The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1906-06-01
d Captain : :.s.s. \
In the Ranks sssi'''''
j copysh. Publisher. ''s Fifth Avenue Ne" ro
By.
GEORGE
CARY
EGGLESTON
coov;sb. 1904 Avenue New Yoh

him into acquaintance with pretty
nearly everybody worth knowing south
Of Cairo. established agents OF his own
at every point where there was cotton
To be bought at eXtravagant prices,
payable i'm gold. even while the war
was going on. These agents bought
the cotton. the planters agreeing TO de
liver II upon the banks of the rivers
and leave il there at Hallam's risk.
Then CAPTAIN Hallam's steamboats,,
big and little, would push their way up
the little rivers. take the cotton on
board and carry it to Cairo.
Captain Will Hallam was quick to
make UP his mind with regard to a
man. He was exceedingly accurate IN
his human judgments, too, and his con-
fidence in them had been strengthened
bv experience in successfully acting
upon them AS he phrased 1t, he knew
how to size a man up" and as the EN-
ployer of multitudes of men in all
parts of the country and in all sorts OF
capacities he had daily need of the
skill he had acquired in that art, It
was as much part of his equipment
for the conduct of his vast and varied
enterprise as was his money capital
itself.
When young Duncan presented him
self In the private office after his
nights vigil as a Waterman Captain
Hallam asked him to sit. Captain Hal
lam had been impressed by this new
conner, and he wanted to talk with
him
He broke at once into a catechism.
"Why did you do that little fire ex-
tin uishing act last night"
He asked the question precisely as
he might have done if he had resented
the saving of his wealth of cotton.
"Oh. it was simple enough. The fire
meant damage, and ! was there SO,
of course, l put it out.
But why? The cotton wasn't yours,
and YOU hadn't been hired TO watch IT
NO. of course not But when gen
tie | mean when any decent man
sees property aire he doesn't ask
whose il is before putting out the
blaze"
You're a Virginian, l should say,
from your voice-late of the rebel ar
my. What's your rank?'
None now. I've put the war com
pletely behind me. I'm beginning life
anew"
Good! l wish everybody, north and
south. would do the same. But fools
won't. and men are mostly fools, you
know. When did you get to CairoW
About five minutes before you saw
me putting out the fire. | came down
the river on the big towboat."
Where's your baggageT
"On my back. l have no other
clothes. III buy some when earn
some money"
where have you been since the sur
render?"
Making my way west"
"How?"
con foot to Wheeling. Then on the
towbOat."
what fare did they make you payT
/, "None. worked my way as
stoker-freman they call it out here"
mo wages? Just passage ant
grub?"
THAT was al"
"What are your plansY
"To find work and do it."
"What kind of work.
. "Any kind that's honest"
! "You are educated, suppose"
'Yes, In way. I'm an A. NJ. and
+. graduate in law"
: "Know anything about businessT
: mo, but shall learn"
= 'If you can, you meanW
ooh. | cant A capable man ca
learn anything if he really wants to-"
: 81 don't know about that. But L
: gamble on the proposition that 20
= can"
:, THANK you"
= "No thanks are needed. I WASH
compimenting l was just expressin
an opinion"
- Scribbling a memorandum on scra
m OF paper. Captain Hallam handed IL
~ Duncan saying:
!. Give that to the cashier as you 8
out and get your wages. Then you
- better get your breakfast. l recor
= mend YOU while you're poor to eat
l.. the little DOOJnS along lDt leNet, Whe
= they sell very good sandwiches al
=, coffee cheap After breakfast If "
choose to come back here I'll try
49, find something for you to do. Oh,
=, forgot. You were up all night, so you
~ want to sleep?"
- There was an interrogative note
=. the last sentence. Captain Hallam W
'slzing up" his man, and he close
scrutlnized Duncan's face as the
- swer came.
- "Oh. I'm used to night duty. L
no ready for days work If you can 81
- me one AS for breakfast, I've had /
o,s Then you had money!
nd "a very little, but | didn't spend
- of it. | sawed and split load OF wo
!, for the keeper of booth, and he ga
a. me some bread and ham and coffee
mo- my work"
90 "Oh, that's the way you managed
,os Very well. Come back here In I
hIs hours anyhow"
NO, After the young man had. passed
"a, Captain Hallam said to one OF his pa