The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-11-15

| his temper. Was it not Of record how
Louis. the Grand Monarque, had twice
made certain millions for himself by the
simple process of changing the value Of
the coin? Dicing, drinking. amorous
Philippe, easy-going. shallow-thinking.
| truly vert thou better fitted for throne
than for a bankers chair!
The royal bank, with the regent him
self fastened to foster when he saw the
profits Of the first private bank Of cir
culatiOn and discount Franch had ever
known, issued notes against which Law
entered Immediately his firm protest. He
saw that their tenor spelled ruin for the
whole system Of finance which. at such
labor. he had created. These notes prom
ised to pay, for instance, fifty livres I'm
sinver CON-" not lin coin Of the weight
and standard Of this day." as had the
honester notes of Laws bank. That Is to
say, the notes meant nothing sure and
nothing definite. They might be money
for a time, but not forever; and this the
director general was too shrewd a man
not to know.
But under this Issue you shall have all
France" said the regent to him one day,
as they renewed their discussion yet
again upon this scheme. You shall
have the farming of the taxes. will give
you all the foreign trade as monopoly, If
you like-will give you the mfnt-will
give you, in effect. as I have said. all
France. But monsieur my director-gen-
eral. I must have money. It Is for that
purpose that appoint you director-gen-
eral-because find you the most remark
able man in all the world"
"Your grace" said Law, print your
notes thus. and print them to such an
extent as you wish, and France Is again
worse than bankrupt! Then. indeed, you
have worse than repudiated the debts Of
France"
"Ah bah! mon drole! you are Ill to-day
You have migraine, perhaps? What fol-
ly for you to speak thus. France hath
swiftly grown so strong that she can never
again be ruined. What ails my magician
my Prince Of Golconda, this morning?
France bankrupt! Even were it SO, does
that relieve me of this begging Of De Prize.
Of Parabere, and all the others? My God,
Monsieur Las, they are like leeches! They
think me made Of money"
"And your grace thinks France made Of
money!
NAY; can only think my director gen.
eral Is made of money, or can make it as
he likes"
And this was ever the end Of Laws re-
proaches and his expostulations. This,
then, was to be the end Of his glorious en-
terprises, thought he, as he sat one NOR
ming, staring out Of the window when left
own sake-this was to be the limit of an
ambition which dealt in theories, in men,
in nations, and not in livres and louis
dor! law smiled bitterly. For an in
slant he was not the confident man of 40
ton and Of affairs, not the man claiming
with assurance the perpetual protection Of
good fortune. He sat there, alone, feel
ing nothing but the great human craving
for sympathy and trust. A line Of car
riages swept back across the street at his
window and streams of mobiles besought
entrance at hts door. And the man who
had called out all these. the man for
whose friendship all Europe clamored-
that man sat with aching heart, longing.
craving, begging now of fortune only the
one thing-a friend!
At last he arose, his face showing lean
and haggard. He passed into another
room.
"Will" said he, II am at place where
am dizzy and need a hand You know
what hand it means for me. Can you go
will you take her, as you did once before
for me. a message: I cannot go. I can
not venture into her presence. Will you
go? Tell her 1t is the last time! Tell
her It Is the lastl