The National tribune., 1897-06-03
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE: WASHINGTON c., 1897

"TMsh," answered the guard, with his
/ hand TO his ear, to catch every precious word,
| that's the President and Treasurer"
"What is his name?"
The guard was too intent to answer. Kent
/ listened intently. The speakers cold, me-
| faliic voice had great carrying power. He
| pronounced each word distinctly, with q
| pause 10 separate it from the next, so that
| there was little trouble, even at that dis
| tance, in following him.
! He was favoring his hearers with most
gratifying exhibit Of the wealth that had
/ already accrued to them, and the still
greater that was surely to come. Owing to his
extraordinary business acumen and knowi-
edge of Chicago real estate they had secured
/ for an absurdly low price a large tract of
land where the conjunction of the railroads
and the river would force concentration
of large factories and warehouses. There
was already pressing demand for large
building sites at an unheard-of advance upon
the price they had paid. He would pres
emily call upon the Secretary to read some
letters to this effect. It had been the most
successful operation in real estate since the
foundation Of the city, and while he disliked
to say so himself, he could not help feeling
great qualification at the fact that his unu-
sual Judgment of real estate had resulted 50
benefcially to so many men of small means
He had heretofore given his time and abili-
ties to helping rich men make money. He
had wearied of this, and sought the higher,
keener qualification Of helping poor men
acquire competence.
There was loud outburst Of applause,
during which Kent asked the guard:
"What did you say his name was?"
His name? His name's- But he
don't care to have his name generally known
to outsiders. He isn't working this thing
for fame, but to do good quietly to poor men.
Say, young feller,you mustn't hang around
the door, where you can listen. Go away,
right off. This is private business, as Mr..
Ruckenbfod often says, with which the
public haint nothing to do"
90, his names Ruckenbrod, is it ?" said
Kent. unable to conceal his qualification,
and pulling out his pencil and memorandum
book. 80
"Now, if you don't get out o here I'll
make you, and that plagued quick" said the
guard, rising and advancing menacingiy.
You're a newspaper reporter, can see
that, and we don't allow no reporters around.
Mr-the President, mean-is very parsicu-
lar about that. He says they're continually
running the finest sorts of plans by their
tattling."
"No; assure you Pm no reporter. Pm
plain, hard working man, like the rest OF
YOU Just the kind he's trying to help.
Let me stay here. / want awfully to hear
it out"
"No; yon can't stay. You must 30 down.
stairs at once Clear out, now, before help
you along. This's private conference be-
tween business partners, which nobody elses
got any right to listen to-"
The guard had evidently been well taught
in his lesson, and Kent saw there was no
use in arguing the matter. He went down.
stairs, but as he did so noticed that there
was balcony in front of the building, and
that another stairs led to it. From it he
could command the interior of the hall. He
slipped off his Shoes and gained position
from which he could see and hear every
thing.
Mr.. Rnckenbrod was still speaking.
every member can to-day sell out his
holding for 10 times what it cost him. But
he would be very foolish to do so. / would,
as business man, give that for every share
could get but that my conscience would
smite me for taking advantage of my part
ners. But every man must pay this even
ing before he leaves the hall, the $5-a-share
assessment due this month. In business
enterprise of this magnitude and Importance
there must be no chiid's play. Any shares
delinquent on assessments will be forfeited
to the Treasury for the common benefit.
"Un this plat Of our property, with which
you are familiar have marked in different
colored inks the sites for which we have re-
ceived direct applications for purchase, and
/ will point them out as the Secretary reads
the letters. The Secretary will pass some
of the letters to the members, that they may
see for themselves the elegantly
letter. heads, and the general indications of
the high character Of the concerns making
these offers. If we chose to accept these We
could dispose of nearly half of our holding,
and yet have half left upon which to realize
still greater profits"
While the Secretary was reading Kent
studied him intently, and came to the belief
that he was an honest, sincere, kindly-mo-
tived man, whom he could and would trust.
Ruckenbrod was using him to capture the
others.
At the conclusion there was call for all
to come forward and pay their assessments.
Apparently all responded, the Secretary was
kept busily engaged in checking off the
names of those who handed their IS bills to
the President Treasurer.
As this would probably end the meeting,
Kent went down to the sidewalk in front Of
the entrance to see Morland as he came
out, and took a position where q project
ing sign screened him from observation,
while the light from the street-lamp and the
nearby shop windows would fall on the
others.
Ruckenbrod and Morland came down after
all the others had gone, and stopped fer a
few moments at the curb for few words
before parting.
1.-THE meeting was very satisfactory, Mr.
Ruckenbrod,n ventured the Conductor, in
the tone and manner with which he addressed
his Superintendent. It was palpable that he
regarded the President as financial genius
with philanthropic alteration.
"Quite so-quite so, responded the other,
with the air of chat being the sort Of thing
that he had reason to expect. The MEM
bers apparently appreciate the work that I
am doing for them, and are willing to do
their share. How many did you make out
as PRESENT."
"Just $50"
That is about my figure. I must compare
the receipts when get home to see that the
cash balances. We need the money to meet
the paper that is coming due tomorrow.
But another assessment or two will put us
in fine shape, and then we can begin to think
about dividends. I shall see you pretty