Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1906-08-07

| Street uuu LOmDaru SIreeC. IL lau JUS
been announced that he had absorb
Cd the Great Eastern and Western
railway system-of course by the meth
oGs which have made some men an(
some newspapers habitually speak o.
him as "the royal bandit" The city
editor had two reasons for sending
Dayton-first, because he did not like
him; second, because any other man OF
the staff would walk about for IN houl
| and come back with the report thai
Mountain had refused to receive him
while Dayton would make an honest
effort.
Dayton turned in at the Equitable
building and went up to the floor Occu
pied by Mountain, Ranger s. Blakehill
He nodded to the attendant at the dool
of Mountains own suit of Offices, stroll
ed TRANQUILITY down the aisle between
several rows Of desks at which sat
Mountains personal clerks and knock
ed at the glass door on which was
printed "Mr. Mountain" in small gill
letters.
Gomez 1t was an angry voice
Mountains ut its worst.
Dayton opened the door. Mountain
glanced up from the mass Of papers
before him. His red forehead became
network Of wrinkles, and his scant
white eyebrows bristled. "And who
ora rn,, ." ha Snorlat1
"My name is Dayton-Fenimore Day
ton." replied the reporter, with grace
fully polite bow. "Mr. Mountain, be-
lieve?"
1t was impossible for Mr.. Mountain
altogether to resist the impulse to bow
in return. Dayton's manner was com
pelling.
"And what the dev-what can I dc
for you?
"I'm n reporter from the
"Whatw roared Mountain. leaping to
his feet in purple. swollen veined
fury. "How dare you enter here?"
"But-why not?" Dayton looked sur
prlscd. mo one tried to stop me"
'Impudence"
pardon mc-not impudence." Day
ton smiled agreeably. "Impudence is
unsuccessful audacity. For example
IL you had failed to get the Great East
ern aud Western. they'd have said you
were impudent to try. AS 1t is, mel
call it audacity. Now, If I'd failed tc
get here-perhaps"-
Mountain listened with grim smile
He saw in young Dayton the signs OF
quality he especially admired. lie
couldn't help softening toward him. 81
stand corrected" he said gruffiy. Then
he laid his hand on the young mans
shoulder and pointed toward the large
room. "Do you see those clerks?" be
demanded.
81 do" said Dayton.
"There ure thirty-seven Of them, and
that biz numskull ut the door makes
thirty eight employ those thirty
eight men to save me from audacity
such as yours. Yet here you are, in my
private office! How do you explain it?
Dayton laughed. His laugh was very
conta glous. II don't know, I'm sure,
he said. perhaps IL they were the sort
of men who could outwit me they'd be
doing my work and I'd be. doing
theirs"
Mountains eyes smiled. The longer
he locked ut Dayton's refined yet reso
lu:c face the better he liked it. "Sit
down." he said In an ironic tone OF
mock resignation. But be quick, and
be careful not to irritate me with Ques
tions that ure-audacious. My diges
ton is poor, and, therefore. my temper
is not what it might be-"
That Is the first recorded story OF
Dayton's Colossal cheek" Now for the
last one-the one since which his
"cheek" has been thought Of and spo
ken of, admired aud envied as "Napo
leonic daring"
He soon rose to be notable special
correspondent. One winter afternoon
at a musicale in the studio Of his
friend, Brownlee the artist, he met q
girl with whom he straigltway fell IN
love. She was Elsie Grant. the only
daughter OF Mrs. james WEXFORD
Grant. She had spent most OF her life
abroad, and her mother was even thei
neg g,tiating for IN Italian prince who
thought well Of Elsie and also Of hel
large dot. And then Dayton had come
and he was never the man to shy at OBJ
stacles.
He beguiled her mother into moi
seeing what WAS going on. He made
love to her daughter In straightfor
ward way. To Elsie, who then coult
think only in terms Of the Almanacl
de Gotha, 1t seemed the way Of Ru
dolph of Hapsburg Issuing from hil
barren mountain farm in Switzerland
to conquer men with his sword ant
women with his smile and to found ar
empire. When the Grants went abroad
In March he succeeded In getting row
Ing European commission from hi'
newspaper and went in the same
steamer. He put the issue squarely
before her the day before they landed
He did not speak Of love until she hat
given him the right not only by encour
aging him, but also by making 1t plail
that she passionately wished to heal
the words that lay behind his looks ant
tones. Don't answer Inc now." III
said. II don't want you on Impulse
You're going down into the countr!
for a week. When you come up 4
London You will know"
He went on to London and began u
cast about for something out OF TIT
ordinary to send his paper. In a Time'
report of meeting Of the Royal soc
| ety he found the hint he was seeking
The world renowned philosopher IN
scientist. Lord Frampton (Huber
Foss), had addressed the society o
"The Destiny Of Democracy.
"Tn interview Foss," said he
Iveagh, the London correspondent
his paper. Everybody in Americ
knows his name, and what he'll So
along those lines will make lot
talk over there just now."
Rheumatism