Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1904-03-11

| WY, then, your grace" said LAW,
then we shall see what we shall sect"
The regent again choked with anger,
Law continued. 60 on. Smooth down
the back of this animal. Continue to
reduce these taxes. The specie of the
realm of France, as I am banker
enough to know, is not more than
O0,000.OO0 livres, allowing IS livres
to the marc. Yet long before this your
grace has crowded the issue of our
actions until there are out not less than
l2,600,O0O,OO0 livres in the stock of
our company. Your Brothers Paris,
your D'Argenson, your Dubois will tell
you how you can make the people of
France continue to believe that twice
two is not four, that twice 13 is not
26!"
But this they are doing" broke in
the regent. with ray Of hope in his
face. This they are doing. We have
provided for that. In the council not
an hour ago the Able Dubois and
Monsieur d'Argenson decided that the
time had come to make some fixed
proportion between the specie and
these notes. We have to-day framed
an edict. which the parliament will
register, stating that the interests of
the subjects of the king require that
the price of these bank notes should
be lessened, so that there may be some
sort OF accommodation between them
and the coin of the realm. We have
ordered that the shares shall, within
30 days, drop to $500 livres. in another
30 days to 1000 livres. and SO on, at
500 iivres month, until at last they
shall have value Of one-half what
they were to-day. Then, tell me, my
wise Monsieur Las, would not tho issue
OF our notes and the total of our specie
be equal. one with the other? The
only wrong thing is this insulting pre-
sumption of these people, who have
sold actions at price lower than we
have decreed."
Law smiled as he replied. "You say
excellently well, my master. These
plans surely show that you and your
able counselors have studied deeply
the questions of finance! I have told
you what would happen to-day with
out any decree of the king. Now go
you on, and make your DEGREES. You
will find that the people are much
more eager for values which are going
up than values which are going down.
Start your shares down hill, and you
will see all France scramble for such
coin, such plate. such jewels as may
be within the ability of France to lay
her hands upon. Tell me, your grace,
did Monsieur d'Argenson advise you
this morning as to the total issue of
the actions of this company"
| Surely he did, and here have 1t in
memorandum, for was to have taken
it up with yourself" replied the re-
gent.
49," exclaimed Law, look of sur
prise passing over his countenance, un-
til now rigidly controlled, as he gazed
at the little slip of paper. "Your grace
advises me that there are issued at
this time in the shares of the company
no less than two 2,235, 0s5, $50 livres in
notes! Against this, as your grace is
good enough to agree with me, we have
1900, 100000 Of specie. Your grace,
yourself and have seen some pretty
games in our day. Look you, the mer-
REST game Of all your life is now but
/ just before you!"
And you would go and leave me at
this timer"
Never in my life have 1 forsaken q
friend at the time Of Distress" replied
Law. But your grace absolved me
when you forsook me, when you
doubted and hesitated regarding me
and believed the protestations of those
not so able as myself to Judge of what
was best. And now it is too late. Will
your grace allow me to suggest that
a place behind stout gates and barred
doors, deep within the interior of the
Palais Royal, will be the best residence
for him to-night-perhaps for several
nights to Gomez"
And yourself?"
las for myself, it does not matter
replied Law. slowly and deliberate
ly. II have lived. and thought had
succeeded. Indeed, success was mine
for some short months, though now l
must meet failure. l have this to con-
sole me-that twas failure not Of my
own fault. AS for France, loved her.
AS for America, believe in her to-
day, this very hour. AS for your grace
in person, I was your friend, nor was
I ever disloyal to you. But it some
times doth seem that, no matter how
sincere be one in ones endeavors, nc
matter how cherished, no matter how
successful for time may be his ambi-
lions, there is ever some blight to eat
the face Of the full fruit of his happi-
ness. Tomorrow shall perhaps not
be alive. 1t is very we'll. There is
nothing could desire, and It Is as well
4 tomorrow as at any time"