The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1907-05-03

Aess sdio No oteAully, Quaue Oeyone
suspicion. You see, Mr.. Martin, In m.
position am compelled to be liberal
The government cannot set other employ
ers the example Of grinding men down b,
low wages. However, reasons apart, Their
IL the fact. We cannot 20 on withoui
more money; and I may tell you, In con
fidence, that the political situation makes
1t imperative we should 60 on. Not only
my personal honor pledged, but the oppo
sition, Mr.. Martin, led by the Colonel, is
making itself obnoxious-yes, may say
very obnoxious"
1.-THE Colonel, SIR" said I, with free
dom engendered of dining, rs beast"
"Well," said the President, with toll
Grant smile, ''the Colonel, unhappily for
the country, Is no true patriot. But he
Is powerful; he is rich; he is, under my
self alone, in command of the army. And.
moreover, believe he stands well with
the Signorina, The situation, in fact,
is desperate. ! must have money, Mr..
Martin. Will your directors make me
new loanr
l knew very we'll the fate that would
attend any such application. The direc-
tors were already decidedly uneasy about
their first loan; shareholders had asked
awkward questions, and the chairman had
found no small difficulty in showing that
the investment was likely to prove either
safe or remunerative. Again, only fort
night before, the government had made
formal application to me on the same sub
ject. I cabled the directors, and receiv-
ed prompt reply in the single word,
''Tootsums," which in our code meant,
Must absolutely and finally decline to
entertain any applications" I commune
Gated the contents of the cable to Senior
Don Antonio de la Casabianca, the min
lister of finance, who had, Of course, COM
municated them in turn to the President
I ventured to remind his excellency Of
these facts. He had heard me with silent
attention.
II fear" 1 concluded, therefore, that
It Is impossible for me to be Of any assist
ance to your excelency."
He nodded, and gave a slight sigh.
Then, with an air of closing the subject,
he said:
II suppose the directors are past rea-
son. You occupy very responsible po-
sition here for so young man, Mr.. Mar
tin-not beyond your merits, l am sure
They leave you pretty free hand, don't
they?"
l replied that as far as routine bust
ness went l did much as seemed good in
my own eyes.
"Routins business? including invest
ments, for instance?" he asked
"Yes," said l Investments in the Or
binary course of business-discountin
bills and putting money out on loan and
mortgage over here. l place the money,
and merely notify the people at home of
what l have done"
"a most proper confidence to repose in
you," the President was good enough to
say. Confidence is the life of business /;
you must trust a man. 1t would be alb
surd to make you send home the bills,
and deeds, and certificates, and what not.
Of course, they wouldn't do that"
Though this was a statement, somehow
it also sounded like question, so l an
swered
"As rule they do me the compliment
of taking my word. The fact is, they are,
as youv excellency says, obliged to trust
somebody" t'
Exactly as I thought, And you some
times have large sums to placeT
At this point, Notwithstanding my re-
spect for the President, l began to smell
a rat.
"Oh, 10, sir" I replied, usually very
small. Our business is not SO extensive
as we could WISH
"Whatever," said the President, look
ing me straight in the face, whatever
! may be usual, at this moment you have a
large sum-a very respectable sum-of
money in your safe at the bank, waiting
for investment"
'How do you know that?" 1 cried.
"Mr. Martin 1t is no doubt my fault !;
I am too prone to ignore etiquette; but
you forget yourself"
l fastened to apologize, although was
pretty certain the President was contem-
plating queer transaction, If not fiat
burglary.
"Ten thousand pardons, your excellen-
cy, for my most unbecoming tone. but
may l ask how you became possessed of
| this information?"
| "Jones told me-" he said simply.
As it would not have been polite to
express the surprise l felt at Jones' sim
plicity in choosing such contidant, l
held my peace.
ITO be continued.)