Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-03-24
CHAPTER, !.

CTSIIOSE. who d"uht that fate now
and then INDUCES in irony
,hculd have observed the man-
i i,cr IN which iIcwinctou Acres
came irto the possession 81 "Cherub'
Devinc.
l,ul,i.ls, The real estate agent who
made the sale. attributes the whole
credit uf the transaction to his Own
shrevGncss. But. then. Bulkins Is one
of those persons who would checrfully
ca. upon the entire universe to prove
Tat he RulEinS, WIS favored above
all other men in that respect. Does
TIC sun shine: Bulkins knew it would
and for III, profit. There comes
storm. Bulkins alprO1r!atos it, wrings
a percentage therefrom and winkf con-
Gdentl.' at the solar system whose op-
erntions are "onduote for his especial
and particular benefit.
Il can sell anything, anywhere"
This was Bulkins' philosophy. his re-
ligion. his declaration of faith in him.
self
And Of course Bulkins knew the hab-
it's and ways of Cherub Devine Ev-
cry one knew them. Any one-the
man in the street, the clerk behind
the counter. the very newsboy at the
curb could tell you all about Cherub.
give you his entire history, from the
time he started his career as office
boy for q Chicago stockbroker until he
evolved into the many millioned spccu
lator whose audacious methods We're
ut that moment stirring things up in
Wall street. Each and every one could
have told you exactly the kind of man
he was and missed the mark widely.
for such men are not so easily esti-
mated.
Perhaps ii was this, visible i'll his
wide set biuc eyes, with the flashes OF
light behind: perhaps it was only tho
pink chuhbiness Of his clearly shaver
face, which earned him the name of
Cherub, a designation applied impair
TALLY by pert messenger boys, irrev-
eront brokers' and stad heads of great
corporations He had been christenetl
otherwise. of course. and possibly
Cherub was inappropriate when you
consider al! that he was or seemed to
be, bu, the designation was universal
~ accepted. as YOU know.
Just where he might he expected to
be found Bulkns had run across him,
seated comfortably in Il leather COW
cred. wide armed Office chair at an
open window which looked out across
Broad street toward the more or less
ornate front Of the New York stock
Exchange.
The time was little past noon Of
an August Saturday. Therefore the
stream Of men was setting outward
between the great pillars. The curl.
was lined with hanscn.s and autos,
and into these climbed brokers vari.
Ously attired, varously burdened
Here came one in blue serge wearing
yachting cap, there TWO who swung
golf bags IN their hands others we're
followed by boys carrying kit bags.
Hello, Chcrub They GOT after you
today. eh: Planning how to get even,
nre YOU"
Mr.. Devine showed no resentment.
Maybe ! was" said he
Bulkins snorted out n mirthless
laugh.
Good. Sic 'em. py boy. That's
what I'd Go. When they think they've
got TIC bea: worst bob up and 60 at
'em hardest. But, shy. you ought to
take rest once in awhile. Does q
man good You ought He grinned
broadly. "Oh. ! say. Cherub." drop.
ping his tone. 1--WE got Just the thing
you ought to have-a country place"
"Ycs?" Mr.. Devine acknowledged
the joke by ficking half an inch of
cigar ash on the window ledge
You betv Bulkins was smoothing
Cherubs coat sleeve. ITS Hewing'
Ton Acres up on the sound-gi!t edged
suburban property. and going dirt
sheap on foreclosure. You know
about the Hewingtons: swell family
1,ut gone NIL to smash financially
Now, there's twenty acres Of park
along the water. nice little forty room
cottage
"Only forty"
with stables. lodge house, garden
er's shack and the like It's fully fur
nished and goes as II stands. even Il
the servants n you want them. Jus,
tho place for a family man like you
And Bulkins snorted fresh appreci0'
ton OF his own hulnor. winkinc
roguishly at an ast0nished brokers'
clerk who happened to be passing.
Mr.. Devine seemed to have missed
the Joke.
'HOw muchT' he asked. his gaze
still nxed on the stone steps opposite.
Receivers would take $GO000. bu'
it's worth double. That's ~ sure d
I'm standing here. l tell you. Chsrub
that property
I'm take it." said the Chcrub.
"Eh? Bulkins' pondulous under III
WINS sagging away from his yellow
teeth.