Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-06-11

i providing fohs their young to carry
i them through days and nights of toll
those were the kind of men who
made your steel How much wealth
will those ten men whose principles
you have bought ever produce? Not
a shilling's worth for the rest of their
lives! And you American plutocrats
are creating men like that by the
thousand, as you buy your way to
whatever point you wish to reach. My
ancestors, now-they had some sense.
They had the same feudal system
you have, but they maintained an
elaborate machinery for Milling the
masses SO full of religion and patriat-
ism that they went on, generation
after generation, producing wealth for
them, or dying for them, on the dis
tinct understanding that it would be
made up to them in the next world;
and it all worked very nicely
4 Our civilization may be rotten"
] yawned Vandraken, but it will last
our time, and that is all we care
about"
Your ancestors worked for future
generation" insisted Lord Ancestor.
They didn't mean that the results of
their labours should be all eaten up
| by one generation. It's not playing
fair by them. Suppose they had also
said, Posterity be damned? What
would you be? white savage, sit
ting at the mouth of cave, with a
club in your hand to see that some
/ other savage didn't run Off with your
wife and the offal you had collected
! for the winter. That's anarchy and
] q WI
have exterminated seIf-respect and
ters voice lost it tried note. He was
talking on a subject which interested
him, His grandfather had been a
Prime Minister, and he came or lam
lily which had produced many states
men.
| 'Religion!" said Vandraken. '.Why
you can't throw stone in any of our
\ towns without breaking church win
dow; and any brand of religion you
fancy always on tap"
ut doesn't reach the spot. You
have SO many brands in America"
| answered Ancestor. "You are afraid
to have it taught in your schools for
| fear of the labels getting mixed. Well,
we are coming to the same thing in
| England. but we haven't quite got
there yet
I'm ready to agree with YOU" said
Vandraken, as though anxious to end
the discussion There will be big
smash. But I! L! land after me to
deluge !-thats my motto Posterity
is mans own children, and our rich
men haven't got enough to bother
In ucto r,p
ment won't let you found house by
entail, as you did in England, so
what's the good of having a posterity
work? Democracy defeats it's own
ends. Master and slave!-that's the
kind OF commonwealth that lasts.
It's wonder Won Tarsenheim was
able to find any conscience IN you to
transplant" laughed Lord Ancestor,
It's pity, too, because one man with
your wealth might do a great deal
towards putting things right"
"Awfully nice dance the other night,
wasn't it?' asked Vandraken, trying
to change the subject.
'You seemed to enjoy it. / suppose
1t is not use regretting anything, but
seem fated to put you in the way
of making mistakes. ! wish hadn't
brought you to Lady Donoyle's ball"
"Why?"
Il have known Lady Kitty since she
was child. She has always been
adorable. There is something loathe-
some to me in the idea of your two
lives mingling in any way"
"Loathesome! say, that's rather
strong word
1T is a matter / feel strongly
about" said Lord Ancestor, calmly.
"A man who has vowed his life to
the religion of absolute materialism,
as you have done, should take vow
of celibacy as fervently as any monk.
You have no business with a wife,
Don't let that worry you" answer
ed Vandraken huflly. II have no in
tention Of marrying for a few years.
have other plans, for the next five,
at any rate; but when do marry, it
will be Lady Kitty, And just be-
cause l am having my fling, I don't
propose to cut myself off from society
Why should 1? You know as we'll as
do, II not better, thar half the men
who were dancing ana talking so
prettily at the ball that night take an
occasional dive into the under world,
and often stay long time under,
too"
THAT is true in sense" answered
Lord Ancestor, reflective,y. "But they
are no more specialists, as you are,
than the man who goes to church is
priest. Unless Won Tarsenheim is a
fraud, you are now man without a
conscience; no act Of yours can cause
you remorse, no vice can prompt you
to self-restraint. You will follow all
your impulses, good or bad, as long
as they do not put you within the grip
of the law. Your brain will see to that
But you are moral outlaw Van
draken. OF course your career will
be interesting. l shall enjoy reading
the story, fully illustrated. am tired
of printed books. But l don't want
little Kitty to be one of the characters
that would quite spoil the novel for
me-"
II tell you l have no intention OF
marrying Lady Kitty at present!
Can't man dance few times with
x,i,,1 rx,if re