The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1912-11-21
The COrrector Of Destinies
Being Tales Of Randolph Mason rs Related By
His Private Secretary, CourtIand ParEs
THE LAST CHECK
BY Melville DAVIDSON Posi-
copyrisht b kdward ]. cIode

art IN THIS NE IMAM 10 ebCdp6 lEOW lue
.Bastille Of Civilization" and dine on
unned bologna and a cake OF chocolate
onder the pines of Geysudan, Where
God keeps an open house" The aY.l
rrage dweller in New York. who could
hardly locate Gevaudan with an atlas;
wnl | think, be found specifically dis.
senting. He will cite, rather, the
comfortable state Of one who takes
bis steaming dinner at good hosiery.
Let the table be set snugly by win
dow, let the night be dark and rainy,
let one warm and hungry look out at
the splashing street, the bedrabbled
passers, the huddled cabmen turning
their glIstenfng backs to the wind. It
Is like sitting comfortably in Abra-
ham's bosom with a good view Of
Dives!
on such a night Of April, I had the
corner table at window in the Ores
den looking out in the dripping ave
nue., a good dinner set over a white
cloth, bottle cooling In tub OF ice,
4 cigar awaiting me on the servants
tray, a hunger like a wood-chopper's
and certainty of exemption from the
rigor Of the elements.
had arrived happily at my coffee
with its thimble Of brandy. when a
servant came TO say that carriage
was waiting for me at the door. / re-
piled that l had ordered no carriage,
and began to cut the end OF my cigar.
The man went away, but almost in
stantly returned, saying that some one
in carriage wished to see me at
once. went to the. door and the
porter took me under his umbrella to
the carriage. had no idea who de-
handed thus peremptorily to see me,
and my surprise was not greatly less
ened when Randolph Mason's voice
spoke to me out of the darkness Of the
carriage, bidding me accompany him.
returned to the hotel, got my coat
and hat and sat down in the carriage
beside him, wondering what could be
his mission on this uncomfortable
night. 1t must be an unusual, high
" important matter to take him up
town in this chilling rain, for 1t was
rare that Randolph Mason would
leave bis house to see any man, no
matter OF what Importance. His view
u men was that attributed academical-
Is to the law-an equality ideally ex-
act: II ones affairs presented a suit:
able problem, the individual In It was
factor to be estimated and dealt
with, but otherwise not to be consid.
cred. This voyaging in the night then
meant first that the person involved
could not so to Mason. It might be
some man behind a lock, some inno-
cent person involved in another's
wrong.doing who had been suddenly
seized and must be helped back to
his freedom. or else 1t was woman.
In the meantime tho carriage contin-
ued uptown, Randolph Mason was 81
lently smoking cigar, lying back in
his corner of the seat, and followed
his example. IT thus happened took
no notice of our route. However, aft
er perhaps an hour, the carriage
stopped and l observed that we were
under the porte-cochcre of one of the
new palaces on Riverside Drive.
The door was thrown open and we
stepped down into the presence Of a
lireried footman, WHO led US into the
house and removed our coats. and then
took us up a flight OF great stairs. On
the FIRST landing we passed two nur-
Sos in their white caps and aprons.
a moment later We were ushered into
4 sittlng-room of bedchamber. Be
side 4 table man sat propped up in
an Invalid chair. lie was huge bulk
o. a man, rather over six feet, i should
think, with a tremendous, muscular
chest, thin gray hair and a heavy,
PUFFY face. Mature had built him for
gigantic labors% Energy. strength, de,
csiye action sat in his big muscles
but they were dying now, like the
man. A mere loose, devitalized, pudgy
hulk remained OF what was once 8
splendid animal. The eye alone
seemed living. A brilliant, determined
"''"u GSc, buIuiu6 SlSdug anu NlSal
likc a ships light. The last, unfailing
servant of an indomitable spirit max.
Ing ready to abandon its worthless
house.
The man nodded to Randolph Ma
son. For a moment he regarded me
with curious glance, then he nodded
likewise TO me. The servant closed
the door, leaving the three of us alone
and We sat down opposite the table be
eide the sick maj. With the light
Of the lamp full in his face, knew
him now, from his Autograph on va
riep7 bond issues. He was Richard
Il Curtis, president of the Life Assur
rncn Company of North America. His
CHASTITY physical condition oppressed
me- he was SO evidently Intended fol
all the vitalities Of life and he was 81
evidently dying. Hooked at Randolph
Mason. He sat scrutinizing the in
ralid's face with the sharp, stead!
glance of one taking stock of wha
Qualities yet remained vital The help
less man awoke no sentiment in tn,
bosom of Randolph Mason; he re
Earded him as an engineer examines