The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-08-27

step into the library. where I turned
on the light Il was TIE preacAsR
Hartman.
What do you wantr asksa -
some surprise.
II suppose I ought net 10 trouble
you here At this hour. Mr.. Harrine-
tom" he said timidly. but I am much
worried. You remember that invest
ment you were kind enough 10 make
for me q few years agor'
His question recalled to my mind the
fact that he had given me . little In
heritance which had come to his wife
asking me to invest II for him. had
put II into some construction honda
What about it," I asked.
He stammercd out his story. Some
one had told him that was In . bad
shape. He had also read q piece In
the paper about the road. and he had
become scared. 1t had not occurred to
him TO sell his bonds before he preach
ed that little sermon ut me: but. now
that my sins were apparently about to
ovsrtake me, he wished to save hi8 lit
tie property from destruction.
why don't you sell:' asked.
II have tried to-" he admitted. ''but
the price offered me Is very low"
laughed at the fellows simple ego
tism.
$50 you thought l might take your
bonds OF your hands! Got them
there:"
My wife thought. as your he
stammered. waived his excuse aside.
He drew the bonds from his coat
pocket. As I sat down to write .
check l said tokingly:
Better hustle round to the bank -.
morrow and get your cash."
II trust you are not seriously incoW
| NODDED by this panic" he remarked In
Quiriugly.
Colds the thing these daysr Z
laughed.
Crhe cashier at the bank told me aft.
erward that Hardman made such q
fuss when he went 20 cash his chees
that they actually had to hand him out
$1,000 in gold coin.l
The preacher man had no more than
crawled out with profuss words OF
thanks than had another caller. This
time 1t was q young doctor Of my &C.
Quaintance. He was trying to put on
| an Indifferent air. n IL no had been
used to financial crises all his life. He
had his doubt In his eyes. however.
and took him into my confidence.
III you possibly can. stick to what
You have got. 1t may take . long
time for prices to get back to the right
place. but this tumble 10 only tempo
rary. Have faith-faith In your judg-
ment. faith in your country!'
I knew something OF his story. OF the
hard fight he hnd made to get his edu.
cation. OF his marriage and his Wife's
sickness. with success always put oil
into the future. He had brought me
his scrapinGs and savings. and I had
made the most OF them.
When at last the doctor had some
away somewhat treasured sat down
to think. There were q good many
others Ike these two-little people OF
well to do. who had put their faith In
me and had trusted their money to my
enterprises. Not much. each one: but
in every case a cruel sum to lose
They had brought me their savings
their legacies. because they knew me
or had heard that had made money
rapidly Could I leave them now1
/ 1 might be willing to 60 on to Cuba
and see my own fortune fade into
smoke. But how about their mo0eyI
No. II was not . simple thing just tc
60 broke BY oneself Tomorrow my
Once would be crowded BY these FOL
lowers. and there would be letters and
kilograms from those who couldn't &c,
there. So back to the old problem!
rested my head on my hands and weni
over in my mind the situation. the
amount OF my loans. the eternal Ques
ton Of credit-whsre to get q hand
hold to stay me while the whiriwint
passed. a. I knew it must pass.
Hour after hour I wrestled with my
self. Ordinarily I could close my eycs
on any danger and get the sleep that
nature owes every hardworking sin
ner. But not tonight I sat with my
hands locked. thinking. Along about
midnight there sounded In the silent
house a ring at the door bell. Il was q
messenger boy with q delayed tele-
gram. l tore II open and read:
Remember my letter" II was dated
from Washington and was not signed.