The Democratic advocate., 1908-06-19
A Proxy
Father-.in-laW:
BY c. B. LEWIS.
Copyright, 1908, by Associated Lit
erary Press.

II was reported of the Hon. John
sharpe that he had but two fads where
thor schemers and spectators and
ovners of railroad lines had dozen.
ono of his fads was the P. and G. rail-
rood In which he owned controlling
;,,torest He knew every foot Of it's
roodbed and kept himself posted on all
details.
His other fad was that his daughter
Edith having finished her school days,
.bonId interest herself in the P. ard q.
o-.on rs he had. If she had been cut
or+ for an old maid or a business wo-
man she might have obeyed orders lit
rally, but as it was she had to assume
on interest she did not feel.
Tho Hon. John lived in Chicago, and
his npt line was farther west When
+irod of making money and fighting
o+bor lines on the Stock Exchange or
bv some sly coup, he would order the
aonpral superintendent or other official
into Chicago to report details and plan
improvements.
II # wasn't the general superintend-
ont then it was one off division or a
civil engineer and bridge builder. He
had them at his house that his daugh-
for might hear and secure experience,
ond when they had departed he would
on over the matter again with her to
make sure that she understood.
When the civil engineer engaged In
hulding the bridge over Centiped
crock was called in he and Miss Edith
mot The Hon. John was in high
feather that day. He had secured
mail contract over a rival line and had
heen told that the bridge could be
built for $4,000 less than the estimated
axnense. 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 cognizance of, al
though he was rated a 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 necess1-
tate his visiting Chicago much oftener
than before.
As punctually 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
tercst had come to the surface, and
her enthusiasm over the third ap-
preaching trip so pleased him that he
patted her golden hair and feelingly
observed:
"You are your own fathers daughter,
after all. You will come back better
posted on the railroad business than
any other girl in America"
"It must take a very brainy man to
construct such bridge as have heard
you and Mr.. Havens talking about,
she demurely suggested.
at does, my dear-a very brainy man."
"And one pretty certain to rise in the
world?
"Um-y-e-s."
The Hon. John had risen in the
world, and he took care to let the world
know it. But he was rather opposed
to any one else rising, especially any
body employed on the P. and G. road.
"Yes, Mr.. Havens may rise in bis
profession" he reluctantly admitted,
"but you must remember the social
gulf now existing between us. or
you and l are the owners of the z.
and G.. road Mr.. Havens Is an en-
ployee."
Ten days previous to the start on the
third trip the Hon. John discovered
something that threw him into q fer
yid futter. 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 it under certain conditions.
1t was that feeder to his 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 off 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 railroading
Is to get possession Of the road"
But If you can't get enough Of the
stock? she asked.
linen get the proxies. Buy, borrow
or Deg, but get them. 1t is with prox-
IFS mat shall get control Of the NJ.
anu w. need only a thousand more
sotes' and they are in Denver waiting
for me-"
Inc Hon. John was rubbing his
Hands when his car left Chicago. He
enJoyed coups, and he was on his way
~ make one. He felt just little SYM
pathy for the already routed enemy
Deleat would come with a dull thud,
"nefeas he rather preferred something
OF battle first.
Froxies, my DEAR" he said to his
laughter as he took a bundle of them
irom bis pocket and thumbed them
ter-'proxies W are the powder and ball
n, ~ uesoate the ranks Of the enemy.
niessed be proxiesr'
a. santa Fe business detained him
a-i day. He had scarcely left the
wnen Mr.. Havens made his ap-
pearance and was received with a
'lalle and blush.
IN, nne talk between him and Miss