Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1899-03-01
. RESIDENT LINCOLN had just


r Issued a call for more troops, and
4 volunteers from every direction
responded with the unGesitating alac-
rity Of true patriots. Some Of the
States failed to furnish their full quota,
however. and Iowa was among the de-
linquents. Then came the order for
draft, and the name of Hon. James
Fisk Of D. headed the list of
the drafted. This was no particular
credit to his fellow townsmen, for In
spite Of his title (which, by the way,
was tribute TO wealth only, meaner,
more miserly creature than James Fisk
never lived upon this earth.
He was just in the prime of life, OF
would have been had he been less self
ish. but little by little certain objec-
tiOnable traits of character had left
their imprint upon his cOuntenance
untu he appeared prematurely aged.
Hence the sObriQuet of 'Old Jim Fisk"
which he was familiarly called by
every man, woman and child-except-
ing on rare occasions when discretion
was considered the better part of valor.
The Hon. James Fisk was banker,
a railroad magnate, and a real es-
tate man combined. In fact. he had
owned large portion of the town In its
early history, and he therefore consid-
cred himself of no small Importance In
| the financial world at least. Like many
another, he loved his money first, him.
self next and his country last. as well
as least: though it is said that when
| br fAv 7 init tod TO or dnrinO
the previous campaign, he made some
thrilllngly patriotic speeches, and ap-
parently without the slightest COM
junction. In those days he was called
"Old Sodom and Gomorrah," an appel
lation which he never quite outgrew.
| James Fisk was not the type of n
man who could conscientiously sing
america" or 1.-The Star Spangled Ban
ner," consequently he felt that per-
| sonal insult had been directed to him
when the President had the audacity to
place his name with the rest Of the
common herd. Nevertheless, II was a
case of compulsion, and he knew that
he must either hire a substitute or go
into the army himself. The former
was not very easy to accomplish. as
the majority of the poor men had al
| ready enlisted, and money, at such n
time, was no inducement to the rich
men.
He was not In an especially amiable
| mood when at the close of an unsuc-
cessful day spent in search of substi-
tute, he entered his office to attend to
the afternoon mail. AS he read the
zs-st fse1ee q heavier scowI deepered
I upon his forehead and he exclaimed
harshly:
"The young jackanapes reed not
think that he can fool with a hornet
and not get stung Extend their time.
indeed! Why. the interest was due a
month ago! I'll foreclose the mortgage
to- morrow"
new thought seemed to occur to
him, for the muscles of the stern mouth
relaxed; he smiled blandly, rubbed his
hands together caressingly, and said:
mfr. Fisk, you're a diplomats born
diplomat You're an honor to your
country, but more particularly to your
self. II you can only manage this thing
properly. you will be all right-yes. all
right"
At the close of the foregoing soliloquy
he filed out telegraph blank as fol
lows:
Horace w. Packard. Carson City
Iowa-Have found a way to help you
!; out. Come to D. on first train.
JAMES FISK"
The message was soon dispatched
and reached it's destination just as Hor
] are and his mother were sitting down
to their evening meal.
"Old Moneybags is getting awfully
considerate, all of a sudden; what dc
you suppose is back of it. mOtherT
asked the boy as he handed the tele
! gram to her.
Mrs. Packard gave a sigh which be
lied her words, but she responded hope
! fully, Il don't know, dear, but we viii
. trust that his heart has sOftened little
, toward the widow and the fatherless.'
Don't you think you can go with me
mother? l believe Jones will give u.
!, passes, so you can offer no objection o,
that score; anyway. you need a change
. for you look pretty tired these days"
And thus it was settled that Mrs
Packard was to spend the week will
, an old school friend, while her son at
tended to business matters.
Mr.. Packard had been one of the frs
of Iowa's sons to lay down his life 70
, his country. From the hour that hi
: father had marched away, Horace ha,
secretly cherished a desire to join tn
army. He knew that his years wer
against him; then, too. his mother
!, heart was so sore at the heavy bloy
. which had fallen on their home nest a
the result Of the war, that he neve
mentioned the subject, and Mrs. Pach
ard little dreamed of the great struggl
a that was going on in the mind Of he
b boy.
\ How his heart swelled with patrio
ism the next day as he walked up Mai
street! All D. was astir with tn
news Of war, and a bugle was soundin
O the reveille. When he passed a squa
Of the drafted men In their gay un
: forms, the sight was almost too muc
for him. the war fever was on him, an
had it not been for the thoughts of h
already bereaved mother Horace Pacl
/. arl would have gone at any cost.
= An hour later he came out of the o
= fee of James Fisk with a determine
q look on his manly face, and 1t SCENE
as II he had grown an inch taller.
- Mrs. Packard met him at the doc
ana affectionate greetings were e
changed. The boy tried to smile. b'
% when he looked into his mothers ey'
he made a miserable failure of it, an
the tears welled up instead. They wel
As quickly dried and he said, You Sc
mother, 1t Is just like this. Fisk wa
going to foreclose the mortgage, but b
II says he will give you a clear title II