The Elbert County tribune., 1906-12-20

"And you still deny that the god
Of luck is to-day the greatest power
in the business world, Cartell? I'm
amazed at you"
Look over this great city. You see
Mt every hand. men whose prosperity
depends on the merest turn of the
wheel. No. I'm not claiming that
brains and moral force are no longer
of account, but | insist that they rare
| ly get the showing they demand"
yet, there's everything in the point
of view. Jennings. and we have the
law of compensation" was the reply.
with slow. whimsical smile. Thus,
| II the lucky dogs are too busy In
wrestling still other bones from the
less fortunate. to settle down and
enjoy the sweets of conquest of what
advantage is their conquest? Now,
success in life means something far
deeper than that which is brought
about merely by luck. Luck may be
but chance shot with fortunate re-
suits; but behind success there is usu-
ally good aim and steady hand
Granted, but-suppose we take, as
example. man who has to all appear
ances. never known defeat. What of
our old classmate, Wenwright! Wen
wright, the lucky. as we used to call
him, even in college.
All. had Jennings never forgiven
Wenwright for winning Edith Sils-
bee? He glanced thoughtfully from the
window; then answered with seem
ing irrelevance: How | wish you
had been in town when Wenwright
made his famous speech last MONTH
But. by jove, he doesn't pose as
chance darling of Fortune, let me tell
you, His two terms in congress have
developed all his latent power as n
speaker, and In vigorous, polished sen
tences. he gave, that night. so vivid
a picture of his early days, that you
could fairly see the chrysalis of the
awkward Vermont lad. from which
emerged our present Napoleon of
finance. That's hackneyed express
sion, but it's Jim Wenwright to the
life"
Indeed" Jennings drew In his
breath sharply. And II he is Napo-
leon, what. then. of Josephine?'
you mean Mrs. Wenwright?"
His companion hesitated. Unlike
her husband, she is not in the public
eye; or, at least, not more SO than
is unavoidable. She Is no social devo-
tee. but her name is often connected
with philanthropic movements. On
the rare occasion when | have seen
her, | have thought her as unassum-
ing as in the days, when. the good old
professors daughter she dispensed
her hospitality in the white house
behind the elms."
A vision rose before them, of that
fair young girl, and Jennings i'm
pulsively exclaimed: ITO think of the
inspiration she might have been, to
almost any man! Yet, such is the
irony Of Fate, that she is doomed
to wholly merge her identity"
who knows?' was the sober ques-
ton. "'Tis a ticklish thing to cir
cumscrfbe a woman's influence, even
in fancy. You never saw Wenwright
in just the light did, Jennings There
is a very defiance of daring in the
man, that appeals to me. and at the
same time he has a curious respon-
siveness. How can you tell what the
fine alchemy of his wife's nature may
do, even for the strong mind of Ma
poleon? But bark! the newsboys are
calling Extras on the street below.
Suppose we stroll along and discover
the cause of the excitement.
1t was but a few hours later, when,
not three miles away, Hon. james
Wenwright hurriedly fitted his latch
key in the door. and entered his home
on the avenue
The cool spacious library with its
soft light. had an air of peaceful se-
clusion. A faint breeze gently stirred
tie curtains, and the heat and hustle
OF the city seemed remote and forgot.
ten, yet the burden of the hour was
not one to be readily cast aside, and
as the mans gaze roved over the
quiet room, he shuddered at tile mir
rored reflection of his haggard face
Could that set. gray countenance
with dull and nervous lips, be indeed
his own?
| AS II to ward off blow, he threw
out hand. and recoiled instinctively,
as his fingers touched an icy, pol
lshed surface. What was that? All.
the statue. the Winged Victory,
poised on Its pedestal. In all the white
arrogance of beauty and pride. What
place hau a Winged Victory here,
within his walls?
| The muscles around Wenwright's
mouth twitched in an ironical sem
blance of humor, and with the sar-
donic smile that was, in truth, but an
| lnarticulate woan, he muttered: Con
fronted by Victory, and tonight, The
world has grim fancy for contrast
Had his dauntless ambition leading
him to risk more and more. in order
20 quaff deeper draughts from the