The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-05-30
CHAPTER II.
A FORTUNE FOR THE PAR

A FORTUNE FOR THE PAIR,
Mr.. Theodore Shelfs carriage and
pair drew up at his house in Park
lane. and Mr.. Theodore Shelf went up
the steps and entered the door which
man servant opened for him. He
was stout, middle aged man, with a
clean shaven face and short frock
coat of black broadcloth. He allowed
himself to be eased Of his hat and
umbrella and then passed through the
gorgeous hall to the rosewood billiard
room at the back. There he found his
sleeves. practicing push cannons by
himself.
What, alone, Mr.. Gambler"
why, yes. 1 did have hundred up
with your niece earlier on, but some
one came for her"
Niece? Oh. Amy. you mean-Miss
Rivers. All, my dear sir, from the love
we have for her in this household and
the way we treat her, you naturally
fancy she is a blood relation. 1t is a
graceful compliment for you to pay,
Mr.. Cambel, but it is my duty to cor
rect you. Miss Rivers is legally only
my ward"
Ward, oh! See that? Red hard
against the cushion and white being
over the bottom pocket. Neat cannon,
wasn't 1t, considering the long time
THE only child Of my late partner.
You know the firm still stands as Mar
maduke Rivers e. Shelf. We call our
selves on the billheads, Agents to the
Oceanic Steam Transport company
though of course we own the whole
line. You see our flag, sir, in every
sea-"
II know. Nagasaki to Buenos Ayres;
gin and gospel on the west coast; Goals
and cotton at New Orleans"
And we do not send our steamers
for the business of trade alone Mr..
Cambel. We pick our captains and
officers with an eye to a holier purpose.
We trust that they spread a Chris
tion influence in all their ports of call"
Yes, l saw them at work once at
AKIN on tramp you sent down there.
They were taking Krooboys on board.
The skipper received them on one of
the bridge deck ladders with a knuckIe
duster and kicked 'em along. The chief
stood by with a monkey wrench and
baptized 'em with that as they passed
down the lower deck aft. They men
toned at the time that this process
had rarely -christianizing influence
Prevented the boys from being uppish.
Showed 'em what the white man could
- when he spread himself, taught 'em
humility, in fact-I say, there's a pull
toward this bottom pocket. People have
been sitting on the table"
"Mr. Cambel, Mr.. Cambel, you are
! making very serious accusation
against one of my ships companies" +"
Accusation? I? Never a bit of It,
The fellows only acted according to
their lights. That's the only way sailor
men know OF getting Krooboys to work
| and 1t was case OF getting them to
work or having the natural sack from
you. So as tbcT didn't know another
method they te:i back on knuckle
duster and monkey wrench. I'll play
| you fifty up"
Mr.. Shelf put up a large white hand.
mo, no, / don't play billiards myself
So many young men have been ruined
| by the pursuit that / refrain from 1t
| by way of setting an example. But
| my friends who visit here are not SO
| scrupulous, and 1 have the table for
them"
"Beau-tiful!" said Cambel. He might
have been referring to his own billiard
shot or to Mr.. Shelfs improving senti-
ment.
you see, Mr.. CambeI, from my DO
sition, so many people look up to me
that 1t Is nothing short of my bounden
duty to deprive myself of certain
| things and be, so far as possible, a
humble model for them to form them
selves by. Long before a constituency
sent me to parliament devoted my
best energies to christianizing the low
er classes. and hope not without sue
cess II appreciation is any criterion,
may say that / was elected president OF
no less than twelve Improvement So
cieties. It took me much time and
thought to attend 70 them. Yet wish
4 i could have given more"
/ THAT pocket does nnlL There's q
. Z