The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1908-01-30

money. Inc market places were
yielding rich spoils, which were being
poured ont for new and grander pal
aces, for pictures and statuary and
tapestries, for splendid entertain
ments. and for equipages, gowns, and
jewels. Out-of-town people stood
agape before the endless panorama Of
prodigal luxury.
This was the hour chosen by Fate
for an ironic blow at Garlan and Com
pany. Young Garlan, the senior part
ner by inheritance, had foreseen the
coming good times. He cast aside the
maXims of prudence on which his
father built up the great firm. Drag
ging his disheveled but eXhilarated
older partners with him, he ventured
boldly. In his overconfidence he mis-
calculated, and what should have been
a dazzling success proved hopeless
failure.
He was on his way up Fifth avenue
to play his last card. If he could tide
over the next five days, he would win,
and the stock certificates and bonds
on the seat of the carriage beside him
would be worth three millions, at
least; il not, they would be worth sew
eral hundred thousand less than moth
ing at all. Surely old Masham would
see the advantages of "tiding him
over"-if not as a business PROPOSE
ton, then, certainly, as a matter of
sentiment. 1t seemed absurd to think
of sentiment in connection with the
coolest as we'll as richest money-lend-
er in New York; but was not Freder-
ick Masham Garlan his namesake?
Had not his father and Masham been
Nat and Joe" together in the viii
Iage up on the Canadian border? Had
they not come to New York together
and for half century fought side by
side, or back to back, as the posture
of the battle made eXpedient?
After announcing himself and being
seated in the cheerless looking hall,
he heard old Mashams voice-it
came from above with a fateful, sepul-
chral echo, and said: HIN! That
Young Eambler!-show him up"
I've brought some securities on
which l wish to borrow half mil
lion" Garlan tried to keep despair
and desperation out of his voice. He
extended the bundle toward Masham.
Masham looked sourly at him for
several seconds before reaching out
his yellow. claw-like hand. He ran
his eyes over the titles. "Securities?"
he sneered, handing them back; you
may call them securities, but / call
them dead cats. Not penny! Is
that ALP
Garlans face was gray, his lips pur-
pie, and there were deep circles under
his eyes. He stood there, young and
straight, with imagination and senti-
ment as well as shrewdness and bold
ness, and sensitiveness also, in the
lines of his features. So crushed was
he that the insult made no impression
upon him. 81 must have the money,
or we are ruined" he said. you know
that, in any other than the eXtraord-
mary circumstances of the moment,
could easily realize on these. You
know that, within a week, they will be
Ruined, eh?" Masham's voice was
hard and triumphant For two years
he had been prophesying ruin for
young Garlan, and he felt and showed
the pious Joy of vindicated prophet
Ruined, eh? l thought so; and you
want me to foot the bills of your lit
tie fling" His dry, cracking laugh
was as sure and merciless in it's reach
as the knife of skilled vivisectionist.
Garlan's athletic shoulders dropped.
He was staring over the old mans
head into a black abyss. He felt the
ground sinking beneath his feet. He
tried to wet his dry lips with his dry
tongue. Then he succeeded in articu-
!ating the words that cut into the
very heart of his pride-"For my
fathers sake"
Masham lifted himself in his chair
and began shrieking at him. "For
your fathers sake? You impudent
young puppy If your father were
here, he'd be the first man to indorse
what Tn doin'. You've sinned away
yer day o. grace. An ye don't get
none o my hard-earned money to
throw after yer fathers fortune an
his name-yes, you young spendthrift,
an my name. too"
The old mans English returned to
the dialect of his youth as his temper
rose. Garlan quivered, and drew him
self up haughtily. "You are insulting!
boun M ono cir -
NO, don't suppose you do call it
disgrace. But what is disgrace, l want
to know, If bankruptcy amt, if waste
fulness ain't, if squanderin' other peo-
ple's money in gamblin' an high livin'
amt? You, with that horde of houses
an servants, an that there wife O.
your'n bein' gabbled about in the pa
pers for parties and clothes an dia-
mons! Disgrace! No, don't sup
pose either one O. you calls it dis
grace"
Garlan stalked from the room to es-
cape from the insults to his wife, and
heard the last sentence. as he was de-
;scending. Yet, at the foot of the
stairs, the horror of his situation
swept over him, and he paused, debat-
ing whether or not to return and
make one last effort. TITS no use" J"
he decided, and pride had no part in
the conclusion.
He entered his carriage, and it
whirled up the avenue.
Arriving home, he locked himself
in his study-immediately behind
the small reception room to the left
on the entrance floor. At eight
he had part of the dinner brought
to him: at half past eight, he