
ITS nothing you can help me in.
papa. 1t nothing much anyway. The
Misses Sneed won't call on me. That's
all
The old man knit his brows and
thoughtfully scratched his chin.
Wont calf" he echoed helplessly.
"No. They think IN not good enough
TO associate with them, I suppose"
The bushy eyebrows came down until
they almost obscured the eyes, and
dangerous light seemed to scintillate out
from under them.
You must be mistaken. Good gra-
cious, l am worth ten times what old
Sneed is! Not good enough? Why, my
name on check Isl
1T isn't question of checks, papa"
walled the girl. Its question Of So
clety. was painters model before /
married Ed, and, no matter how rich /
am, society won't have anything to do
with me. -"
The old man absentmindedly rubbed
MS chin, which was a habit he had
when perplexed. He was face to face
with a problem entirely outside his
province. Suddenly a happy thought
struck him.
"Those Sneed women" he said in
tones of great contempt, "what do they
amount to anyhow? They re nothing
but sour old maids. They never were
half so pretty as you. Why should you
care whether they called on you or
not?"
"They represent society. If they came,
others would"
''But society can't have anything
against you. Nobody has ever said
word against your character-model or
no model.
The girl shook her head hopelessly.
Character does not count in society,""
In this statement she was, of course,
absurdly wrong, but she felt bitter at
I all the world Those who know society
are well aware that character counts for
everything within its sacred precincts;
so the unjust remark should not be set
down to the discredit of an inexperienced
girl.
'I'll tell you what I'll do, " cried the
old man, Frightening up. "I'll speak
to-GA.44esal Sneed tomorrow. I'll ar
range the whole business in five mir.
utes. "
'Do you think that would do any
good?" asked young Mrs. bruce dubi-
ously.
Good? You bet it'll do good 1t will
settle the whole thing. I've helped
Sneed out of pinch before now, and
he'll fix up little matter like that for
me in no time. I'll just have quiet
talk with the general tomorrow, and
you'll see the Sneed carriage at the door
next day at the very latest" He patted
her smooth, white hand affectionately.
$50 don't you trouble, little girl, about
trifes, and whenever you want help you
just tell the old man. He knows thing
or two yet, whether it is on Wall street
or Fifth avenue"
the general, probably because he had
absolutely no military experience what
ever. Next to bruce he had the most
power in the financial world of Amer
lea, but there was great distance be-
tween the first and the second. If it
came to deal in which the general and
all the world stood against bruce, the
average Wall street man would have
bet on bruce against the whole COM
bination, Besides this the general had
the reputation of being a square" man,
and that naturally told against him, for
every one knew that bruce was utterly
INSCRIPTIONS. But if bruce and Sneed
were known to be together in a deal,
then the financial world of New York
ran for shelter. Therefore when New
York saw old bruce come in with the
stealthy tread of a two legged leopard
and glance furtively around the great
room, singing out Sneed with an al
most inperceptible side nod, retiring
with him into remote corner where
more ruin had been concocted than on
any other spot on earth and talking
there eagerly with him, hush fell on
the vast assemblage of men, and for the
moment the financial heart of the ma
ton ceased to beat. When they saw
Sneed take out his notebook, nodding
assent to whatever proposition bruce
was making, cold shiver ran up the
financial backbone of New York, the
SILVER communicated itself to the cleo
trio nerve web of the world, and storm
signals began to fly in the monetary
centers of London, Paris, Berlin and
Vienna.
Uncertainty paralyzed the markets OF
the earth because two old men were
holding a whispered conversation with
a multitude of men watching them out
of the corners of their eyes.
"I'd give million to know what
those two old fiends are concocting, "
said John P. Butler. the great wheat
operator, and ne meant it, which goes
to show that man does not really know
what he wants and would be very dis
satisfied if he got it,
"Look here, general, " said Druce' u
want you to do me favor. "
"Ail right" replied the general, u
am with you"
'It's about my little girl, " continued
bruce, rubbing his chin, not knowing
. Just how to explain matters in the colo
financial atmosphere of the place IL
which they found themselves.
e CWNna