The Washington herald., 1908-05-30
CHAPTER XVI.

History does not relate what was the
business of the father OF the Prodigal
Son, but II is safe 10 assume that he was
something IN the nature OF a hnancier
or that he had al least accumulated too
large proportion OF the goods OF the
community IN his own hands. Therefore
nature endowed him with a son capabIe
oil restoring part OF those goods 10 the
community by riotous living. which seems
70 be the sw!ftest method known 70 tho
guiding force. which moves in too large
way TO attend TO detail. In its grand
manner, II sets the pendulum swinging
from action to reaction, and forces the
accumuiator 10 beget the spendthrift
as chill begets fever. II men cry out AT
the method, the force reminds them that
they must not swing the pendulum too
hard.
The life Vandraken was now living
had raised a storm OF eSacratfon in the
minds Of the American people: but they
should really have pitied him. for he was
only an inevitable result in fact. natures
effort to cure the disease of wealtbo-
mania. His income was so large that. do
what nc would. he could hardly keep I'D
with II, and even then IL was diverted
from its proper channels and only very
slowly triekied back into its proper eco
nomic course
Vandraken was very ingenious and
quite picturesque. in his methods. He be-
came the sensation Of the Partisan press
and the idol OF the people who float
around on the surface Of Partisan life. .
Every night he dined at some famous
restaurant. and wherever he dlned he
bought that restaurant for the night. and
ran il free. To know which restaurant
II would be was Of course. impossible
but II gave an added zest to dining out
and increased the patronage of the res
taurants enormously II Vandraken and
the Cobra went 10 supper al Laxime's.
II was the same-everything free; and IL
the company emptied the cellar. their host
was only too delighted. For himself. there
seemed TO be no limit 10 his capacity for
dissipation. Abinger. and one or two 9th
er members OF the dlsbanded Devil-may-
care Club, who had come over 10 Paris
NJ his invitation. were now inhabiting
inebriate asylums, while Vandraken. aft
er months Of the life. was the same fresh
FACED youth as when he started. Every
one remarked il with wonder and envy.
and credited the Cobra with possession Of
wonderful secret antidotes for she. also.
though more abstemious than Vandraken
seemed TO have wonderful staying pow
er. IL leaked out about her idols. and. had
she desired. she might have established
a regular cult Of worship for the earth
gods; but whenever II was suggested she
only smiled enigmaucally. and hinted
that they were being worshiped and sacri-
feed 10 sufiiclency already.
II was not easy for the yellow journals
OF America TO eXaggerate the riotousness
~ "a g1Fal s.v4fas
best with the adjectives at their disposal
and the never-failing cartoon. He was
pictured as snatChing thin purses from
thinner wives Of American workmen and
throwing them in an endless stream. to
be scrambled for by the Partisan half
world. The pulpit took him up, and de-
manded 10 know how long? how long?-
made dark illusions to Jezebel and her
circle. and forced churchgoers to realize
that by allowing such a state of affairs
TO continue they were sharers in the prod
igafs riotous living. and must stand by
his side at the day Of judgment-or. as a
comic supplement suggested, apropos of
the prodigal, share his veal and woe"
The New York Economic Socialist printed
article after article demanding TO know
how long people thought America could
stand this constant drain. Here was alb
solute proof of the evils of trusts and
the Capitalization of wealth. Under the
constant OutpOuring OF denunciatiOn from
press and pulpit, the easy-going attitude
of the American people, on which the
trusts had relied began 10 give way to
mepacing growls. The captains OF indus
try began to get frightened, the matter
Of Vandraken and his ways was dis
cussed at a special meeting. and IL was
agreed that steps must be taken to end
the situation.
Vandraken had finished dejeuner. and
was enjoying a cigar in the smoking room
Of the palace, wheE a card was brought
up 10 him. "Obed X Bulpitt" On the
back was written: Letter OF introduc-
tion from your uncle, Mr.. Hesketh."
Mr. Hesketh was his mothers half
brother. and Vandraken's bette noir but
he did not see how he could get out of
receiving the letter OF Introduction. so
he instructed the servant 10 show Mr..
Bulpitt up.
Mr.. Bulpitt entered the room putting out
his cheeks. for any physical exertion
made him breathe hard. lie pumped down
into a straight-backed chair. and his
legs were so used up in clrcumventing
his tummy that they only reached the
Hoor in a detected. pigeon-toed fashion. /
He sat so much on revolving chairs. in
front of roll-topped desks. using his
brains, that his head and the upper part
OF his body had developed at the ex-
pense OF the lower part