Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-29

Pooh Bah" Duffield reflected, as the
train jounced through Kansas, while in
the smoking car, he contemplated his own
activities. was a mere idler.'
In order TO get a good book for his
own score OF The Blacksmith Maid
comic opera. he had been obliged to write
II himself. In order to secure production
he had been obliged TO invest his own
money In order to find honest man
ager he had been obliged to take that task
upon his own broad shoulders And now,
having failed TO find a competent advance
1gcnt, he had decided to fill that position
for two weeks. All his money and
all his professional hopes We're locked up
IN the enterprise, and the comic opera
threatened to be tragedy for him. Fur,
thermore, he loved the star and felt Ger
tain that her Interest," in him was not en-
urely professional; @dt was convinced that
he had no right to speak of love to her un-
iii he had proved himself and proved his
work. 1t was not blithely that he left TIRE
train at Knowaretou, in Kansas
AS ne stopped upon the station platform
10 look about him he wondered what in the
world be could do in the Saturday alter
noon Sunday and Monday which would IN
tervfue before the first performance 10
arouse the interest of the people in his
struggling entertainment. Suddenly there
was the sound of rushing feet behind him.
and he turned just as a glad ana heAVy
ma nd fell upOn his shoulder. For an III
slant he gazed i'm sheer amazement at the
delighted face of his assaiant. Then he
dropued his bag and retaliated with many
Joyous whaCks.
;Weu Billy Toland." he inquired. rs
this where you have started in to organ
lie the greatest banking business in the
worldY'
1T is" said Toland, and suppose
you've just dropped of the tram 10 start
national opera going here.
For three nights and a matinee said
Duheld.
AT the hotel where Duffield insisted that
his old friend should dine with MIN lhey
discussed the present development of the
two careers which had been discussed with
such enthusiasm when they had been Eel
low students some years earlier.
Across the street was the one-story Bank
and Trust COmpany's building.
MY theories were entirely correct, sald
ToIand The money is here among the
farmers; but l can't compete successfully
with hosiery IL seems.
Does that mean anything AT all! asheo
Duffield. 1900. =,
their socks" said Toland, and don trust
any bank
Then he told Duffield that success meant
more than making money. He differeu
from Duffield in that his father hda iet.
him a hundred thousand dollars. and IN
Topeka there lived q bank president VINO
had a daughter. This man had tod MIN
10 put his money into bank stock and pc
come she institutions youngest director:
but Toland had rejected this suggestion ana
started independently at Knowareton. 1t
had not been announced that the banker
would refuse to let his daughter marry the
venturer II his venture failed, but Io-and
was convinced that success would surely
hasten happiness.
But the memory of the old days of wild
cat banking fingers with the people here
he said If 1 Gould only do something to
make them understand that we are Ger
tainly reliable everything would be all
right"
After a moments silence he added:
Even run would show that we are SOL
VENT
DuffieId grinned why don't you start
one them he said. I'll be glad TO circu-
late the tale that you're insolvent. Any
thing to oblige a friendr' He received the
look of great disgust which he deserved.
Later. Duffields affairs We're given atten-
ton My opera is a good deal like your
bank" said he, except that l admit and