Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1904-07-14
Milestones In
Two Mems Lives
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Russell Dubois and Howard Hurley
were college chums. They We're con-
tnually splitting hairs in argument,
and one of their bones of contention
was this: Dubois claimed that the
most valuable capital one could strive
for was money or what could be sold
for money. Hurley's view was that
an especial skill in some one line was
better equipment for young man
than money. When they We're grad
uated each determined to act on his
favorite principle, and it was arranged
between them that they should meet,
dine together and compare notes every
ten years. Dubois started in business
with $4,000. Hurley lost three years
in the race in studying the profession
Of medicine. Dubois was remembered
by his fellow students as man who
was rather niggardly in his expendi-
lures, Hurley as conspicuous only for
a singular fancy for dissecting cats.
At the end of the first decade the
friends met as they had agreed and
compared notes. Dubois reported that
he could not tell what gain he had
made, since whatever it was had gone
into his business. Hurley was a coun-
try doctor, managing to scrape out of
his practice $500 or $500 year. Du-
bois offered to pay for the dinner, but
Hurley would not permit He had laid
up nothing, but he had some loose
change in his pocket, and even this
bit Of cash he didn't seem to value.
He was interested only, as Dubois ex-
pressed it, in his "bone saws and
pills."
At the second meeting, ten years
later, the condition of both men had
much improved, though the advantage
was largely in favor Of Dubois. There
had been financial panic which he
had weathered successfully, and, hav-
ing the means to buy things that were
cheap, he had been able to reap the
benefit of the rise-in short, he was
getting rich. Howard" he said, you
professional men can get rich as easily
as we business men if you like. All
you have to do Is to get little nest
egg,' watch your chance, buy things
when they are cheap and sell them
when they are high"
But Hurley was not interested. He
had removed from the country to the
city and had need for more cash than
he could scrape together to live. True
to his youthful idea that skill in one
given line was his most valuable capt.
tai, he had adopted medical speciality.
He had become fascinated with the
study Of bacteriology. His speciality
was rather scientific than practical
one, for great deal of study of germs
cal results. At this second meeting
both men were forty years Of age. Du-
bois was rich and, though tied down to
his business, could retire at any time
and live at his ease. Hurley ives Sin
love with his bugs" as Dubois put 1t,
"but an ass in getting on"
The third decade rolled around, and
condition than ever before. Dubois had
made great deal of money from the
continued prosperity following the PAN
ic, in which he had bought Cheap"
He told his friend that the increased
demand for American productions had
changed the business complexion Of
the country, and he believed there
would be longer period of consump
ton than ever before. So great was
his faith that he had continued to buy
such goods as were part of his bust
ness so long as he could raise money
to do SO. He offered to invest some
money for Hurley, but Hurley hadn't
any to invest. What little he had he
had invested in what Dubois called a
bug hatchery"-that is, he had built
him a house in which to colonize
germs.
The friends had one more meeting
and only one. Hurley paid for the din
ner. Dubois had followed the upward
turn of values till suddenly the balloon
collapsed. This was FIVE years before
this fourth decennial meeting. His for
tune was gone and so much more that
there was no hope Of his ever getting
on his feet again. He had lost his grip
and was in great poverty.
Meanwhile during the past decade
Hurleys "study of bugs" had turned
into what he called, using his friends
nomenclature for his laboratory, a
hatchery Of funds" He had become
an authority on the cause of diseases
and had produced an antitoxin for
one prevalent malady. He gave his
discovery to the profession, but
wealthy people came to think that if
DR.. Hurley knew so much about the
germs that caused disease he must
know all about the cure of disease.
At any rate, they all wanted his serv-
ices and were willing to pay any price
for them. Money making was not in
the doctors line, but, with people send
ing him checks for enormous amounts
in addition to his bills, how could he
help growing rich? He was very kind
to Dubois, sending him check for his
necessities every month and would
have done more had Dubois accepted.
Dubois lost his health at the time of
his failure and never recovered 1t. He
dfo6 at ho VOW ffy,,o %ko% ~.