Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-06-19

In 1895, Mr.. Kipling's description shows a
singular knowledge OF American railway
men and methods. as well as of American
character. By permission OF The century
Company, We print herewith the passage
in question, from Chapter IX. OF Gap
tains Courageous."l
Whatever his private sorrows may
be, multimillionaire, like any other
workingman, should keep abreast O.
his business. Harvey Cheyne, senior,
had gone East late in June to meet a
woman broken down, half mad, who
dreamed day and night of her son
drowning in the gray seas. He had
surrounded her with doctors, trained
nurses, massage-women, and even
faith-cure companions, but they were
useless. Mrs. Cheyne lay still and
moaned, or talked of her boy by the
hour together to any one who would
listen. Hope she had none, and who
could offer it? All she needed was as
surance that drowning did not hurt;
and her husband watched to guard lest
she should make the experiment. OF
his own sorrow he spoke little-hard-
ly realized the depth O. it till he
caught himself asking the calendar on
his writing-desk, "What's the use of
going on?"
There had always lain pleasant
notion at the back of his head that,
some day, when be had rounded off
everything and the boy had left col
lege, he would take his son to his
heart and lead him into his pos
sessions. Then that boy, he argued,
as busy fathers do, would instantly
become his companion, partner and
ally, and there would follow splendid
years of great works carried out to-
gether-the old head backing the
young fire. Now this boy was dead
lost o. seq, rs it might have been a
Swede sailor from one of Cheyne's
big teaships; the wife was dying, or
worse; he himself was trodden down
by platoons of women and doctors and
maids and attendants; worried almost
beyond endurance by the shift and
change of her poor restless whims;
hopeless, with no heart to meet his
many enemies.
He had taken the wife to his raw
new palace in San Diego, where she
and her people occupied wing OF
great price, and Cheyne, in veranda-
room, between secretary and type
writer, who was also a telegraphist,
toiled about wearily from day to day.
There was war of rates among four
Western railroads in which he was
supposed to be interested; devastat
ing strike had developed in his lumber
camps in Oregon, and the Legislature
of the State of California, which has
no love for its makers, was preparing
open war against him.
Ordinarily he would have accepted
battle ere it was offered, and hav,
waged pleasant and unscrupulou
campaign. But now he sat Imply
his soft black hat pushed forward OF
his nose, his big body shrunk insid
his loose clothes, staring at his hoot
or the Chinese junks in the bay, TN
asserting absently to the secretary
questions as he opened the Saturda
mail.
Cheyne was wondering how muc
it would cost to drop everything an
pull out He carried huge insurances
could buy himself royal annuities, an
between one of his places in Colorad
and little society THAT would do til
wife good), say in Washington and i
the South Carolina Islands, ma
might forget plans that had come t
nothing. On the other hand
The click of the typewriter stopped
the girl was looking at the secretary
who had turned white.
He passed Cheyne a telegram r,
peated from San Francisco:
picked up by fishing schoont
We're Here having fallen tfboat grei
times on Banks fishing all well wal
ing Gloucester Mass care Disko Troo
for money or orders wire what shall {
and how is mama Harvey n. Cheyne.
The father let it fall, laid his hea
down on the roller-top of the sh,
desk, and breathed heavily. The Sc
retary ran for Mrs. Cheyne's docto
WIZ iOult ChSJho PHClAS W uii II
"What-what d. you thiuk of it?
itpossible? Is there any meaning
it? can't quite make it out" l
cried.
81 can," said the doctor. 81 los
seven thousand a year-that's all.
He thought of the struggling Ne
York practice he had dropped
Cheyne's imperious bidding, and +,
turned the telegram with a sigh.
"You mean you'd tell her? Ma
be n fraud?"
whats the motive?" said the do
tor, coolly. "Detection's too certain
It's the boy sure enough"
Enter French maid, impudentl.
as an indispensable one who is kept c
only by large wages.
"Mrs. Cheyne she say you mu
come at once. She think you a
seek"
The master of thirty millions bowt
his head meokly and followed Suzann
and thin, high voice on the upp
landing of the great white-wood squa
staircnse cried. "What is if? VIII