The Washington times., 1909-02-18
CHAPTER I.
A MILLION DOLLAR BABY.

" " was yelling himself into evil /
dence as a factor in this 1
wicked world, a delighted brand-new /
Grandmother read the telegram between !
sips of her afternoon tea and pondered 1
deeply
At the end of the cup she had reach |
I'd the obvious and logical conclusion :
tast no well regulated child can be 1
expected TO start life properly without |
~ least Sl0c.OO0.
Wherefore, her secretary answered the |
all-bell. wrote three checks on three
separate banks, exhausted three hearty
ash accounts-and little CIuett was as
sured of a modest amount OF spending
money for his earlier years.
The newspapers got hold OF il.
They made beautiful two-colmnn
story about it and trimmed up the yarn
,eith any old baby cuts that happened
TO be around. One OF the newspaper
accounts fell into the hands OF the other
grandmother. who lived in the Far West
and owned the best part OF her own
city and fraeticas OF Few more.
This grandmother had contemplated a
rather handsome set of baby pins, with
diamonds and rubies; yet when she read
the story she bristled, noistened her
lips and sent for her attorneys. They
came. She drummed on the table
Then she began giving directions.
When the directions were done each al
toruey had perspire6 his collar 10 a
ulp, and each was specializing men-
ally ON fees for framing up q iunacy
commission. But all the same, day
or two later, the second SEandmOther's
banker sent S900,OOO eastward and a
little note followed. TO the effect that
since "A million dollars must be neces-
sary 10 start the career OF wealthy
baby. she was very glad to amplify the
other trifie!
Now let US consider that year has
elapsed.
one day. during temporary lull of
real business. Cluetts father, with
whom the sum was in trust used the
million as a shoesting in a little rail
road flyer Two eonths later Cluetts
papa owned the abroad. which was
worth about fifteen millions. because
that was the way Ciuetts papa did
things Two years later. when the
merger came along for consideration,
Cluetts papa grasped the merger by
the neck and shook it. When he was
done shaking the merger he owned the
railroad, but Ciuett's para had twenty
lions Of gilt-edged negotiable paper
Therefore. having reached the age
Of twenty-one, young Mr.. Cluett Pc
tiers was rarely forced to walk the
streets OF New York because Of any
car fare shortage.
And. II one might judge by exter-
nails. that was rather a good thing,
for Cluett looked the tender bud If
ever a legal adult could
In the beginning he was short and
neither abnormaily wide nor abnor-
nally round In the next place he
was dapper. And still. dapper is a
pale and expressionless word to apply
&c Cluett. His hands, perfectly mani
cured. were poems of snowy white
ness. His cheeks shamed the veriest
debutante queen Of any society season
upon record. His blond hair, thought
fully graced sby nature, WITH an absO-
iuteIy symmetrical wave that never
varied by the slightest wisp, bespoke
the tender care Of the best valet in
New York
From his impeccable shoes to his
fsultless hat. from his wrinkleless
trousers to his glove-hke shirt collar,
the ideal OF perfection remained-un-
til passing him upon the street, streng-
ers were won't 10 wonder just how
even small young man could sleep
wrapped in the tissues OF q ibandbox.
This, then. was Clue { at twenty-one.
His college course. owing TO mental
methods which harlnonized perfectly
with his exterior, had been finished in
record time. lie had made a polite bow
20 the capitals OF Europe. and the cap
itals had returned the courtesy by an
nexing such odd thousands as hap
pened not to be pinned through thu
ming OF Cluett's inner pocket.
And now he was home again. and
me momentous birthday had passed
among the yesterdays-and Cluett's
napa was forced to the threshing out
soc a question which had been bother
ing him secretly for several years.
The elder Mr.. Peters sat alone in the
library OF his million-dollar pile Of
white granite and architects bills that
evening after dinner and smoked three
strong cigars before finally touching
the bell.
The second man responded. with an
uncanny. genie-lixe silence and speed
and Mr.. Peters glanced at him thought.
fully with:
Send Jenkinson herei'
Alapse Of a minute and Cluetts va
let appeared.
Is Mr.. Ciuett al nome THIS evening
He is, sir"
Ascertain Il it will be convenient fol
him TO come down here for a shor
line. JenkinsOn?"
Very we'll, sir"
The autOmaton disappeared abruptly
as his predecessor. and Mr.. Peter
lighted another cigar and listened TIL
trlefest wait. and gentle steps wer
heard without. The door opened an,
Cuett entered, smiling. and evening
clad
You want 10 see me. father2' h
said mildly
For little while, sonny. Sit down.
Cluett obeyed gracefully. The fathe
-nawed his mustache and squinted a
tae cigar; then:
'"Cluett, you're a man now!'
Why. I-know that, dad
You're a man. and you've had all III
general advantages I've been able t
give you in preparation for man
duties. my boy"
Cluett's eyes opened.