Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-08-04
CHAPTER III.
INTRODUCING noLL1NeswoRrn CHASE.

INTRODUCING HoLLINGSWoRTH CHASE.
1"SHE excitement attending the
Skaggs- Wyclholme revelations
had not vet spread to the grand
~ duchy of Rapp-Thorberg, APP
parently lost as it was in the cluster
of small units which went to make up
a certain empire, one of the world
powers. The Grand Duke Michael dis
dained the world at large. He had
but little in common with anything
that moved beyond the confines Of his
narrow domain. His court was sleepy,
lackadaisical, Unconditional, impregna-
Bile to the taunts of progression. His
people were thrifty. stolid and abso-
lutely stationary in their loyalty to the
ancient traditions of the duchy. His
army was a mere matter of taxation
and not thing of pomp or necessity.
The precise location Of the grand
duchy in the map of the world has lit
tie or nothing to do with this narra-
tive. Indeed, were 1t not for the fact
that the grand duke possessed a
charming and most desirable daughter
the Thorberg dynasty would not be
mentioned at all. The grand dukes
peace of mind had been severely dis
turbed-so severely. in fact, that he
was transferring his troubles to the
emperor, who, in turn, felt obliged to
communicate with the United States
ambassador, who, in his turn, had
no othcrtalternatiye than to take sum-
mary action in respect to the indiscre-
tions of n fellow countryman. Chases
conscience was even and serene, and
he was resigning his post with the
confidence that he had performed his
obligations as an American gentleman
should. even though the performance
had created an extraordinary commo-
ton. Chase was new to the old world
and its customs, especially those rig
Orous ones which surrounded royalty
and denied it the right to venture into
the commonplace.
Chase had been the representative of
the American government ut Thorberg
for six months. The American flag
foated above his doorway in tile Fried
richstrasse. but in all his six months
OF occupation not ten Americans had
crossed the threshold. He was Wig
orous, healthy young man. and it may
well be presumed that the situation
bored him. He was not a politicians;
no more was he an Office seeker He
was Il real soldier of fortune in search
of affairs-in peace or in war; OH land
or at sea. Possessed of n small in
come sufficiently adequate to sustain
life II he managed to advance it to the
purple age, but wholly incapable of
supporting him as thriftless diplo-
mat, he was compelled to make the
best of his talents. no matter to what
test they We're put. He left college at
twenty-five, possessed of the praise
worthy design to earn his own way
without recourse to the $4,5OO income
from certain trust fund His plan
also incorporated the hope to save
every penny of that income for the
possible rainy day" He was now
thirty. In each of several New York
banks lie had something like $4,000
drawing 3 per cent interests while be
picked his blithe way through the
world on $500 a year, more or less,
as chance ordained.
When I'm forty" Chase was wont
to remark TO envious spendthrifts who
couldn't understand his philosophy
I'm have over Il hundred thousand
there. and If live to be ninety just
think what I'll have. Moreover. !
may get married and lave to maintain
a poor wife with rich relatives, which
Us Il terrible strain. you know You
have to live ui) to your wife's rela.
tives. If you don't do anything else"
lie did not refer to the chance that
he was quite sure to come in for a
large legacy ut the death of his ma.
ternal grandfather. Il millionaire ranch
owner i'll the far west.
After leaving college he drirted
pretty much over the world, taking
pot luck with fortune and claspiny the
hand of circumstance. There had
been hard roads to travel as well MS
easy ones, but he never complained.
He swung on through life with the
heart of Il soldier and the confidence
of pagan. He loathed business, and
he abhorred trade.
he was an orphan and bounden to
no man. No one had the right to
question his actions after his twenty
first anniversary. He went in for law
at Yale and then practiced restlessly,
vaguely, for two years in Baltimore
under the patronage of his fathers
Oldest friend, n lawyer of distinction.
firing of the law books and reports
in the old judges office, he suddenly
abandoned his calling and set forth to
see the world. Almost before his
friends knew that he had left lie was
heard of in Turkestan. In course of
time he served as war correspondent
for one of the great newspapers, acted
as agent for great hemp dealers in the
philippines, carried rife with the
Boers In South Africa, hunted wild
beasts In Asia and in Hottentot land,
took snapshots in st. Petersburg and
almost got to the north pole with one
of the expeditions. Not in months
Journey would you meet truer thor
oughbred, more agreeable chap, a
more polished vagabond, than Holdings
worth Chase, first lieutenant in Dame
Fortunes army. Tall, good looking.
rawboned. cheerful, gallant, lie was
the true comrade of those merry, reck-
less volunteers from all lands who find
commissions in Fortunes army and
serve her faithfully.
He was nearly thirty when the diplo-
matte service began TO appeal to him
as II pleasing variation from the rigor-
Gus occupations he mad followed here
tofore. One of his uncles was con-
gresham, and another was in some
way connected with railroads. He first
sought the influence of the latter and
then the recommendation of the for
mer. In less than six weeks after his
arrival in Washington lie was off for
the city of Thorberg, in the grand
duchy of Rapp-Thorberg, CARRYING
with him an appointment as consul
and supplied with the proper stamps
and seal of eftice.