Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-07-09
THE CARPETBAGGER
BY OPIE READ AND FRANK PKLEY
CHAPTER V.
Old Steve's Missionary.
Copyrighted by Laird Lee, PublshesAn Rights Reserved
By Permission of the Publishers

hide the glass Of whisky beneath
the desk and to jam the demi-
John into a wastebasket, covering II
with paper, before tall young wo'
man was ushered into the room. She
came with a swish, a smile and
dash-a dainty bit Of newest fashion
graceful, bright and handsome
The Governor bowed. Wont yor
be seated, Miss?" he said, motionine
to a chair. Then, as If afraid he had
made a mistake, he added, looking
again at the card, "Or Mrs.?"
Thank you," the caller replied
seating herself. Either one-just as
you please"
The old Carpetoagger gave her g
quick, penetrating glance. Then he
looked at Lummers significantly
VERY WELL" he said dryly. III
there's no difference We'll make ii
Miss"
She smiled and handed him a let.
ter. "Ah," he exclaimed, reading
Stephen Parker What's old Steve
doing now? Oh, see, president OF
the Great Western Book Company
Yes. I've known old Steve good
many years-used to run second
hand book store in Cincinnati; dealt
largely in damaged literature. I auc-
toned off a carload Of his stuff once
We used to sock literature into Chi
cago in job lots in those days-baled
II and sold 1t throughout the West by
the ton"
She smiled at him. "As you see,
Mr.. Parker is now in the publishing
business"
"Um, yes. Well, Steve always was
a hustler"
school books" she added.
"Ah, are you selling school
books?"
"oh, no; but I'm here on a similar
mission"
"Ah, ha. Well, this ought to be a
pretty good missionary field"
Yes" she admitted, throwing of
a grace, which the Governor caught
with humorous gallantry. II under
stand" she went on, that your leg
islature is about to pass public
school law, which provides for the
building Of school houses in all parts
of the state She paused to throw
off a few more graces. "And OF
course, school houses without school
books. you know, would be a foolish
expenditure"
"Hm!" calculated the Governor,
the true light beginning to break
upon him. And your missionary
scheme is"
Books Our firm is regarded as
the leader in all the advanced educa-
tional movements of the day. We
want to join hands with the state OF
Mississippi and, under this law, pro-
vide all the text books needed to car
ry forward this grand reform move
ment."
"At what price?"
well, we have felt that If we were
given the exclusive right to furnish
text books for all the schools Of this
state for, say five years, perhaps
some-arrangemen be made
by which it would not be absolutely
necessary to mention prices in the
law at ALL"
who would fix the prices?"
"Oh. that needn't stand in the
way. We could do that"
The Governor looked at her GU
riously. "We?" he repeated.
1.-The company"
"Oh, the company. I see. The
seller could fix the prices"
She slightly inclined her head
"Of course we expect to pay for the
right to"
"You merely want to save the
consumer all trouble and worry
about what he shall pay"
The caller laughed. Sitting as she
was in a light now unmistakabl3
true the Governor tapped bell upor
his desk. The negro appeared. "Jim,'
he said, another glass;" Then HI
grabbed the demijohn out Of tht
basket and took his glass Of whisk!
from it's concealment. Even mis-
sionaries," he continued, "are some
times not averse to this sort Of spiri
tual revival"
"Oh, Governor" the woman pro
tested, II never drink"
why, of course not, but"
well, just a little, then-just th'
least bit"
He poured out drink that would
have jolted a deck-hand, looking a
her with a quiZzical smile. She toss
ed off the liquor without a ruffle il
her countenance. The Governor, af
ter a moment of surprise at her calm
ability to swallow the heroic draught
followed her example, and then ask
ed:
Got a sampler"
"Oh, no more for me-" she pro
tested.
"I mean have you got sample o
your books?"
"oh, yes" she replied, handin
him a volume. Here Is our NIT
reader" He took the book and be
gan to examine it. you observe,
she went on, that it is splendid
bound. The type is large and cleal
The paper is high-class, and the boo
is well-made, substantial, and
That's bad" the Governor brok
in. For the publishers, of course
Don't wear out soon enough, d
they?"
Old Steve's agent laughed. Tn
Governor continued to examine tn
book, turning the leaves as if look
ing for something. "Ah," he ex
claimed, "but where's 'Rienzi's Ad
dress to the Romans?' This ism
like my old book. Where is 1t wa
Saturday night and the widow Of tn
pine cottage sat by her blazing fae
gots with her five chattering childre
at her side?' Remember that
What's become Of that touching In
quiry, What is that, mother? Th