The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-03-25

Ing Value tnereIOr. BESIDES, there are
laws and We were in Massachusetts,
where the way of the transgressor is
hard.
l was disgusted but I was more dis
appointed. l felt that l had a right
to expect, if not something better, at
least something more original than
this from Curly Nevertheless, in pur-
suance of his hint, 1 did watch the
| daily papers. Perhaps it would be
too much to say, as Curly had predict
| ed. that there was "a lot" but there
was certainly good deal about him
and his projects. But I got no en-
| Hghtenment from that source as to
the real nature of his scheme. There
were items, however, which seemed
not to harmonize with my false pre-
tence theory. For instance, 1t was
| stated that ''Mr. Hermes (Curly twas
greatly annoyed at the premature an
nouncement of his plans" and that
He does not wish to receive sub
| scriptions until he is in position to
| give title to the land in exchange"
few days after the first public an
nouncement of Curly's intention, a
story appeared which, perhaps, ought
to have made the matter clear to me.
1t was to the effect that Wedgewood
| objected, objected decidedly to the
| idea of a socialist settlement in its
| midst. The wealthy summer residents
did not care for such neighborhoods.
and. to put it mildly, the natives dread
ed the effect on the value of their real
estate. They were talking of calling
town meeting to take measures for
| protection and there was even talk OF
| repelling the threatened invasion by
violence. The story concluded as fol!
lows!
When seen at his apartments, Mr..
Hermes expressed his regret at the at.
titude taken by the people of Wedge
wood, and said that it could only
arise from a misapprehension of his
! real design. He said, however, that it
would make no difference in his plans.
Mr.. Hermes said further that he would
be able to complete his title to the es-
| tate much sooner than he had antici.
! pated and that probably he would be
in a position to receive members
! sometime within the next two weeks"
1t must have been a month before
| l saw Curly again. For the latter half
| of that period there had been no news
| paper mention of his socialistic expert
ment, and, having been a good deal oc.
/ cupied with my own affairs, the mat.
ter had nearly slipped from my mind.
| However, both my interest and curios-
| ity were fully aroused as / was cross
| ing the common one morning by the
| sight of the man himself, seated ON
| the identical bench where we had held
| our previous conversation. AS l ap-
| preached him the thought was upper
| most in my mind that he did not look
either like a man who had lost $500
| or like one who expected to lose that
sum-. He greeted me cordially and al
most Immediately I put the question
! that had been in my thoughts.
well how are the socialists com.
ing on?" l asked.
| You mean out at Wedgwood?" My
question seemed to surprise him q
little. oh. that's all done with
Wouldn't it work." | asked.
Work! Work." Curly repeated.
Say, boy, if all my schemes had
worked the way that one did, I'd be
a millionaire" He looked at the
ground refiectively. ''It came out just
the way played it. too," he added.
A wave of joy swept over me. Cur.
| ly was not going to disappoint me.
! after ALL
Tell me about it" l urged.
Well" Curly replied, slowly, you
see, it was this way. l knew that
those society people wouldn't want any
| freaky bunch of cranks roosting out in
| their part of the country. So did my
best to have the papers set the thing
| out big, and went down there myself
and | just talked to everybody that
would listen, talked just as crazy as
could. you know
'Go on" l said. as he paused.
"Well," he continued ''one day a
lawyer called on me and tried to con-
vince me that didn't want any colony
| at Wedgewood, anyway. Said the peo-
pie would make it as hard for me as
they could. He said I'd do better to
go to some other place and lots OF
things like that Well, he convinced
me after a while and l let him have
the option Curly stopped as IL the
story was finished.
/ said nothing for minute. The
whole was clear to me now and my
admiration prevented speech. Then l
held out my hand.
Shake, Curly" l said. Il owe you
an apology, besides" went on. Il
thought you intended to get it out OF
the socialists"
He shook his head. NO." he said.
there's nothing in that end of it,. and.
besides. it's risky" His words left no
doubt that he had considered the mat
ter in all its bearings.
do you mind telling how much you
got?" asked, after minute.
twenty-five hundred" he answered.
without looking up. Two thousand
profit"
l laughed. did you have to split
it any," l asked
well, no, not much" he returned.
slowly. 81 gave fellow fifty for CIV