Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-02-06
THE MAJORS VISIT.
HOW A 6ENTLEMANLY CAPITALIST
STIRRED A PENNSYLVANIA TOWN.

ne was AncoIrusife, bnb HAD an All
About Him That Won Respect and At.
tention-When He Went Away, There
Was Disappointment.
Late n spring evening in the middle
seventies q stranger alightcd from u pas
senger train that had just drawn up to the
station of n Pennsylvania mountain town.
He was ut once bcsct by half q dozen negro
hotel runners, tho most cnterpriSinG of
whom took possession of his band satChcl
before he had time to assent or dissent.
Because he was pleased with the ncgro's
push or because he fancici the nl,nr OF
tho hotel this porter represented the
stranger gave the man the check for his
trunk and put himself under his guidance.
At the hotel the stranger registered his
name in n plain, businesslihe hand as
"Mnjor John H of Philadelphia. He
made his toilet, ate his supper, and. light
ing a cigar, went out, as he remarked. for
a stroll about the town. Upon his return
an hour or SO later he entered into CONVEX
sation with the landlord. Major II. up-
pcared to take an interest in the banks of
the town, Of which he said he had noticed
there were a larger number He inquired
as to their condition, and seemed pleased
to hear that they were all regarded rs
strong institutions, ali under safe. con
servatlve management. His interest, he
limited, was owing to tho probability that
he would in the near future have occasion
to deposit in one OF them u large sum of
money
Becoming moro communicative, the
major said he had heard that the morning
paper of the OWL paper of rCputc and
infiucncc-was for sale, in settlement Of
an estate, and that he was strongly Gispos-
ed to buy it.
Tho next morning all the town knew of
the presence of the rich gentleman from
Philadelphia, who was going to buy the
----, aud he was the object of much
respectful curiosity when he appeared on
the streets. In him the curious saw u man
above tho medium stature and beyond
middle age, who dressed plainly, but with
great nentAcss, and who, in the face, bore
a resemblance to General Grant, II rcscm-
blancc which was not lcsscnrd by the fact
that the major always had u cigar in his
mouth
The first place the major visited the
morning after his arrival was the Office of
the newspaper that was for sale. He WAS
received there with much consideration,
and spent some hours inspecting the plant
and carefully going over the books. H."
expressed satisfaction with what he had
seen and learned, and intinntuI his will
1ngncsS to pay a certain sum in cash for
the property-a sum rather larger than
the management hoped to receive, though
not, of course, ms largo rs that asked.
From the ncwsnnr,er Office tho r,;c,
WINS escorted to ;, nric hborin, hank rvhrrc
his recoption Inv Inc nrnsiIrnt ,yn. MOS,
cordial and KATHERINE Sr.ino in h, now
conner u prospective customer and u man
destined to DO of much influence in the
community, this wide awake bank officer
not only tool, rrcnt rln,sur, in ,,,li,r
him acu1ajptcl with Ina r,ntIy ovco,l,nI
condition OF the bank. bu; insisted on
driving him ont that ,rtornn,n ~ .n thn
natural beauties or the rc,inn which
seemed to charm the ,uoior mat nor,
nothing would do but that the ,nnin,
should dine with him
The next div other nrnmir.n+ ,,on
the town, who did not prn,,sc ia narn,i,
the bank president To ma,onol;rn ~,
major. sourht him o,+ r;,h ,hn roerl.
that before ,oon1re wns rnfoc:,; =, dr;vn
out behind 1SEt horses every nftc,nnnn
ap6fsFS dfn6 rs thc cucsr or honor nvor,,
for q wcck Tbo ,u,io, drove n,,t
and tho , ior dirod ri. G,iot ,,,, ~
ostcntatious manner and lis in+rllignnt
conservative conversation ron far Mn
golden opinions. and in :, shnrt ,in,o No
town was mad over thc mainr Mean
while he would dron into ,br rour,,,o,
Office every n>orninr vb,rn hc ,y,. ,lr,,l,.
looked upon ms tho now urn,rirtnr ma
spread haupincgs about him Inv n,onsort
words of Recommendation.
Finally one ,uorniur thr ,,,i,r ~
nounced that he had definitely decided ia
buy tho pnpcr and ordered - ,,wv,r Ia
draw IN tho lcnal lccumcnte ava hive
them ready on Il specified div the follow.
ing week. He said Hint he wo,il1 h:,. f.,
leave tho town for a few DAYS tn nr,nuo,
the transfer of tho money needed for rho
purchase and that he would return tho
day before that fixed for The transfer
The major then druppcd in to sec his
friend the bank president, and pladdcncd
his heart by announcing an intention of
opening q personal account with tho honk
He handed over his check for sl5 Oou
drawn on Il prominent philnGeluhjn hank
and after chatting "A few minutes uros, MS
If to 90, rcrnarking that he had n business
call to Pittsburg, for which CITY he wnull
start in the morning. The bank president
solicitously inquired whether he had suri-