The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-09-25
CHAPTER IN
The Key.


Brown was IN The vortex Of the boom.
He had IDEAS of great riches. He wanted
10 become wealthy He listened entau-
siasticaRy 20 schemes OF al kinds
scAeDer living in this CITY at the time
was named Jack Scott Texas Jack
among his friends. veteran of Arizona
and New Mexico. Texas Jack and Brown
figured out that the island In The Lisrs
river north OF the Thirteenth street bridge
should be theirs They went in together
and tried to secure IT. The government
prevented them. Through this combined
effort they became friends. Texas Jack
then began 10 talk gold mines-goid mines
in Mexico and the wonderful possibilities
there Jack was sincere. There never was
a time. that living soul knows OF. whea
he was not friend OF z. T. Brown
The end OF the boom had come. Drown
was not rich His dream had not come
true. He had not only invested his own
money. but IS 90 OF his w1fe's money. and
against her judgment OF ali men in Wich-
ita. disaster had fixed upon him as the
first of her prey And he knew. He pre-
dicted il He was paying a hard game to
keep up his wife's hopes. He hsd prom
Used her that everything would come out
all right. She was Queruhous and disSaus-
fed.
In the cyclouic reaction from the boom.
Fate doomed r. T. Brown 10 De the first
victim. Foreclosure threatened him In
the after years many, many met The demon
Foreclosure. Some could not face Il. and
committed suicide. Some lost their minds
But up 10 that time not one had failed.
and. with everybody else prosperous. the
failure OF one man meant ignominy and
accusation OF uismanagement.
Foreclosure had clupched Brown and
was dragging him in He had promised
himself and his wife profits. he had moth
ing TO give but losses and bankruptcy.
Az that he had done was for ais "a miiy's
luxury He had faEed not only. but had
placed himself open 10 possible criticism
and domestic denunciation. One week be
fore ne ieft he took Captain Hothkiss 10
his house TO get Mrs Brown TO acE0now-
ledge a deed. Facing down all supplica-
ton, she fatly refused.
He brooded over this. He pitied him
self Finally he defended himself What
was the use OF taking the blame2 What
was the use OF having the community
point It's finger al him as man who was
bankrupt and bankruptcy WIS no little
thing in times of a boom. and least
OF all to q proud-spirited KentuckiaH.
He once. resolved 10 clear out. 10 escape
all blame. humiliation and misery. He then
repented and went ahead IN his business.
Once he thought OF Tacoma Failure came
on apace. Again he resolved 10 10 away.
Failure meant collapse 20 him. II meant
nervous destruction. What good would he
be 10 his family as a wreck He would
20 mad il he failed. He could not stand
his wife's accusing glance. He could not
see his lite children poorly dressed. He
could not see them in poverty. with him
self burden. Texas Jack WAS near all
during this period OF distraction. telling
the tale OF the Mexican gold mines In
Browns mental disorder the mines seemed
gleaminsly to beckon him. Perhaps n
would win a fortune there Then he could
send for his wife and children. and let
them enjoy what he had. then he would
repair ali that he had cost her sDy mis-
fortune.
So at last he made up his poor mind 20
go away.
But how 10 60: Should he tell his wife
all? No: he could not face her Better
TO let her think ne were dead Confess
70 her. he could not. Then how should
he go? II he left suddenly. and without
leaving any trace Of himself. she would