The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-12-09

Copyright, 1902. by Robert How'd
Russell.)
once there was a plain, 4
Yank who made his Pile in a Sc-u5
Town situaf-I midway between tn
Oats Belt al the Tall Timber. He was
& large an sandy Mortal with a steel
trap Jaw and n cold gIittering Eye. He
made his first Stack a Dollar at a time
on straight Deals but after awhile he
learned Few Things. He organized
Stock Companies and then crawled out
after hooking up with the Velvet. Ev-
cry one called him Mister and treated
him with P~OIiteness but. just the same,
when he walked into an Office Building,
they all wondered what he had come
after and there was more or less lock-
ing of Safes. 1t is only fair to remark,
on the Side. that he wouldn't take any
thIng which was securely spiked down
and the Grand Jury never bothered
him. because he worked under a Con-
tract.
Tire Financier was the high Center
Pole Of a Bank and a Department Store
and several Factories that gave Young
People u Start in the World at som--
thing like 1915 per Week.
He was accustomed to have all the
6ubHrdInates stand on one Foot and
JTemble whenever he showed up. In
TACT. ne was a very u-..- IL i
all through the Business District. But
when he struck the Street leading 10
his Home he began TO reef his Sails anu
lower all of mis- Flags.
IN Ms own JuuICI.C hg did not even
play Second Fiddle. He simply traiIed
along at the flag end of the Parade and
carried the Music. The Piercing Eye
and th- parnpnntnrv hannar th4r aY,
ed all the BOOkkeepers to fall off from
their High PercheS and PROSTATE them
selves had no visible effect on Laura
and the Girls. Popsy was a High Guy
at the Directors Meeting but a mighty
cheap SOuff1e at his own Fireside. Any
time that his Plans did not coincide
with those of the Feminine Bunch, they
passed him a back-handed Veto that
would cause him to lie quiet for Days
at a time.
The FinanCier loved the boundless
West. where the Sack Coat aDOdnuS
and the Cuss-Word is a common heri-
tage. Domestic Cigars were good
ena'gh for him and he figured that
onSgood reliable Hired Girl who knew
how to cook Steak was all the Help
that was needed in any House. But
Mother had seen Fifth Avenue in a
Dream, INC the Girls had attended u
Boarding School at which nearly every
one knew some one who vas Prominent
Socially. They had done a lot of Hard
Work at the Piano and taken a side
hold on the French Language and it
seemed to them that they were wasting
their Time lettering On the Outskirts of
CivilizatiO when they might be up at
Headquarters cutting more or less of q
Cash. All the Young Men in this Reu5
Town wore Derbies with their Evening
Clothes and came to Dances with their
White Gloves smelling OF Gasoline, in
addition to which they lacked RepoSe.
If they had stopped To c~si;lvate Re
pose. most of them would have landed
r. the Villa set aside for Paupers.
When aura and the Girls first ad-
Yocated pulling up Stakes and doing Il
tall Hike to the East, the Producer
emitted a Roar that would have fright
ened anyone except Laura and the
Girls. They closed in on him from
three Directions and beat down his De
Tense. When they got through with the
living Meal Ticket he was as meek as
an English Servant and ready to take
orders from any one.
SO the Caravansary moved away to-
ward the Rising Sun. 1t Wilkesbarre
Pennsylvania. the heavens opened AMI
a Great Light struck down upon them.
transforming all except the one who
happened to carry the Letter of Credit.
Laur and the Girls suddenly forgot
that there was any Land west of Pitts
puI = dlu llCy uIOppSu their ID y anu Sbl
the Kangaroo Walk and began to order
their Food in Foreign Languages. Al
ter that all that Father had to 10 WAS
follow along and look Pleasant and dig
every few Minutes.
The Outfit stopped at the Waldorf
three days SO as 10 obtain a Residence
and after that they REGISTERED as hai1-
from New York. Then they threw Papa
an a Boat and took him to the Other
~. the Place where Americans are
81 Popular, if you don't care what YOU
say. BY paying OFF the Mortgage they
obtained a Suite at a Hotel patrOnized
BY the. Nobility Ii Gentry and sup
ported by People from Iowa. After
which thew began to present Letters nf
Introduction and try to butt in. Laura
and the Girls felt that if only they
could eat a Meal once or twice in the
gloomy Presence of those who had Han
dies 70 their Names. they would be
ready u fall back and die Happy. They
had some trouble about getting into
the Tall Game on account of their
Honey. In the States the general Run
of People worship the Almighty Dollar
but in England they hate the Sight of X.
In spite Of the Fact that they were
sinfuIly Rich they succeeded in Elbow
fng their way into several Dinners at
which il was necessary to put Ice in the
Claret in order to keep it at the Tenn
perature OF the Room. 1he Ftnancler.
In his First Part Clothes with an ,ce-
Cream weskit. was a Picture that no
A fist could paint. His Hair would not
stay combed and he hardly ever knew
what TO de with his Hands.
Laura and the Girls could forget nat
they had ever seen the Missouri: RIVER
but not so with old Ready Money Right
at tie Table. sitting opposite the rarl
of Eammersmith or the Maruu: or
Stoke-on-Trent, while Laura AMI the
Girls would be talking about their c"un-
try Place and trying to smOth,r the
American Accent, the Lohsterine - IL
come in and tell about something that
happened to him once he was pi"Vtug
Corn. Then Laura and the Girls would
want to duck right under the Table and
die of Modification then n there.
The only Reason they put up with
Gin, was that he seemed to be useful
when it came to signing Checks.
In England they met a great many
Eice People. The Financier knew that
they were Nice because they wore DARK
Clothes and seldom Smiled.
1oIu n v oh tarS went