Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1912-11-06
By MeIpilIe DAVIDSON Post
copyrirht by Eaward J. CIode

not put this superiority upon any one
predominating feature; In point OF
dfgnified manner. In point OF physical
impressiYeness, in point OF eourtly
presentation OF his case, he was cas-
ily first. He came attended by a
retinue. like a maharaia. He gave no
personal attention to Randolph Mason
beyond a certain stold observation
cast in entering equally upon the
rows of leather book-backs. upon Pie
tro. upon the glittering ink-stand on
the table. Like maharaja, he con-
Quoted his relations with others
through skiiful attendants waiting con-
stantly on his person. One spoke for
him--a sort of regent. One In white,
a servant Of an upper order, saw con-
stantly that no profaning hand touched
him, and another, of lower caste,
waited at the door with various ar
ticles of portable luggage.
He held, above all persons Of ray
knowledge, decided contempt for Gus
tom. remember that he iunched
during the interview, that he eX-
pressed without restraint his annoy
ance at beam of light which struck
him through an open shutter. and
once he sang monotonously the fore
words of a ditty with endless repeti-
ton, like one comfortably at leisure
dwelling on a thought that pleased
him. Something Of his dress ought,
doubtless. to be described. He wore
sort Of yellow sandal disclosing
white hose. ending four inches above
on his fat leg, 4 plated frock, a coat
hand embroidered in white silk, a hat
buttoned together, having baggy
crown. dropping rim-all OF French
pique In his right hand he carried a
dog-whip, although there was nowhere
In his retinue a dog. and, tucked I'M
der his left elbow, man in minute
efigy named-as presently observed
most curiously. How de-do," and
more curiously. ! thought. referred to
by his master as baby"
Now admit here upon this record
the superiority of ST. George Fairfield
Porter in all qualities deemed excel.
lent among men; but IN the matter of
sight am as good as any OF Gods
creatures. and my gorge rises at the
word baby applied to such a beast as
this How-de-do There was neveT on
this earth a more debauched. evil.fea-
tured thug Of middle age The worst
strains In three alien races were hide.
ousiy mixed in him The negro kink
IN his hair spoke of long pig" eaten
halEraw by camp fires on The Congo;
his puffy, cruel, Turkish face. OF
CHASTITY writhing sacks cast out OF pal
ace windows into the Bosphorus: his
slim Mexican body, deformed at the
extremitles. OF good priests buried
alive 10 the chin in the slime OF the
Verde, their faces smeared with
honey that the flies might devour
them. II OF the last door.post. by rea-
son of my sins, am TO meet the devil,
pray that he may not come upon me
in the mortal habiliments of this How.
de-do. saw now the larger uses for
the dogwhip,
St George Fairfield Porter was per
haps two years old lie came accom-
panied by his mother. a nurse and a
lesser servant This mother was a
woman whose face impressed me; 1t
bore record OF disaster without at.
tendant hardening Of lines, rather the
face seemed cleansed by misfortunes,
as a plate passed through acid She
spoke directly. without coloring her
words. without restrain. and without
apology. as one speaks to the Surgeon
before he strips for the knife. She
did not desire sympathy or verbal con.
ISOLATION. She wished merely that Ran
dolph Mason should have the object
of her visit laid clearly before him.
She had consulted with an eminent
attorney In New York. who mad Rent
her to him. as the practiclng physician
sends the difficult case to tho expert
She was born in New York city. and
had been married three years before
60 Charles Porter, an iron-broker OF
that city. This man was progress.
Give. brilliant fellow He had risen
swiftly from subordinate position,
partly by reason OF his excellent nd
dress. but chiefly because he was the
most practical authority In America
on the manufacture of pigiron.
The era OF Industrial consolidation
arrived about the time OF this mar
Tiage, and Charles Porter was the first
In the east TO step into the open door.
lie swiftly got optional control of the
iron mill whose product he was accus.
toned to sell, and materially assisted
10 bring the larger business into one
gigantic combine under n New York
charter. This tremendous. giddy rise
was the mans ruin. Shot upward al.
most in q nish; from the status OF a
middlemaE 70 a position OF authority
In one of the greatest consolidated in
dustries of the world, he was wrenched
violently loose from every moral safe
guard He adopted. as an essential
element OF this new station. the gilt.
tering vices with which he was now
surrounded.
A certain oriental. speaking from
rare knowledge OF human nature.
feared that with riches one would for.
get God. Had he been me- gamist,
he would equally have feaisG the for.
getting of ones wife and God So long
as a man can with difficulty carry out
but one plan Of life he is apt 30 con.
duct himself as an honorable citizen.
Set on an instant where many maths
are open, he IS equally apt to plunge
recklessiy into every possible expert,
ence. The American lacked the fore.
sight OF King David: within a year he
had startled a continent by his gam
bling E. Monte Carlo; he had been
fined In eyeTy city of Italy for the