The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1903-08-14
CHAPTER 1.

7 TOW great events depend on
- trivialities! A chain of cir
cumstances in themselves in
significant brought us togeth-
er, a little group of strangers, and drew
us finally into that tragic adventure
of which so much has been said and
written. The first of these circum-
stances was no doubt my stopping to
speak with Sllitters, B. G. Skitters Of
Buffalo, one day in April last.
Skitters since l have known him has
always been full of enterprise and Of
schemes more or less crazy to make
q fortune in an hour. But the spring
of the Pan-American year, with its
dazzling possibilities, which affected
some stronger heads seemed utterly to
turn head originally none too steady.
When I saw him that morning he was
lettering feverishly on the corner Of
Niagara street and Main and glaring
like tiger at the crowds which went
to and fro. There was a feel in the
mir Of adventure and success, and the
man ON the corner seemed to be mad
dened by it.
He began to rave. "Three good
things gone wrong" said he-"three
elegant, gilt edge, safe ideas all gone to
smash in a week!'
How so?" inquired.
"Oh, the same old fogies! Men that
l tried to get interested wouldn't take
'em up. No more nerve in this town.
But, say, for heavens sake, If you
know Of anything real good that's do
ing, let me in, will you"
Same here" remarked weary voice
: beside us. A youth with a derby hat
on the back of his head and cigar
stump in the corner of his mouth had
paused in his aimless strolling. l recog-
nized him as distant acquaintance,
one Curley Bowers, somewhat well
known among the east side gangs.
Curley has imagination and even culti-
Yates the muses.. | made the suitable
introductions and happened to remark:
"Mr. Skitters here is interested in
some Pan-American enterprises"
Not now" he answered darkly. II
wouldn't touch such wildcat schemes.
Haven't the time anyway; too busy"
His mood had changed, and he eyed
with certain plying melancholy the
people that went past US, ephemerals
of the hour.
Look at 'em," said he, land every
other one has got some kind Of bee
buZzing-restaurants notions and side
show fakes. anything, anything to coax
dollar out of the poor visitor. They'd
better get on to one Of the big yellow
cars and go down to Niagara falls and
float over"
Young Bowers had moved leisurely
away At this casual remark he half
turned round and said, 81 know of
feller in this town who says he can do
the trick"
do what?" asked Skitters. "What's
he talking aboutT'
go over the falls" replied Curley.
"Shoot Niagara. Course he'd need
somethin' to do it in" He spoke with
tired, dispassionate air and drifted
on.
"Would be quite a scheme, wouldn't
it?" said Skitters, and his eye lighted
fitfully as it rested for a moment on
one of the yellow cars. "What an ad-
vertisementw And we talked of some
thing else.
But the very next day he (Skitters)
rushed into the office where l was.
"I've found it! I've found tt" he ex-
claimed.
"Found what?" 1 asked.
He dropped into a chair and lowered
his voice. but he was quivering all over
with eagerness, like hound that
points the game. ''In this town." said
he solemnly. up near Black Rock,
there's an old fellow that's an inventor,
and he's had hobby for years. He
works in bicycle repair shop, but
night times he works on the hobby-an
invention. And, by gad"-his voice fell
TO whisper-'I most believe that he's
got something there at last. Where's
that young fellow" Skitters cried,
that we were talking to yesterday"
"Who? Oh, young Bowers" said /.
"What do you want of him"
"Do you remember what he said"
Skitters replied, "about knowing a fel-
low who wanted to go over Niagara?
"Ch' W ASu CHS Ia 5Olil5 W StNV
him the chance"
went to the telephone and called
up a grocery store out on the east side
on corner opposite to Guggleheimer's
old saloon. Around that corner, as !
knew, relics of one Of the old street
gangs of Buffalo still loafed and loi-
tered through the heavy hours.
"Hellop' said in the telephone. 'If
Curley Bowers is near there, will you
please ask him to come downtown%
And gave the name and number.
Skitters meanwhile had sat down by
the window. From that window one
can see two empires facing the waters
of Lake Erie. wide and blue, and the
point where those waters pass so quiet
ly and unsuspectingly into the clutch
Of the strongest of rivers. Skitters
gazed upon this scene with a new APP
probation.
Looks quiet and gentle enough out
there, doesn't it?" he observed. who'd
ever guess what there was few miles
down yonder? What chance for
somebody! He went off into deep
muslng and presently came out of it to
chant kind of song to me, the song of
the ''Dollar Hunter"
After awhile Curley Bowers saunter-
ed in, still doing the dignified. Like
S0ma af his Kind in the nracanaa nf