The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1907-06-28
CHAPTER VIII.


IA man activity and dynamic en-
A "a ergy+the city which above all
others Is characteristic OF the
genius and vlrility OF the American
people-New York. with It's congested
polyglot population and teemlng mil
lions, is assuredly one Of the busiest. as
fl is one of the most strenuous and
most noisy places on earth. Yet de-
spite It's swarming streets and crowd
ed shops. ceaselessly thronged with
men and women eagerly hurrying here
and there in the pursuit of business or
elusive pleasure, all chattering laugh
ing. shouting amid the deafening. mul-
tisonous roar of traffic incidental TO
Gothams daily life. there is one part
OF the great metropolis where there Is
no hustle no noise. no crowd, where
the streets are empty even In daytime,
where a passerby is curiosity and a
child a phenomenon. This deserted
village in the very heart Of the big
town is the millionaires district. the
boundaries of which are marked by
Carnegie hill on the north. Fiftieth
street on the south, and by Fifth and
Madison avenues respectively On the
west and east There is nothing more
mournful than the outward aspect Of
these princely residences which. aban-
doned and empty for three-quarters OF
the year stand in stately loneliness. as
If ashamed Of their isolation and utter
uselessness. Their blinds drawn, af-
fording no hint of life within. envel-
oped the greater part Of the time in
the stiffness and silence of the tomb,
they appear to be under the spell Of
some baneful curse No merry voiced
children romp In their carefully rallied
of gardens. no sounds OF conversation
or laughter come from their hermetic-
ally closed windows, not a soul goes
IN or out; at most at rare intervals,
does one catch n glimpse Of a gorge
ously arTayed servant gliding about in
ghostly fashion, snperciIious and suspi-
eious and addressing The chance visitor
in awed whispers as though he were
the guardian of house of aflilctiOn.
1t is indeed, like a city Of the dead
So It appeared 20 jefferson as he
walked up Fifth avenue. bound for the
Ryder residence. the day following his
arrival from Europe Although he still
lived at his fathers house, for at no
time had there been an open rupture.
he often slept In his studio finding 1t
more convenient for his work, and
there he had gone straight from the
ship He felt. however, that it was his
duty to see his mother as soon as pos
sible; besides he was anxious 70 fulnn
his promise TO shirley aud find what
mis- father could do 10 help Judge Ross
more He had talked about the case
with several men the previous evening
at the club, and the general impression
seemed TO be that, guilty or Innocent
the judge would be driven of the
bench.
Europe. thought Jefferson as he
strode quickly along, pointed with en-
w Il Americas unparalleled prosper
ity. spoke with buted breath Of her
great fortunes. Rather should they
say her gigantic robberles. her colossal
fraudsl AS a nation we We're not
proud OF our multhsllionaires How
many OF bltii Woulu 1edi iilt HttltSif-
light OF investigationg Would his own
fatherg How many millions could ono
man make hy honest methods? Amer
lea was enjoying unprecedented pros
perity not because Of her millionaires,
but ia spite Of them. The United
States owed lis high rank IN the family
OF nations TO the country's vast natural
resources, its inexhaustible vitality. its
great wneatfields. the industrial and
mechanical genius OF its people II
was the plain American citizen who
lhad made the greatness OF America;
not tie milliOnaires who, forming a
class by themselves OF unscrupulons
capitalists. had created an arrogant
oligarchy which sought 10 rule the
country by eor7upting the legislature
and the judiciary. The plutocrats
these were the leeChas. the sores in the
body polite. An organized hand OF
robbers. they had succeeded in donll
mating legislation and ia securing con
troll OF every branch OF the nations Ia
dusfry. crushing mereilessly and He
.ralIv al ronolloIlflnu