The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-01-30
UNEARTHED the thing this morning from
my little box in the safety-deposit vaults of
the Eureka bank. 1t lay, still crisp and
If


my little box in the safety-deposit vaults Of
the Eureka bank. 1t lay. still crisp and
once as et
tering with hopes as they were profusely gilded.
What alluring, fantastic names they had-these
bad-Trachyte Copper Mining and Smelling Com
pany. the Snowstorm Hydraulic Mining Company
tthat was gold, and the certificates had delicate
vignette picturing valley among the serried
peaks of the upper Rockies). Whatever gold there
beneath the Colorado SHOWS. There oil
company in West Virginia. and out In Idaho there
cation Company Note If you will the geographi-
cal sweep of our enterprises; they covered hai1
the states of the Union besides Mexico. and their
variety alone gave them air of Oriental opu-
lence.
And here were the inventions. too: Gas and
featuring acetylene gas out of waste and the Grass
Mat Company. which had machine that could
reeds or plain marsh grass. But the grandest Of
ALL the one always handle with special thrill,
a tas eS ask
now.) 1t had beautiful picture OF an extinct
crater from which there flowed black stream.
representing presumably that article OF commerce.
pure asphaltum. There nothing limited in
our expectations Of what that stream would do
out of them ALL in way; and as carefully re-
placed these outlawed drafts on the bank of Hope
at the bottom Of my tin box and locked them up
for another long sleep sighed middle-age sigh
and thought Of those vivid months when we were
chasing rainbows.
What had we to do with highly speculative
enterprises"-or more plainly wildcat schemes!
Poor college professors, hired at clerks wages to
teach the Beauty of Truth and the Truth Of Beau
~ to a couple of thousand American youths? Per-
whatever to go rainbow chasing. And yet
drew some fat dividends. of kind.
John Jefferson Solomon was our first promoter
in Rainbow Land He was then professor of
Metallurgy in the Scientific School of Eureka Uni
ye1 where still hold the Of
lessor which Is rarity in the species He had:
learning. which he vented often in sarcastic
marks before the faculty. So it was with feel
ing Of agreeable surprise that accepted an invita-
thing to put before me-" We had met at the
Campus Club. where l usually dropped in of an
afternoon to read the evening paper. Little Mac
in the department was playing billiards at the
time and Joined us. do not remember that Solo
mon invited Mac, but the lad was not bashful
and often followed me about.
Solomon's study was crammed with dusty lit
ter of geological reports specimens of ores, maps,
and outing toys Tiptoeing about the room. while
Melton Solomon said gravely. taking the
basin tenderly between his hairy fingers. do you
know what Asphaltum ISL"
admitted layman's general acquaintance with
that useful substance Solomon, tapping the basin.
This is crude Asphaltum." Then he gave us a
Of
impressvely, fondling that sticky in the
sa s n an
and more comes in from below. You can't ex-
haust TT
''At last" Solomon continued in condescending
tones, II think l have found one-that is, one of
my old students has found it among the mountains
of Lower California. I've been making tests of
this sample Jennings sent up. 1t is prime quail
ity almost pure asphaltum have wired Jen-
nings to go to the City Of Mexico and get con-
IA " mo No
II he would like to eat it.
Then We shall form small company, incor-
porate for million, suppose Solomon sug-
gested lightly. as If that was something he did
every yn week nc,u oa.. vo,, fortune. ,r,uno,
enviously
1T does look like good thing" he admitted
calmly. and after slight pause he said: Might
let you have block Of the stock. Melton, II you
have few thousands you would like to invest
That's mighty good of you SOL" I stammered
gratifed that this man of large affairs should think
kept a few thousands Of idle cash by me-
We shan't put out much stock" he explained.
'but could let you have few hundred shares"
Il don't believe that could manage much
A. that, l said timidly thinking of the twelve
hundred dollars Ada and I had painfully scraped
together since our marriage for that year in Eu-
1.-THE first subscribers, of course, won't be ex-
pected to pay par" Solomon suggested. Say a
give me your check for what's convenient and
make your note for the rest I expect that we
shall be paying dividends before the note would
/ hurriedly subtracted twelve hundred dollars
from five thousand: it left large balance and Ada
didn't believe in debts. Then I thought OF Aunt
Silvas beQuest to my wife. We called 1t the
building fund.- and it reposed in the savings bank.
Some time we meant to build little cottage on
the hills across the river.
Couldn't you let have some stock, Mr. Solo
mon?" MacWilliams demanded eagerly. his cheek
flaming.
'oh. well. how much." Solomon asked indifer-
emily.
Ten shares. say. shall get some money from
book I'm doing" Mac explained land want a
good chance to invest it,
"All right" the great man agreed good-na-
turedly. Il guess you can have your ten shares
Then We talked asphalt until long after the din
ner hour, and Mac and talked 1t all the way
back to my house held my head high as Capt.
talst and Partner In Prosperity when l entered
my front door That trip to Spain and italy
might have to be deferred for another year: but
when we went we should make the journey in a
forty horsepower touring instead OF third
class on the railroad. Ny fervor somewhat