Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-07-11
AT least, CAL" Stuart broke in, jc'

That's the funniest thing of ALL"
Bivens whispered. Hes not an ex-
lception. Understand, I'm loyal to the
king. He's a wondey. l like him.
like his big head, his big shaggy
eyebrows, his big hands and big feet
like to hear him growl and snap his
answer-'Yes, 'No'-that means life
or death to men who kneel at his feet
He's a dead game sport. But he, too,
has his little blots in his early copy
books at school If you care to turn the
pages"
MOI" Stuart interrupted, incredu-
lously.
| Bivens glanced about to make sure
he could not be overheard and contin-
ued in low tones.
| Yes, sir, he turned the slickest trick
on Uncle Sam of all the bunch. He
was a youngster and it was his first
deal. When the civil war broke out
the government had no guns for the
volunteers. He learned that there were
5000 old Hall carbines stored away
4
arsenals in New York. He bought
these guns (on a credit) for a song
about SO apiece-and shipped them to
| General Fremont, who was in st.
| Louis for arms. Fremont agreed to
pay $22.50 each for the new rifles and
closed the deal at once by drawing on
the government for enough to enable
the young buccaneer to pay his So
contract price to Uncle Sam in New
York and lay aside a snug sum for a
rainy day besides.
When Fremont found that the guns
were worthless, he advised the gov
ernment to stop payment on the bal
ance. 1t was stopped on the ground of
fraud. And then the youngster show
ed the stuff he was made Of. Did he
crawl and apologize? Not much. He
sued the United States government
for the full amount and pushed that
suit to the supreme court. In the face
Of the sneers of his enemies he won,
and took the full amount with inter-
est. He's the king today because he
was born a king. His father was a
millionaire before him. He's the great
est financial genius Of the century"
Bivens paused and a dreamy look
came into the black eyes.
'Jim," he continued with slow en-
phasis, I'D rather get my fingers on
his throat in a death struggle than
1 .ha ~ ha unr1I
to victory"
Stuart was silent.
The financier moved uneasily and
asked:
What are you brooding over now?"
| II was just wondering why the devil
you've taken the pains to tell me all
these incredible stories about the great
ones here tonight?"
And l answer with perfect frank
ness. When you come In with me 1t
must be with your whole soul, without
a single reservation. When it comes
to the critical moment of your decis-
| ion II may turn on sentimental whim
Ia question of high -browed honor. I
want you to come with your eyes wide
open. want you to know that I'm no
better, no worse, than the best Of the
big ones whose names fill the world
with awe Every word I've told you
about them is true and a great deal
more that will never be told; and
mind you there's not a Jew among the
| fellows I've sketched. There are two
men in New York Of old Scotch ances-
try who have more money than the
whole Hebrew race in America"
1.-The stuff you've told me seems be-
yond belief"
| Exactly That's why l wanted you
to know. The truth Is, Jim, you'd just
as we'll face it at once. 1 am asking
you to resign your place in the old
academic world to enter commerce, the
real modern world. Commerce Is built
on the power to over-reach. Isn't de-
ceit the foundation of all successful
trade? The butcher, the baker, the
candle stick maker, the banker, the
broker-their business Is all alike. A
| trader Is a trader, one who clutches
and fights his competitor and lays
! traps for his customers, In short, his
victims. A trader is one who by hook
or crook beats down the price at which
/ he will buy below it's market value and
marks it up to the limit Of his victims
credulity when he sells. That's the
grain of truth beneath the mountain of
chaff in the old aristocratic hatred of
people who are in trade. The world
has outgrown this hatred. The age of
the aristocrat is past"
I'm not so sure of that" Stuart an
swered, thoroughfully. THE old aris-
tocracy had their weaknesses. They
were always gamblers and the devo-
| tees of Righteousness. But they de-
spised lying and stealing. And the
feudal code of the old patrician bred a
high type of man. The new code of
the liar has not yet made this demon
stration. The grace, elegance, breed
ing and culture of the past are no long
er binding laws on the new masters
of the world think you may get on
a while without the patrician, but the
question is how long can you live
without his virtues?"
| An answer was on Bivens's lips
when the soft tones of hidden oriental
gongs began to chime the call for din
ner. The chimes melted into beauti-
full piece of orchestral music which
seemed to steal from the sky, so skill
fully had the musicians been conceal
ed.
| Nan suddenly appeared by Stuarts
side, and he was given the honor or
leading his hostess into the banquet
hall, before even the king, while the
great ones of earth slowly followed.
| (To Be Continued)
-Cipriano Castro, the noted expires
ident of Venezuela, is giving some