Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-07-11


from Europe which he sold the gov
ernment at enormous profits. He made
more than a half million selling these
worthless guns to the state authorities
of the north The Hall Carbine was
his favorite weapon, gun that would
blow the fingers off the soldiers who
tried to shoot 1t, but was never known
to do any harm to the man who stood
in front of it. I never knew what the
fellow meant when he said Patriotism
is the last refuge Of scoundrel,' until
became personally acquainted with
that gentleman"
Bivens bent low and whispered:
The sweetest memory Of my life is
that l pulled a couple of millions of
wool out of his hide in the recent
panic. Jim, you love to hunt. You
don't know what real sport Is until you
jump a skunk like that in a panic.
You go all the way to Virginia to shoot
ducks. When you get to my office in
Wall street I'll take you on hunt you'll
not forget. What's the use to waste
your time for a whole day trying to
kill a poor little duck when there are
hundreds Of big, fat, juicy animals like
that roaming around loose in New
York."
Il see," Stuart laughed, that's what
you mean by the game"
Surely, m" boy-it's the only game
worth playing, this big red game of
life and death with a two-footed hu-
man beast the quarry"
Bivens's little swarthy figure sud-
denly stiffened and his black eyes
flashed. He looked up the stairs and
a smile lighted his face.
Now, Jim, here comes one into
whose hide know you'd enjoy putting
a harpoon-a pillar Of the church.
Look at the cut Of those solemn Pres
byterian whiskers. 1t makes me faint
to remember how many times I've tried
and failed to get my hooks into him. /
know you could land the deacon. I'd
joyfully give you a million just to see
him wriggle in my hands,"
Bivens grasped his hand with pious
JUNCTION.
"A glorious night, deacon. 1 know
you won't stay for the ball, but If you'll
do justice to the dinner I'll forgive
you"
The deacon murmured his thanks
and hurried on.
IT'S evident that however much he
loves the Lord he don't love you, CAL"
mo, he's just afraid of me. That's
why he came tonight Jim, If you can
get even with him for me, I'd give
you the half Of my kingdom"
why don't you like him."
Because he has slipped through my
hands like an eel every time l thought
1 had him. His specially is piety.
That makes me tired. I'm a church
member myself, but 1 don't trade on
my piety."
We'll, there couldn't have been any
thing crooked about his fortune?"
Bivens chuckled softly.
mo. 1t was a masterpiece of fine
art! His father was the original found
er of the importing trade graft. He
was the first man to discover that a
colossal fortune could be made over
night by swindling the United States
government at the port Of New York.
His people have been noted for their
solid and substantial standing in the
business world. The head Of the house
was known as the premier among the
high toned business men of the old
school. His family set up his statue
in a public square in New York.
suppose they bribed the city fathers to
get a permit. Well, one day before
this statue was unveiled a plain little
honest fool of a U. S. treasury agent
got onto the old mans curves and the
government brought suit for a part of
what he had stolen. Old William
Crookes paid into the treasury the
neat sum of one million and compro-
missed the case. Some Of his modern
imitators with their false weights and
scales haven't been so wise"
THE world has never heard Of this
that's FUNNY" Stuart exclaimed.
Not so funny, Jim, when you think
of the power of money to make the
world forget. God only knows how
many fortunes in America had their
origin in thefts from the nation during
the civil war, and the systematic
frauds that have been practised on
our government since. I've turned
some pretty sharp tricks, Jim, in
stalking my game in this big man.
hunt of Wall street, but at least I've
never robbed the wounded or the dead
on a battlefield and I've never used a
dark lantern to get into the govern
ment vaults at Washington. I'm not
asking you to stand for that"
IF you did"
Yes, l know the answer, but speak
softly, his majesty the king approaches
long live the king"
Bivens spoke in low, half-joking
tones, but the excitement of his voice
told Stuart only too plainly that he
fully appreciated the royal honor his
majesty was paying in this the first
social visit he had ever made to his
home.
The little financier's eyes danced
with pleasure and his delicate hand
trembled as he extended it to the great
one.
The king gave him a pleasant nod
and grasped Stuart's hand with a
hearty cordial grip. He was a man OF
few words, but he always said eX-
actly what he thought.
I'm glad to meet you, Mr.. Stuart
You've done us a good turn in sending
some of our crooks to the penitentia-
ry. You've cleared the air and made
il possible for an old fashioned bank
er to breathe i'm New York. It's a
pleasure to shake hands with you"
The king passed on into the crowd
the focus of a hundred admiring eyes