The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-01-08
COPYRlGHr Y.
 1908 e 7 Bnu.RHAbPFQs

tween Solomon and Flagg, so Sandy Cork had re- ported. Flagg had lost his temper, and called Sol all manner of names-swindler, blackleg, tin-horn gambler. And Sol had retorted with remarks about Buckets" Then old Silverton had come around, panting to get his money back for the En- senada stock said some told him that it would cost than it worth to get asphalt tol market; and Sol had said something about ths Panama canal, and Flagg had talked about the canals in Mars. Then Sol had got mad and told Silverton that the Ensenada company was leased with all it's rights for ninety-nine years. and Sif- verton had gone off to see the President. wringfng his hands and vowing he ruined. -a3y&
 It. took time to get Macs stock out Of him at the price he had paid. don't know wheth-. he believed I trying to take advantage of ; his helpless state not. But made him take the three hundred dollars. I went to my seminar in old French-my heart heavy after the rainbow debauch, seeing life and human nature very gray In the midst of explanation of corrupt pas sage in the Song of Roland, into which I was try ing to put of my old-time fire, dismissing for the moment the cares of fnance the Presidents page appeared in the door with little note: the President of Eureka University would like to sest in his office at the close of the hour! .c
 brushed against Sandy Cork in the hall on my way to the Presidents office. His face wore . wicked grin he asked: Are you holding stockholders meeting in the Prex's officer" -.s.
 And they all assembled when the tPresi- dents stenographer let into the private of. fce-poor old Silverton, woe-begone and futtereds Dennison Flagg somewhat wilted, but glowering: J. Jefferson Solomon, his hands in his pockets Sulen and denant; and little Mac With several others who had been active the curb. =. - 2 The President swung around in his swivel chair, his handsome face serious and somewhat. sad, Ills scraped his throat in that impressive manner he had when he addressed the united faculties: . T..
 Gentlemen, there have been brought to my mo- tfce certain financial transactions among mem bers of the faculty, of what might be called as speculative nature. MT. Melton will you kindly give your version of the dealings in---er--'.,
 Asphalt" Flagg supplied. t s@
 And Buckets" Solomon snapped. .,e.s
 told the story briefly, blushing at certain pas sages, especially when 1t came to my ready ac- quiescence in the scheme to ignore the original stockholders by the possessors of the tail. Then Silverton confessed to his little dream of riches; and Mac-that boy had good stuff in him; he re- fused to say than that he had invested some money through MT. Solomon! Then the two finan-s cial powers told their story with many contradic- tions. In the end the President sat with lowered head for a moment: ss-.. sa
 "sacra flames auri!' he quoted with his funny old-fashioned pronunciation. winced, but don't think Solomon understood. "Gentlemen," he con tinued, not unkndly, 'I think that most of yoia have been nothing than childish. Suppose you return all the chips to another, so far as you can and try to forget it. need not point out the folly of such enterprises to in your posi- tion, nor the indecorum of the example you offer to the youth under your charge-an example of greed and preoccupation with the sordid side! of Hfe." a, f>s sa4nye7ass
 We rose, crestfallen. and prepared to sneak out scious irony of his remarks applied to the poor ly paid of his faculty ..~..-@s
 II hope," he resumed with sweet smile. that you will not invest again in Spanish castles-or Asphalt! Six per cent. mortgages are safer" M
 MT Solomon" the President said in g differ after the others go. Good morning. gentlemen!"
 was glad that Solomon had been detained; | my % way T homeward at ' reflective p pace. 'saera flames auri!' An, how it tainted all that it touch~ ed could never again take Solomon's hand with out thinking that he had done to me that mean and dirty trick-under temptation. older now than when like silly, greedy boy I invested Aunt silva's legacy in Ensenada Asphalt; but over and over again have seen the same thing, in big or little, the debasing thirst for unearned
 Ada met at the door, atwinkle with excite ment. Joe! She's up there-all installed. ZI took carriage and brought her over. It won't be more than few days before 1t happens. And Joe I've got something for youi'' <,
 pointed to fat volume on the desk I knew the Chronique at a glance-the copy had eyed in ChappelIs window for months. @a.s
 But, my dear,' protested. sag 5r.
 'There was sixteen dollars and thirty five cents left of Aunt Silvas money. And don't see why I shouldn't have my spree as well as you, your old asphalt!"
 After that "Black Monday on the campus curb. Sandy dubbed the day had our interview with the President, there was complete silence with reference to Ensenada Asphalt, Buckets, and the rest. No showed certificate, if he had one. few optimistic souls, to be sure, talk ed for time about what would happen with .those properties" when the canal was opened, But the canal hasn't opened yet, and besides Il heard from Flagg the other day that the Ensen- ada concession expired according to its terms some years ago. Probably whatever equity there may be in the concern resides in the pockets of MT. Delano, whose last address the Waldorf-As- tora Hotel in New York. e
 Solomon very shortly after the explosion ac- cepted call to school of mines somewhere in Idaho much to my relief don't know whether Sandy Cork's merciless roasting in the club play that year had anything to do with his departure, or the Presidents final remarks But he went. And the rest of had humor enough to laugh freely at Sandys quips at expense. %.@3.. The little Macs happy and obviously poor, though the President put him up that spring.
 We haven't built our house the river yet, though had that deferred trip to Spain this last winter, and Ada is such shrewd manager we may get the house yet, without the aid of Asphalt Aunt Silva's bequest. I have had a good deal of satisfaction out of that stock certificate first and last l ought to be able to forgive old Soli Whenever am tempted by some of the splendid Investment propositions poured in me by mail from financial houses that seemingly have but one purpose in existence and that Is to make me rich, I go down to my box in the safety-deposit vault nd get ont he Oft tbo T