The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-08-30
CHAPTER XVIII.
A NEW AMBITION.


CHAPTER XVIII
A NEW AMBITION.
Jane Dround points the ,coy aeain-Ths
shoes OF Parkinson aud the senatorial
toJd-Strauss Is dead Business or poll
ticsf-A dream Of ,reolth-The family
sail for Europe.
AM writing Sarah that. after
all. We cannot dine with YOU
My husband is restless and
feels that we must leave for
the west tonight. 1t was very sweet OF
Sarah to want us; but. after all. per
haps II is just as we'll. We shall see
you both soon. l am sure.
But there is something l want to
say to you-something that has been Oh
my mind all the long hours since our
meeting. Those brief moments yester-
day felt that all was not well with
you. my friend. Your eyes had q rest
less demand that l never saw In them
before. I suspect that you arc begin
ming to know that success Is nothing
but a mirage. fading before our eyes
from stage to stage. You have accom-
plished all and more than you planned
that afternoon when We hung over the
atlas together. You are rich now. very
rich. You are a power In the world
yes. you are-not yet a very great plan
ct. but one that is rapidly swinging
higher into the zenith. You must be
reckoned with! My good Jules keeps
me informed. you see. II You keep your
hold in these new enterprises you will
before long you will be one of the mas
ters-One of the little group who really
control our times. our country. Yeti
wonder-yes. my doubt has grown SO
large since saw you that it moves me
to write all this. Will that be enough?
Mere wealth. mere power Of that kind:
will 1t satisfy? 1t is hard enough to
tell what will satisfy. but there are
other things-Other worlds than your
world Of money power. But l take
your time with my woman's nonsense.
Forgive me!
II hear from a good authority in
Washington that our old Senator Par
kinson is really on his last legs. That
illness Of his this spring. which they
tried to keep quiet, was really q stroke.
IL
other winter. Did you know him? He
was a queer old farmer sort Of poll
tician. His successor, fancy. will be
some one quite different. That type
of statesman has had its day. There IL
q career, now, If a man wanted 1t!
Why net think Of It?
"Goodby, my friend. had almost
forgotten. as I forgot yesterday, to
thank you for making me SO rich. Mr..
Gardener cabled me the terms Of your
settlement with Strauss. They were
wicked! JANE DROUND.
1T would not be the most difficult
thing in the world to capture Parkin-
sons seat il one were willing to pay
the price"
The idea Of slipping into old Parkin-
sons shoes made me laugh. 1t was a
bit Of feminine extravaganza. Never
theless this letter gave me food for
thought Jane was right enough in
saying that my wonderful success had
not brought me all the satisfaction that
1t should. Now that the problems ]
had labored over were working them
selves out to the plain solution Of dol
lars and cents the zest Of the matter
was oozing away. To be sure, there
was prospect Of some excitement to be
had in the railroad enterprises of the
Morris Bros. although 1t was merss,
f1attery to say that my position count
ed for much as yet In that mighty
game. Did | want to make II count?
l slipped my morning coffee and lis
ness. what was there for me? There
was our place down in Vermilion coun-
ty. ILL.,, but stock farming was an old
mans recreation / might become a
collector like Mr.. Dround. roaming
about Europe, buying old stuff to put
in q house or give to a museum. but I
was too ignorant for that kind Of play.
And philanthropy: Well, in time per-
haps when l knew what was best to
give folks. which isn't as simple as 1t
might seem.
Il am sorry the Grounds couldn't
come" Sarah was saying. glancing at
James note to her. Il liked Jane BET
ter yesterday than ever before-she
looked so worn and kind Of miserable
I don't believe she can be happy. VAN"
ell, She didn't say so! l replied
Yes. l knew Senator Parkinson-a
sly. tricky politician for all his simple
farmer ways. He was not what is
called a railroad senator. but the rail-
roads never had much trouble with
him
Before We had finished our break
fast Carmichael sent up word that he
must see me. and l hurried down to
the lobby Of the hotel. He met me
at the elevator and drew me aside.
saying abruptly:
The old man Is dead. Just got a
wire from Chicago-apopiexy. l must
get back there at once"
Strauss deadi The news did not
come home to me all at once. His was
not just like any other death From
the day when the old packer had first
come within my sight he had doomed