The Carlisle independent., 1907-03-28

the charity bureaus and among the old gentlemen, and appealed in the name of all that is kindly and true for the relief of the suffering poor. From the moment it got fairly launch ed, the scheme began to take care of itself.
 Great Caesar, Hockey, look there,"
 It was the morning after that mem orable Sunday when the three color prospectus had formed the basis of so many sermons. Hochheimer and Gim- bold had come down town together somewhat late. They went up to their office in a crowded elevator, and when they got off at their, floor the crowd went with them. The corridor was damned from wall to wall with an indiscriminate LIass of humanity male, female, respectable, ,disreputable, well-dressed, unkempt, native, for eign-pushing and crowding, bab- bling and gesticulating.
 There was no turning them away, those poor fellows, for not only were there clergymen among them, as Gim- bold had seen, but reverend gentlemen were in many cases leaders of special contingents of home-seekers, and many others in the crowd carried letters ss-om contributors to the fund which were not to be ignored. It was late in the day before the last application was received, the last dreary explana- tion made, the last golden promise ut tered. Day after day the crowd surged into the office and out again. And it grew not only in size, but in it's ex- actions, for humanity in general is very insiStent in the matter of it's rights when they involve free-for-all sch ames. Then the notoriety which the newspapers gave the scheme not only increased the size of the crowds, but it brought in a couple of govern ment inspectors, who wanted to know if it was being thoroughly explained to each applicant that the non-speeula- tive clause in the government con- tract would be rigidly enforced It also brought in ''plain-clothes man" from Mulberry street, who caused the part ners additional concern.
 They set out upon their task with callous disregard of the consequences They were sending horde of unfor tunates thousands of miles away from familiar associations, to mountain fastnesses which in many cases would yield nothing to the blow, and in re- turn they were exacting the only prod uct which made the land worth the acquiring. Summoned to their office, the home seekers came one by one, and in the private room the question was put to each. Some of them, poor innocents. were eager and willing to do anything in return for the boon of promised home. Some had to be | coaxed, some wheedled, some threat ened and few, who saw through the whole business, placated. But on the morning of departure Gimbold and Hochheimer had secured signed op- tions on mineral rights from three | fourths of the home-seekers. The rest were considered too risky to approach. On the morning of the departure | they went over to the railway station. | Nothing but the fascination of seeing | the last of their handiwork took them 1 there.
 | In the depot they were given rous- ing reception, and they beamed from one to another of their dupes, and went among the mothers and their children, helping them to seats in the train and bidding them Godspeed with benign courtesy that was beautiful 1 to behold.
 In the end they were compelled to