The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-12-27

A GENTEEL "noLD-uP."

| In my childhood at home. my father
was often away for week or longer.
working or looking for work. My moth
er had n notion that n boy should b.
punished only by his father: 80. when
| ever she caught me I'm what she re-
! garded rs serious transgression. she
used to say: You viii get a good
whipping for this. when your father
comes home" At first I used tn wait
passivcly. suffering the torments ~ ten
thrashings before the good whipping"
came to pass. but soon my mind be-
gan to employ the interval more profit
ably. I would scheme tn escape exc
cution Of sentence. anc. though my
| mother was determined woman,
many's ;he time ] contrived To change
| her mind. I am no. recommending To
parerts the system OF delay In cxecu-
ton of sentence: but I must say that
In my case IL was responsible for an
invaluable discipline. For example.
the Textile tangie.
knew was In NIL human probability
doomed TO go down before the Stock
Exchange had been open an hour the
next morning. All Textile stocks must
start many points higher than they had
been ut the close. must go steadily and
swiftly up. Entangied an my reserve
resources we're In the coal deal. I should
have no chance tn cover ms shorts on
any terms less than the loss OF all I
had. At most. I could hope only to save
myself from criminal bankruptcy.
Aud now my early training In coolly
and calmly studying how TO avert exc
cution OF sentence came into play.
There is n kind OF cornercd-rat, hit-or-
miss. iast-ditch fight that any creature
win make In such circumstances as
mine then were. and the Inspirations OF
despair sometimes happen To be lucky.
hut prefer the reasoned-out plan.
There was no signal OF distress in my
voice as telcphoned Corey. presiden,
OF the Interstate Trust company. to
stay ut his Office until I came: there
was no signal OF distress I'm my manner
an I sailed forth and went down tn
the Power Trust building: nor did I
show or suggest that / had heard the
shot at sunrise sentence. az l STROBE
into Rocbuck's presence and greeted
him. I was assuming. by way Of pre-
caution, that some rumor about me
either had reached him or would soon
reach him. I knew he had an eye I'm
every secret Of finance and industry.
and, while I believed my secret was
wholly my own. / had too much at
stake with him to bank on that. when
I could. rs ! though. SO easily reas-
sure him.
i've come To suggest. Mr.. Roebuck."
said I, that you let my housc-BlaCk
lock and Company--annOunce the coal
reorganization plan. IL would give me
great TIT, and Melville and his bank
don't need prestige. My daily letters
to the public on investments have. as
you know. got me "A big following that
would help me make the flotation an
even bigger success than It's bound To
be. no matter who announces IL and In
yites subscriptions"
As thus proposed that I be In n
jifYy caught UP from the extremely
humble level OF reputed bucket-shop
dealer into the highest heaven OF high
finance. that l be made the official
spokesman OF the financial gods. his eN-
preston was 40 iudicrous that almost
lost my gravity. l suspect. for mo
ment he thought had gone mad. His
manner, when he recovered himself SUI
ficiently TO speak. was certainly not UNI
like what II would have been had he
found himself alone before "A danger
Gus iunatic who was armed with n
bomb.
You know how anxious I ann To-
help you. To further your interests, Mat
thew" said he whcedlingly. II know
TO man who has n brighter future. But
not so fast. not SO fast. young man
or course. you will appear as one of
the reo-ganizing ccmmittee-but we
could not AFFORD TO have the announce
ment come through any less strong and
old established house than the Nation
al Industrial bank"
AT least. you can make me Joint
announcer with them" I urged.
Perhaps yes-possibly--we'll see"
said he soo;hingly. There In plenty OF
time"
Plenty OF time" assented. ms n
quite content. 1T only wanted To put
the matter before YOU" And i rose TO
20.
Have you heard the news OF Textile
common" he asked.
Yes" said / carelessly. Then. all
I'm an instant. a plan took shape I'm my
mind. II own a good deal OF the stock.
and I must say. I don't like this rise"
"why?" he inquired.
Because Tn sure it's n stock job
hing scheme" replied I boldly. Il know
the dividend wasn't earned. don't like
, that sort OF thing. Mr.. Roebuck. Not
because It's unlawful-the laws are so
clumsy that practical man often must
| disregard them. But because IL 10 tam