Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1908-03-12
CHAPTER ".

Although not a whisper had been hea rd
of it in ordinary commercial cl-c1es, there
was some foundation for the forecast
which Won Baumser had made as to tie
fate of the great house of Girdlestone.
For some time back matters had been GO
ing badly with the African traders If
the shrewd eyes of Major Tobias Clutter
buck were unable to detect any indica-
tions of this state OF affairs IN the man
ner or conversation of the junior partner,
the reason simply was that that gentle
man was entirely ignorant OF the immi-
nent danger which hung over lis head.
As far as he knew, the concern was as
prosperous and as hourishiny as it had
been at the time of the death of John
Harston The momentous secret was
locked in the breast of his grim o.d
father, who bore it about with MIN as
the Spartan lad did the fox--without a
quiver or groan to indicate the care
which was gnawing at his heart. Placed
face to face with ruin, GirdleStone fought
against it desperately, and. wltnal. cool
ly and warily, throwing away 10 chance
and leaving no stone unturned. Above
all. he exerted himself-and exerted him
self successfully-to prevent any rumo"
of the critical position of the firm from
leaking out in the city.
Many things had contributed towards
this state of affairs. The firm had been
involved in a succession of misfortunes,
some known to the world and others
known to no one save the elder Gird'e-
stone Lines of fine vessels from Livel-
nd r. NH inc 20,
the West coast of Africa, and comperl-
ton had cut down freightage to the low
est possible point Where the Gird!c-
stones had once held almost a monopoly
there were now many in the field. Again
the negroes of the coast were becoming
educated, and had a keen eye to bu>-
ness, so that the old profits were no
longer obtainable. The days had gone
by when fint-lock guns and Manchester
prints could be weighed in rhe balance
against ivory and gold dust.
While these general causes were at
work a special misfortune had befaIlrn
the house of Girdlestone Finding tina.
their feet of Old sailing vessas were too
slow and clumsy to compete with more
modern ships they had bought in two
first-rate steamers. One was the Prov
dence, fine screw vessel of twelve hun
dred tons, and the other was the Even
ing Star. somewhat smaller in size, bit
both classed A / at Lloyd's. The former
cost twenty-five thousand pounds. AID
the latter seventeen thousand Now, Mr..
Grdlestone had always had a weakness
for petty savings, and in this instance he
determined not to insure his new vessels
If the crazy old tubs, for which he had
paid fancy premiums for 30 many years
with an eye to an ultimate profit, met
with no disaster, surely those new power
full clippers were safe. 1t CHANGED. how
ever, by strange luck that as the Even
ing Star was steaming up Channel in a
dense fog on her return from her second
voyage. she ran right into tha Providence,
which had started that very morning from
Liverpool upon her third out ward trip.
The Providence was almost cut in two,
and sank within FIVE minutes, taking down
the captain and six of the crew, while tine
Evening Star was 50 much damaged about
the bows that she put into Falmouth in
"a sinking condition. That days work
cost the African firm more than 6ve-and-
thirty thousand pounds.
Other mishaps had occurred to weaken
the firm, apart from their trade with the
coast. The senior partner had engaged
In sDsculation without the knowledge OF