Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1911-02-18
CHAPTER XIV

CHAPTER XIV.
Once In a lifetime for every young
ling climbing the facile or difficult slope
of the years there comes a day of real
ization, of a sudden extension of vision,
OF Rubicon- crossing from the hither
shore of joyous and irresponsible adol-
escence to that further one of con-
scious grapplings with the adult fact.
For Thomas Jefferson, grinding ten
aciously in the Boston technical school,
whittier he had gone late in the win
ter Of Beersheban discomfort, the
stream crossing fell in the spring Of
the panic year 1898, what time he was
Il, a quarterback on his college elev-
en-, fit, hardy, studous and athletic: a
pace-setter for his fellows and the
pride of the faculty, but still little more
than an overgrown, care-free boy in
his outlook on life. Glimpses there had
been over into the Promised Land of
manhood, but the trimming cup of coll
lege work and play quaffed in health
giving heartiness is the elixir of youth.
The speculative habit of the boy slept
in the college undergraduate. The days
were full, each of the things of itself,
and II Tom looked forward to the
workaday future-as he did by times
the boyish impotence to be at 1t was
gone. Chiawassee Consolidated was
moderately prosperous; the home let
ters were mere chronicles of sleepy
Paradise The skies were clear, and
the present was acutely present. Tom
studied hard and played hard; ate like
an ogre and slept like log And when
he finally awoke to find himself STUN
| bling bewildered on the bank of the
epoch making Rubicon, he was over
and across before he could realize how
| so narrow a stream should fill so vast
| a chasm.
Tom received a letter from his faith
er telling of the financial crisis, his
fear for the Chiawasse Consolidated
and asking his advice.
Tom found this letter in his mail
box one evening after a strenuous day
in the laboratory; and that night he
sat up with the corpse of his later
boyhood. though he was far enough
from putting 1t that way His father
was in trouble. and the letter was a
call for help. 1t seemed vastly incred-
ible. Thomas Jefferson's ideal of steady
courage, of invincible human puts
sance, was formed on the model of the
stout-hearted old soldier who had
fought under Stonewall Jackson. What
trumpet blast of alarm must have
sounded to make such man turn to
raw recruit for help!
IT'S up to me-" he unused, "and ia
like to know what I've been thinking Of
all this time. Why pappy's old he
was 30 before I was born. And rye
been here taking it easy and having
all sorts of a good time. while he's
been playing Sindbad to Duxbury Far
ley's Old Man of the Sea. Coming,
pappyi" he shouted; and forthwith
flung himself down at the table to
write a letter that was to put new life
into a weary old man who was fighting
against odds in the far-away South
land.
The lone soldier was to take heart
of grace, remembering that he had a
son; remembering also that the son
was now a man grown, stout of arm,
steady Of head, and otherwise fighting
fit If the storm should come. the
watchword must be to hold on all.
keeping steerage- way on the Chiawas-
see Consolidated craft at all hazards
The June examinations were not far
off, and these disposed of, the man
son would be ready to lay hold. Mean
OF principal minor stockholder, insist
on a full and exact statement of the
company's affairs, and-here the new
manhood asserted itself boldly-let that
statement. or a copy OF IT. come to
Boston by the first mail
To this letter there was a grateful
reply in which Tom read with a smile
his fathers half bewlldered attempt to
get over to the new point OF view. It
began, Dear Buddy" and ended. Your
affectionate pappy," but there was
man to- man matter between the salu-
tation and the signature. The inquiry
into the affairs of Chiawassee Consoli-
dated had revealed little or nothing
more than the general manager al
ready knew. The president had turn
ed the inquiring stakeholder over 70
Dyckman. the bookkeeper. with in
structions TO give Mr. Gordon the full
est possible information. and:
'Dyckman slid out of it, smooth and
easy-like," Calem's letter went on. He
allowed he was mighty busy. right
about then. Wouldn't just make my
self at home and examine the books
for myself7 I reckon that was about
what Farley wanted him to do. I'm no
| DOCK expert ana cOuldnt make nead
or tail out OF Dyckman's spider tracks.
Looks to me like all the books are good
for is to keep people from finding
where the company is at What little
I found out, young Norman told me.
He says we're in a hole. and the first
wagon-load OF dirt that comes along
viii bury us out OF sight"
Tom, driven now with the closing
/ rrrlr 90 h.
to write another heartening letter to
the hard pressed old soldier. II had
been his good fortune to win the Clark
son prize for crucible tests, and to
have gained thereby a speaking &C