The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-05-16

Copyright by the 81 IN. Mcclure company.
AS Jim Messitera walked down River
Front avenue and tasted the salt chinook
which swept across the bay and mingled
with the ,odor Of the new sawn fir it
struck him with sharp glow of pleasure
that life had never before held so much
of interest for him. He looked over the
town which he had done SO much to make
and it seemed to him that MS work was
good. The distinguishing features OF the
town were its rawness and rustic, but to
Jim 1t had the germ OF perfection. Its
of Its, vitality and quick life. 1t was
TYPICAL of the west-pushing. self assert
i've, public spirited Fortunes We're to be
gsi3 lila lose in a month. Already it was
almost cosmopolitan In Its citizens, and It
was just six months OLD
Surely tMessiter liked the town no les
because 1t liked him. He had deserv,d
ly in season and out Of season, and had
stood by 1t manfully when the rival city
across the bay had been backed by a GER
tain coast railroad company and had al
most beaten Willapa Bend out of exist
ence. He had been the spokesman Of the
delegation which has waited on the
president and board Of directors Of the
great transcontinental railroad to show
them why Willapa Bend should be the
terminus. of their line. and he had done
his work so we'll that he had shaken the
presidents already formed verdict in
favor Of Inverness. When the committee
filed into the room Willapa Bend had not
one chance In a thousand, but before they
left Messiter knew that the matter would
not be decided without more thoro In
vestigatien.-
The town was still In the midst of it's
first boom" but every man, woman and
child there took pride in it, and believed
loyalty that the town was to be big city
In the near future. Men were passing to
and fro quietly, buying and selling in a
businesslike way. Not man who was not
busy; not one who did not believe he was
on the high road to fortune; everywhere
rustic, life and hope; new country in the
making At least that was how Messiter
saw 1T as he turned into the offices of the
company, and his opinion went for good
deal among people who knew him.
He was well set up young fellow, and
worth second look, not because he was
pretty or handsome-for he was neither,
His mouth was too large and his features
were altogether too irregular. The thing
that impressed a stranger was his clean
blooded vitality. He showed alertness and
vigor In every movement of his healthy,
athletic body. There was something about
the lines Of his mouth and the expression
OF his shrewd, humorous eyes that showed
On his desk were dozen letters from
people In the east who wanted to know all
about Willapa Bend. But Jim Messiter
tossed these aside and settled himself ex-
pectantly to read a letter In square en-
Velope bearing the monogram "E. D." on
the seal. One paragraph he read over sew
eral times Like its writer, it was as d.
rect and frank as a man.
If seem to put the case brutally you
VSn xpyill ~ 1
you have insisted on my speaking frankly.
LIDO not see how the situation has changed
since l answered you before. l. cannot
help feeling that you deliberately ran
away from your responsibilities and idu-
ties when you buried yourself in the west.
You had an honorable career awaiting you
here, and you threw 1t up to go wan
dering. do not see any reason to mod
1fy my previous Judgment in regard to
your present course. Leaving out entirely
the morality Of it, specializing in BOOM
towns cannot be regarded as a serious
business, In. lifes worthy of a man; who
mas the opportunities that you have had
and still have. So far as I can judge, your
philosophy Of life seems to be about the
same that 1t used to be when you were
at college, and then you regarded it as a
huge joke.
Believe me, do not intend to hurt Won
needlessly, but frankness Is better for us
pOth, as you say. Unless you can con-
vince me that you are honestly and seri-
ously graphing with the work of life my
resolution must remain unchanged II
you can show me I am mistaken, none
OF your friends will be so quick to rejoice
with you as I. Sincerely
Edith Delafield"
Messiter strolled to the door, an anx-
ious. harrassed look on his square -jawed,
boyish face. Again his eye wandered over
( the place, and again it seemed to him that
he was doing something worth while. He
was in the thick Of lfe-in the heart of a
big thing, he admitted to himself impair
tally, with an air Of satisfaction He
had got to make Edith see 1t In that way.
even If he had to go to New York to do
So
He sat down at his desk and wrote an
immediate answer. First he told her Of
what ne was doing and of the busy life
around him. In conclusion he wrote:
Il certainly am not booming this town
Tor the money there Is to be made in
fleeing innocent buyers. You know me
better than that. To open up a new and
rich country is a more serviceable work
IN my opinion. The country out here is
rough and raw, but 1t contains wonder
full possibilities. and do not think that
the pioneers who are giving themselves
to Its developments can be said to be
skulkers In LIES battle. believe in this
country and this town. I intend to stay
here. and / am not trying to induce work.
Ing people to invest their money In what
] know to be cheat and a lie,
Il cannot hope to make you feel about
this as l who am In the thick of 1t do:
but II you could see the progress we have
made the tide flats that have been re-
claimed, the forests that have been
cleared and the homes that are being
built, feel sure that you would not think
1T useless and futile.
Il have been asked to stand for the
state senate. For the next week we shall
be straining every nerve to get the termi-
nus of the Transcontinental for our own.
Whatever else I am doing, I am not tri-
fling. 1t Is the work am best fitted for.
Yet IL do not get one little girl in New
York to believe In 1t and me
You have got to believe in me and the
town, for we are both tremendously in
earnest. | cannot leave my work now. but
may not come later, say next month?
May not, dear? James Messiter''
He was just finishing the address when
two visitors dropped into the office One
OF them was the man who wanted to be
governor. He introduced his companion
as Mr.. Roberts, looking for site for
some mills. Thought he ought to see your
town, Mr.. Messiter.'
It's the only town he needs to see A
lumberman has better chance here than
IN any other place In the state, and that
means In the world retorted Messiter.
Presently, as they bowled over the
planked roads in surrey, Messiter found
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