Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1906-10-19
XVI
A GENTEEL "HoIp.up.v

IL,
she used to say: You will get good
whipping for this, when your father
comes home" At first | used to wait
passiyely, suffering the torments of
ten thrashings before the good whip
ping came TO pass. But soon my
mind began to employ the interval
more profitably. would scheme to
escape execution Of sentence; and,
though my mother was determined
woman, many's the time | contrived to
change her mind | am not recon.
mending to parents the system of de-
lay in execution OF sentence: but
must say that in my case it was re-
sponsible for an invaluable discip-
line. For example, the textile tangle.
| knew | was in all human proba.
bility 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 at the close, must 90
steadily and swiftly up. Entangled as
my reserve resources were in the
coal deal. should have no chance to
cover my shorts on any terms less
than the loss of all had. At most, ]
could hope only to save myself from
criminal bankruptcy.
There was no signal of distress in
my voice as telephoned Corey, presi.
dent of the Interstate Trust company,
to stay at his Office until came; there
was no signal Of distress in my man.
ner as | sailed forth and went down
to the Power Trust building; nor did
/ show or suggest that | had heard
the "shot-at-sunrise" sentence, as |
strobe into Roebucks presence and
greeted him. was assuming, by way
OF precaution, that some rumor about
me either had reached him or would
soon reach him. | knew he had an
eye in every secret of finance and in.
dustry, and, while believed my secret
was wholly my own, | had too much
at stake with him to bank on that,
when | could, as thought, so easily
reasSure him.
I've come to suggest, Mr.. Roe
buck" said |, that you let my house
Blackjack and company-announce
the coal reorganization plan. 1t would
give me a great lift, 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 fol-
lowing that would help me make the
fiotation an even bigger success than
it's bound to be, no matter who an
nounces it and invites subscriptions.
AS | thus proposed that | be in a
jiffy caught up from the extremely
humble level of reputed bucket-shop
dealer into the highest heaven of high
finance, that be made the official
spokesman of the financial gods, his
expression was so ludicrous that | al.
most lost my gravity. suspect, for a
moment he thought | had gone mad.
His manner, when he recovered him
self sufficiently to speak, was Ger.
tainly not unlike what it would have
been had he found himself alone be.
fore a dangerous lunatic who was
armed with bomb.
you know how anxious | am to
help you, to further your interests,
Matthew" said he wheedlingly. Il
know no man who has brighter fu
ture. But-not so fast, not so fast,
young man. OF course, you will ap,
pear as one Of the recognizing com.
mittee-but we could not afford 10
have the announcement come through
any less strong and old established
house than the National Industrial
bank"
AT least, you can make me joint
announcer with them" | urged.
Perhaps - yes - possibly - well
see" said he soothingly. There is
plenty of time"
Plenty Of time" | assented, as II
quite content. 81 only wanted to put
the matter before you" And / arose
to go.
Have you heard the news of textile
common?" he asked.
Yes" said l carelessly. Then, all
In an instant, plan took shape in my
mind. Il own a good deal of the
stock, and l must say, don't like
this raise"
"Why?" he inquired.
Because I'm sure it's a stock job
bling scheme" replied | boldly. Il
know the dividend wasn't earned.
don't like that sort Of thing, Mr.. Roe
buck. Not because it's unlawful-the
laws are so clumsy that a practical
man often must disregard them. But
because it is tampering with the repu-
tati0n and the stability of a great en-
terprise for the sake of few millions
of dishonest profit I'm surprised at
Langdon."
Il hope you're wrong, Matthew"
was Roebuck's only comment. He
questioned me no further. and | went
away. confident that, when the crash
came in the morning, IL comes it must
there would be no more astonished
man in Wall street than Henry ]. Roe.
buck How he must have laughed: or
rather, would have laughed, if his sort
of human hyena expressed its emo.
tons in the human way.
From him. straight to my lawyers
Whitehouse & Fisher, In the Mills
building.
oI mont ro,, - corS g. A..