Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-07-27

another. The Gotham Freight Trac-
ton company was made the subject
of scathing criticism and bitter attack
of which the Sachem society and the
party in power came in for a large
share. And men everywhere began
asking what was to be done about it.
In previous campaigns the party out
Of power had been led by a series of
forlorn hopes, men enthusiastic in
their devotion to the cause of reform
and not noted for much of anything
else. The leaders of the outs took
notice of Gormly. Inquiries began to
be made about him; his business
methods were investigated; his re-
sources were discussed; his character
was analysed; his career made the
subject of study. From being merely
a name attached to a familiar institu-
ton, he became within one month one
of the great personalities of New
York The situation was intoxicating.
Incidentally, he did not lose in the
estimation of Miss Haldane by this
exploitation of himself, which he had
so cleyerly managed that no one
dreamed 1t was due to his own mo-
ton. Even in those exclusive circles
in which Miss Haldane moved, which
are ordinarily Indifferent to any hap
penings on this side of the terrestrial
sphere, some account of Gormly and
his doings, penetrated. That he was
rich and bachelor were the most in
teresting facts which appealed to this
set. Men and women there began to
inquire as to who he was 1t was Miss
Haldane's privilege and pleasure to
enlighten them so far as she could,
without betraying the nature of their
confidential relation.
There were several papers on the
side of the administration, which
were owned and controlled by the
party in power, that would have been
glad indeed to have discredited
Gormly; but the closest scrutiny re-
vealed nothing in his life that could
be used for that purpose. Where he
had come from was not known: but
for the last quarter of a century at
least his course had been traced with
considerable accuracy, and indeed
! there was little of it that was not dis
| covered and disclosed to the eager
public. He was quite willing to talk
about the Gotham Freight Traction
company or any matter Of public mo-
ment, but for the rest he was unshak-
ably silent. His early past. therefore,
was mystery; but the interest in a
mystery that has no special bearing
upon the present soon dies out.
/ Then Gormly did an unusual thing
| for him. He purchased a country
| place on Long Island. This received
no mention in the public press, be-
| cause the whole matter had been han
! died by the invaluable Chaloner, and
| Gormly's name had not appeared at
| all The place was desirable, in that
| it was not far-five or six miles-from
| the country place of the Haldane fam
| lily. 1t was bought completely fur
| nished, and the staff of servants Erevi-
ously employed was retained.
! Gormly knew from the clipping bu-
| reau that it was the custom of the
| Haldanes to pass the Christmas holt
| days at their country place. He had
/ seen Miss Haidane rather less fire.
| quently Of late, because the work at
| the settlement house was now so far
| advanced that it was merely a matter
! of carrying out the plans decided upon
! and spending the money so generously
! placed in her hands by him, which
! did not need much consultation. So.
on the vain hope that chance might
/ throw him in touch with her, Gormly
| decided also to occupy for the Christ
1 mas season his lonely cottage-it was
| called a cottage, although it was more
| like a baronial mansion than anything
! else-on the Long Island shore
1t was showing hard the evening of
! his arrival the day before Christmas,
! and Gormly did not like snow He
had bitter memories intermingIed