Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1903-01-02
CHAPTER V.

, IF one might Judge from tne laCquere
majesty of your office appointments, sal
Patrick Cancel, taking one of the bi
chairs in Shells inner sanctum, your firm
Is doing roaring fine business.
Mr.. Theodore Shelf seated himself befor
his desk and began sorting out some pa
pers. 1.-THE turnover, he said evasively
sis enormous. Our operations are mos
extensive"
Extensive and peculiar" commented
Cambel.
"But regret to say that during thu
last IS months the firms profits have seri
ously decreased and the scope of its opera
lions been much hampered. take credit
to myself that this diminution could have
been prevented by no action on my part II
IL entirely the outcome of the times-tht
lazy greed of the working classes, foment
ed by the frothings of paid agitators. The
series of strikes which we have had to oon'
tend against is Unprecedented"
lis itp Well, don't know. There have
been labor bothers all down through his.
tory, and 1 fancy they'll continue to the
end of time. If you'll reoollect, there was
. certain Egyptian king who once had
troubles with his bricklayers, and fancy
| there have been similar difficulties trotting
| o.. AZ uentulI-,, Al pFetty quick sue.
cession ever since. OF course each man
thinks his own employees the most un.
reasonable and 9rasping that have ever
uttered opinion since the record began.
That's only natural, but might point
out to you that in definite results you
aren't in the worst box yet. Your chariot
hasn't been upset In the Red sea so far,
and it may be that q certain operation in
the Mexican gulf will piece up the wheels
and set 1t running on triumphantly.
Grumble II you like, Mr.. Shelf, but don't
make yourself out to be the worst used
man in history. Pharaoh hadn't half your
opportunities
Eyes, yes, !" said Shelf, who didn't relish
this kind Of conversation, but we will
come to business, il you please"
Right you are. Let's finish floating the
swindle."
"Mr. Gamble" exclaimed the other pas
sionately, will you never learn to mod
crate your languagef There are hundred
clerks within a hundred feet of you
through that door, and sometimes even
walls can listen and repeat. Besides OBJ
ject altogether to your phraseology. We
engage In no such things as swindles in
the city. Our operations are all CONNER
cial enterprise"
"very WE'LL" said Cambel Struggling
his shoulders, don't let's squabble over
It, You call your spade what you like,
only reserve right to slap on palmer
brand. We're built differently, Mr.. Shelf.
l prefer to be honest in my dishonesty.
And now, rs I've said, let's get to bust.
ness. You say the charter of this steamer
Of yours, the Port Edes, has expired and
she's back on your hands She's 1000
tons, built under Lloyds' survey and
classed 100 Al. She's well engned and
has just been drydocked She'll insure
for every sixpence of her value without
comment, and there's nothing more nat
ural than to send out your specie in such a
sound bottom. Remains to pick suitable
complement"
"1've got master waiting here now by
appointment His names Kettle have
him to certain extent under my thumb,
and I fancy he'll prove reliable man.
He was once in our firms employment"
"Owen Kettle, by any chanceY'
Mr.. Shelf referred to paper on his
writing table.
Captain Owen Kettle-yes. He was
the man who lost the Doge of Venice, and
since then he's never had another ship"
Poor wretch-yes, 1 know. That Doge
OF Venice case was an awful scandal,
Owners filled up the board of trade sur
veyor to the teeth with champagne, or
she'd never have been passed to sea. As
it was, she'd such an unholy reputation
that two crews ran from her before they
could get her manned. She was as rotten
as rust and tumbled rivets could make her.
and she was sent to sea as a coffin ship to
earn her dividends out of Lloyds. Kettle
had been out of job for some time. He
was desperate man, with family de-
pending on him, and he went as skipper
fully conscious of what was expected of
him. He did it like man. He let the
Doge of Venice founder in North sea
gale, and by a marvellous chance managed
to save his ships company. At the in
quiry, of course, he was made scapegoat.
and he didn't contrive to save his ticket.
They suspended his masters certificate for
a year. On the strength of that he applied
to owners for maintenance, putting it on
he reasonable claims of services rendered.
Owners, being upright merchants and sem
Iible men. naturally repudiated all knowl-
'dge or liability; said he was a blackmail-
nan and threatened him with an action
or libel. Kettle, not having a solitary
,roof to show, did the only thing left for
lin to do, and that was eat dirt or sub
ide But the incident and the subsequent
tarvation haven't tended to sweeten his
emper. Latterly he's been serving as
nate on Pacific ship and he was just
Ioly terror with his men. He simply kept
live by carrying his fist on a revolver
'utt. There wasn't man who's served
With Red Kettle three weeks that wouldn't
ave cheerfully swung for the enjoyment
I numbering him."
"You appear to know good deal about
his man."
when it suits my purpose, returned
ambel dryly, II mostly contrive to know ,
omething about anybody. However, it's ,
o use discussing the poor beggar any
niger. What's amiss with having him in ,
ere9'
Shelf touched one of the electric buttons ,
hich studded the edge of his table, and a G
ERIK appeared, who went away again and 7
lortly returned. With him was a shriv- j
ed up little man of about 40, with red =,
cad and peaked red beard, who made !.
iff, nervous salaam to Mr.. Theodore :
helf and then turned to stare at Cambel :
18th puckered amazement. :,
Cambel nodded and laughed. Been -.
lrrying any more pilgrims from Port !.
aid to the Morocco coast on iron deckss" :.
, said.
Il never did that" snapped Captain =,
ettle. '