Middletown transcript., 1911-04-15
BY G. B. LEWIS

tour of Europe, and had reached
Mentone when things happened.
Dad was a widower Of !5o-s
hard.headed Hoosier, and Betty
was his daughter. Dad had been
in the sawmill business for ~
years, and Betty, a girl OF 20
had been teaching school for the
last four years. Upon accepting
a good offer to sell out the busl'
ness Dad had said to his dsugh'
ter:
I'll let the whole thing slide and
start anew on the Sycamore
river. l know of a fine site near
Kokoma, and If the Legislature
will give me a charter for a mill
dam I'll make a mint Of money
Meanwhile, wen 80 to Europe
It won't do us any hurt to get
polished up a bit.
They had travelled as two hum
bic American citizens, and been
taken at their worth. They did
not pretend to be anybody but
John M. White and daughter, of
Indiana, U. S. A., and if their
crudities amused people they
brought no ridicule. II they
argued a bit about tips and bills,
they paid their way in cash and
managed to slip along. They had
about completed their round
when they arrived at Mentone,
and the father entered the pres
ence of the daughter one day to
observe.
Well, Bet, the Legislature has
acted on my petition for a char
ter for q mill dam on the Syca-
more, and I'm knocked out. They
refuse to grant it.
But why don't you try to make
some money over here3 asked
the daughter.
Um. Never thought of it. I'm
used to Indiana mill dams and
saw-mills, and so haven't looked
around over here. Don't seem
much of a show for them things,
but mebbe I can hit something
else.
He went down into the hotel
office to smoke a cigar and think
things over, and he had scarcely
begun to wonder whether a snow
shovel factory or a chewing gum
foundry would pay the best
when commotion arose around
him, and the landlord began tear
ing his hair and wailing that he
was a ruined man. Mr.. White
was interested. His experience
In the mill dam business had
taught him that what was one
mans ruin was another man s
hpbuilding. He asked for an in
terview with his host, and when
he1had stroked and patted and
uuieted him down, he ascertained
what the row was about. A Ger
man baron had just committed
suicide in the hotel. It was the
beginning Of the season, and the
affair would ruin the business o1
the hostelry. A suicide hoteI
would be hoodoo.
Now, then, answered the mar
from Indiana, you quit pulling
your hair out and wailing like
stray calf, and give me half ar
hour to think this thing over. II
may be a good or a bad thing fol
you. That's for US to figure out
Just keep cool and give me 9
show. This isn't a case Of dam
ming the Sycamore, but I think
I see daylight,
The landlord fell upon the
Hoosier's neck and offered him
both gratitude and cash to save
the situation, and within the hall
hour Mr.. White was closeted with
him again and saying:
I'm happy to tell you that you
needn't pull out any more hair
over this matter. I didn't come
over here to put on any style
but I'm going to tell you who
am. I'm Jonn M. White, of the
Sycamore River and Power com
pany. Sawmills built to order,
Mill dams furnished with
promptness and despatch. Mo
tive power distributed all over
the State of Indiana. Saw logs
bought, sold and exchanged
Have you got that through your
head?
Oui, Oui, monsieur. In your
country you are what they call 6
"a trust-a-magnate-a syndi
cate.
Exactly, but I have kept quiet
about it over here on my daugh
ter'saccount. Betdon't want al
the lords and counts and dukes
in Europe running after her