The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1908-07-28
A Proxy
Father-in-iaW

Copyright, 1903 by Associated LIT
erary Press.

Sharpe that he had but two fads where
other schemsrs and spectators and
owners Of railroad lines had dozen.
One Of his fads was the P. and g. rail-
road, In which no owned controlling
interest. He knew every foot Of its
roadbed and kept himself posted on all
details.
His other fad was that his daughter
Edith, having finished her school days.
should interest herself IN the P. and g.
even as he had. II she had been cut
out for an old maid or business wo-
man she might have obeyed orders lit
orally, but as 1t was she had to assume
an interest CHE did not feel.
The Hon. John lived in Chicago. and
his pet line was farther west When
tired of making money and fighting
other lines on the Stock Exchange or
by some sly coup, he would order the
general superintendent or other official
into Chicago to report details and plan
Improvements.
If it wasn't the general superintend-
emit, then it was one of division or
civil engineer and bridge builder. He
had them at his house that his daugh-
ter might hear and secure experience,
and when they had departed he would
20 over the matter again with her to
make sure that she understood
When the civil engineer engaged in
building the bridge over Centiped
creek was called In he and Miss Edith
met The Hon. John was In high
feather that day. He had secured a
mail contract over q rival line and had
been told that tho bridge could be
built for $25, 900 less than the estimated
expense. He stretched his courtesy to
invite the engineer TO dinner and to
ask Miss Edith to play the piano after
ward.
Then two or three things happened
that he didn't take eognizance OF, al
though he was rated q keen and OBJ
servant man
From that night Miss Edith began to
take more interest In railroad matters,
especially in the department OF bridge
building, and Mr.. Havens, the engineer.
sent In reports that seemed to necessi-
tate his visiting Chicago much oftensr
than before.
AS punctuaIly as the clock the Hon.
John Sharpe took a trip over his line
IN his own private car every three
months. Miss Edith had accompanied
him twice before her sudden great In
terest had come to the surface, and
her enthusiasm over the third ap-
preaching trip 30 pleased him that he
patted her golden hair and feelingiy
observed:
aYou are your own fathers daughter,
after all. You win come back better
posted on the railroad business than
any other girl In America"
TT must take very bratny man 70
construct such bridge as have heard
you and Mr.. Ravens talking about
she demurely suggested.
.It does, my dear-a very brainy man. ;"
sAnd one pretty certain to rise In the
woridY
"Um-y-e-s."
The Hon. John had risen in the
world, and he took care to let the world
know 1t. But he was rather opposed
to any one else rising. especially any
body employed on the P. and G. road.
Eyes, Mr.. Ravens may rise In his
profession" he reluctantly admitted,
ssbut you must remember the social
gulf now existing between as. or
you and / are the owners Of the z.
and G. road Mr.. Ravens is an en-
ployee."
Ten days previous to the start on the
third trip the Hon. John discovered
something that threw him into a fer
vid dutter. 1t was not that his daugh-
ter In her enthusiasm to learn more
about railroad bridge building was writ
ing to the engineer for further informa-
ton about the cantalever principle or
that he in reply was telling about the
tensile strength of steel and the strain
put upon 1t under certain conditions.
1t was that feeder to bis line was
about to pass into other hands unless
he could secure enough proxies to pre-
vent this at the election to be held IN
Denver. He took of his coat and
started in, and he came home one
night with beaming face to say to the
daughter:
my dear girl, always remember
that the first principle Of raflroading
Is to get possession Of the road"
"But If you can't get enough Of the
stock?" she asked
Then get the proxies. Buy, borrow
or beg, but get them. It is with prox-
les that 1 shall get control Of the M.
and w. l need only thousand more
votes. and they are I'm Denver waiting
for me-"
The Hon. John was rubbing his
hands when his car left Chicago. He
enjoyed coups, and he was on his way
to make one He felt just little sym
pathy for the already routed enemy,
Defeat would come with a dull thud.
whereas he rather preferred something
of a battle first.
Proxies, my DEAR" he said to his
daughter as he took bundle Of them
from his pocket and thumbed them
over-4proxies are the powder and ball
30 desolate the ranks Of the enemy.
Blessed be proxiesr
At Santa Fe business detained him
half a day. He had scarcely left the
car when Mr.. Ravens made his ap-
Dearance and was received with a
smile and a blush.
The talk between him and Miss
Edith began about the bridge over the
Centtped, but gradually came down
to less scientific and more interesting
things.
He referred to q hint she he'd given
aim In her last letter ana assured ner
that he had acted on it, and he solic-
tied her permission to ask her father
certain momentous question before the
day had expired. That afternoon when
the train had pulled out Miss Edith
futtered around for a bit and then
timidly asked:
Father, what win happen II you fail
to get that thousand proxies you are
counting onY
~why-why. I'd be knocked into
cooked hat, daughter. But l can't fail.
know just where they are shall
receive a wire at the next stop. ] am
glad to see you 80 interested in the
matter. Proxies are the powder and
bali. and I'm sure Of the proxies"
Half an hour later the Hon. John
was stamping up and down the car and
roaring at the top Of his voice. He had
received the expected wire and had
been informed that the party on whom
he depended had sold the stock at a
sharp advance. This was the biggest
setback he had received In FIVE years.
It meant a staggering blow to the
p. and @. While he stamped and
reared his daughter kept very quiet.
When he had got through smashing
fha Fn0ltsh lan1ua Ge he sat down hard