New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-24

paIling news that the family fortune amounts
to four hundred millions The scene is very
well handled by 1Irs. Atherton. She does not
miss its dramatic point, but neither does she
give il too spectacular significance. She shows
her tact, too, In the Immediately ensuing pages.
No time is wasted on Fessenden's apprentice
ship to the duties of millionaire. He is not
plunged into dissipation or romance; he is not
represented as going unwillinsly into harness
He has had n boys love affair in the Adiron-
dacks. he has had it quenched for him with a
ruthless hand, and though the author IS not a.
together convincing in this episode. ascrlblnE
TO it a curative power which 1t could haIuIN
have exerted she is successful in placing he'
reader. by rapid transition. in n position to
regard Tessenden Abbotts development INTO
great business man as altogether natural He
is bent upon being more than 4 business man.
He proposes not only to increase the power OF
his own country, but to take q hand IN the
affairs of Europe, and at the end OF the hrSt
part of the story we assist at an intimate
conversation between him and the Emperor OF
Eermany, in which the latter is forced TO take
ths astounding young American seriously, with
MI his plans Then the scene c hanGes and we
are introduced to the Austrian archduchesS
mentioned in that opening paragraph which we
alave quoted above. Fessendcn's sister has long
been her companion; he meets her at a time
when she is deeply concerned for the presarVa-
lion of her fathers empire, and nan atmos-
phere that is electric with political and roman
tic possibilities he falls head over heels in love
with her That they should marry would seem,
Of course, completely out Of the question, but to
accept this view OF the matter is to reckon with
out Mrs. Athertons prophetic sense Of what
money may some day accomplish For example,
possession of it in almost illimitlble quantities
has enabled young Abbott to foster enterprises
in mechanical invention which lead to the per-
fecting of such Instruments Of warfare he
thus describes. with the use 10 be made Of them,
in another talk with the German Emperor:
1.-THE kites-and they are as beautiful they are
deadly-can be sent by electricity to an incalcuI-
able distance, and each one viii rain down dyna-
mite enough to Kill thousand men at a time IL
storage batteries have. by other experiments. been
reduced in size and weight that they hardly
enemy could be routed in ten minutes Even balloons
are not now necessaIy GHcent Tor reconn9tering
Portant- That is perfected. The steel forts are
covered of moving electrically operated machines
over any sort OF ground. SO far, moving forts,
good roads. These forts will travel without so
much as lowering OF speed over the worst that
the principles OF the flying machine which win
carry them over swamps and rivers Do you SEQ
The Emperor's face woald have looked like wax
1puttered finally IF this is true it will make you
1T will make You the master of Europe"
Tdde Hor " he SPOKE thcky but i1voi
resent any attempt to manage him.
The Spanish War has come and gone have
no use for these new weapons of They must
be used at once. for ideas microbes. A few
years hence-a year hence-and the discoveries may
be universal II l had never met Ranata / should
have presented them to you and told you to go
ahead. and, in the name OF humanity. wipe Russia
and Turkey, in the form they exist. off the
map want to see you at the helm while you
still young and discouraEcmcnts and disappoint-
ments have not crushed all the enthusiasm out OF
you. The world has waited and waited for you
do the great thing, not realizing your difficulties.
and that 1t was your purpose to make Germany
great war; your crusade will be looked upon as
quite In keeping with your character. And you
the only this side Of the water capable
OF handling great empire So l repeat / should
] ask you it as a bait for the Emperor OF
Austria. Owing 20 your alliance would be a
natural act: unless you could afford wait FOR
his death, which you cannot Tell him that II he
hardly hesitate to snatch at tho compensation
FOR the failures OF his reign and life. Such tho
conquered territory as you may have 10 yield 10
him viii flow to you naturally at his death, for
that n the nitator OF magnificent and bcncf-
cent a conquest, and the younger and r,1r~
picturesque Of the maiesties. will be the idol
OF AuStTi hungary, well the hero
Russia, and. indeed, every intelligent power will
let you alone after your first battle or course,
you can have all the money YOU want should
meet with opposition In the Eci~h-tag That offer
has always stood AS for the excuse for war. It /
viii he simple enough 10 whip up q disturbance in
the Balkans a few discreet agents a rrvuiu-
tonary committee. surrcpdtous presents OF arms,
and Bulgaria or Macedonia is in flames. 4 secret
understanding with Ferdinand and he will do any
thing to get Russia OF his back Then when the
pot IS boiling: and the so-called Christians arc