The Iuka vidette. (Iuka, Miss.) 1894-1912, 1910-07-14

J 4 for supremacy in the town. and
u this Is the story of how 1t hap
SaA1.A.AAaA.Asx, pened The people of the town
and the stockholders of the rail-
road don't come into the story at all. They only
furnished the sinews of war; which fact is abun-
nant proof that the story is true
Pat O'Brien's town calls him the cardinal In
moment of angry defeat a silk stockinged enc
my, TOO polite to ltken Pat to the devil sourly
dubbed him second Cardinal Richeeu The
name tickled the towns fancy and It stuck
Inc cardinal didn't mind. He was too busy
10 caVil at mere names. His business as stock
broker grew with the town, he had for customers
men like John, the son and henchman of Joe
Dale, and when John bought and sold stocks II
was to be supposed that the cardinal profted
through inside knowledge Other business friends
were powerful and their friendship financially
was worth while. Colonel Legarde who controls
the superior railroad. is also president of the
Interstate Electric railway, an electric road, with
terminals and local lines in the town The cleo
trio road needed many political favors and the
cardinal obtained them for it. or for his friend
Colonel Legarde. Really there was no other way
to get anything Unless and until Pat nodded
MS head there was nothing doing, for the town
council fed out of his hand and state legislators
followed out his orders.
Pat O'Brien waxed rich But one generation
away from the 'ould sod" his clothes spelled
American business man, but his neckties faded
the solar spectrum to neutral tint, and marked
the pOHticlan VINO DOugnt and sou franchises and
dealt out jobs at will. Knowing the times to
talk and to keep silence, loyal friend and dead
ly enemy, he made money for his stock-dabbling
customers, serenely grating his political way as
the surest means to desired end. and was
worth million and half. at least He owned
the town.
AS John Dales business of owning the railroad
grew greater and more complex he was more and
more away from Lacedaemon-for that is better
Greek than the real name of the town, anyhow
1t became necessary for him to ask favors of the
cardinal. and the favors were given with open
hand. Dale found 1t necessary too, to have a
daily local organ and voice wherewith to fool
the people. He bought the Daily Planet Publish
ing company, and made Pat OBrien president.
Dale regarded the presidency reward for
favors received and final binding of the town
boss to his chariot tail. The cardinal knew that
Pollock the editor received all his orders from
Dale. and regarded the presidency something
of Joke. Grown to full stature among the other
railroad kings, ruling had become habit with
Joe Dale. He made and unmade towns and the
people In them at WILL and expected no other in
terest than Joe Dales to be thought of. or moved
In, lived for by any connected with him.
Sometimes he mistook his man, as when one
day he went into the office of one of his eminent
and well-paid legal aids and found the lawyer
dead to the outside world and Joe Dales busi-
ness in volume of Balzac.
The railroad king blew up. Il don't pay you to
yer looked at him long moment
) MIR. Dale" he finally said. You pay me for
what know, not what do. I'll read DUN French
novels"-crescendo-"or do any other dunn thing
-forto-"any dunn time any dunn pace"-for
tissimo-T dunn pleased" ending with Wagnerian
bang on the table,
Whereupon Joe Dale changed the subject
Dale thought he owned the president of the
Daily Planet company but the cardinal had other
thoughts about the matter Colonel Legarde
wanted new franchise for extension of the
Interstate to summer resort, some 80 miles
away. The proposed extension would pass
through another town or two on its way to the
lake and would parallel Joe Dale's steam road
Now Joe Dale and the colonel bitterly at
outs over various grabbngs and snatchings each
had made at the others magnateshp. The car
dinal could not that this concerned him at
all. The extension would be a benefit and a
convenience to the town. There was money in
1t for him. The deal was on.
Then Joe Dale came from New York and sent
for the cardinal The two men faced each other with
the eyes of poker players in a game keen, deep.
unfathomable. For the rest 1t might have been
whiskered farmer in his Sunday suit meeting
city man, otherwise correctly clad. wearing a
red, red ascot tie.
Il hear" said Dale, THAT the Interstate peo-
pie want franchise for that foolish summer re-
sort extension of theirs"
81 hear SO too" the cardinal replied.
Wen, lets cut IL SNORT Iney cant get IT,
The extension would be good thing for the
town. Mr.. Dale"
II don't want 1t. 1t parallels my road. Your
city council must refuse the franchise" Here was
no sushy talk or thought of the rights of peo
pie or of stockholders. 1t was my road" and
your council" The cardinal undisturbed
THE people want it, Mr.. Dale" he said 1T will
be great convenience for travel between the
towns and the lake..
Dale measured his man again. There were the
COOL unfathomable eyes, the correct clothes, the
red tie The red necktie settled it. o'Brien was
only cheap politician after all. He must be
shown.
You know. O'Brier. the Planet will oppose
this thing to the bitter end. and you are the
president OF the Daily Planet Publishing com
pany. 1t will place you in "a nasty light This
was no news to the cardinal. and his eyes were
accustomed to nasty lights. But he said, in the
tone of man who half surrenders Il hadn't