The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-03
Jobn Itnyrn.n


stands clearly out as Il reflection of a
SeVlaln phase OF social or economic
oeVeiopment. 4 development which. at
the present day. enters into and af-
tacts largely all private and public
relations and interests. .
John Rawn" IL such a book Tho
man about and around whom the
book Is written is all there Is of 1t.
lie overtop5 IT, permcatcs It and cen
tres 1t In himself Certain notable
"DETAILS In genesis are furnished tho
reader. SO that the qualities OF such
an exceptional hero may be better
understood He was born In Texas
village. His parents were Methodists.
nils father Methodist minister. LII
MS boyhood This parents did not care
TO punish him. anu his teacher did
not dare TO do so Was he not the
minister's son? IL his mother had
m!sSivings. they were we'll concealed.
She hersslt only sluddered in her soul
when shc heard the master OF the
mousse explain In contemplation of his
nrstborn: How much he is like me"
Yes he was like. Ills mother knew
how like"
When John Rawn grew gu. OF boy
hood he went to St. Louis TO earn Il
living. AT the ag= OF tweDty-n!ne nc
married Laura Johnson, working be-
mind dry goods counter. tired. want
Ing home. feeling the need OF being
loved, comfortcd and protected. John
RaSn hardly came up TO her Ideals
He looked upon his wife much AZ he
did upon the weather Both happened
and both for the most part were to
he condemned. still he took no active
measures for the adjustment OF
either. In his household life he kept
up the traditions in which he had
been reared. He ate all the becfsteat
there was on the table when Their.
was but enough for one. which latter
was often the case. for his wife had
need to sc frugal. At times nc would
purchase solitary ticket to the
theatre and so alone. let he was
generous, and, always after his re-
turn home. nc would with fine feeling
tell hs wife what he had seen. Some
times nc spent Sunday IN the coun-
Try. but. aa he himself had b.en first
10 state. lie was never selfish about
this. lie always would tell his wife
how green the grass had been. how
swcet the song OF birds. how bright
the sky.
Laura. his wife. held her peace.
Never :. word OF complaint. or taunt,
or reproach. or o, longing came TO
her lips. Never did she rcpinc a the
situation OF iife which held them for
more than a dozen years after they
were married one of perpetual monot-
ony. of narrow i!on-bound restraint
After some incredible some mIracn-
lous way OF wornankind. she managed
10 nake the ends meet even TO over
lap a tribe at each week end. y great
soul this OF Laura Rawn but no
greater than that Of many another
woman who does these things day
after day until the time comes for the
grave. Wherein sao lies down at last
with cquanim!ty and calm. John
Pawn was her husband. That was
ail she knew no better way OF life
than 10 accept that fact and make tho
most Of Il. Which !s tragedy, II you
please"
When Grace. John Rawn's daughter.
had come into the estate OF young
womanhood. her parents were SIN
living in an humble locality known as
kelly's Row. and John Rawn was re-
c4ivins still salary that kept his
household in moderate comfort. But
John Rawn was on the eve Of a rapid
change OF fortune y young man
named Charles Halsey was employed
In the railroad offices where Rawn
held clerks position. iIalsey was
an engineer and genius as an In
vcntor. He was, or thought himself
TO be, in love with Grace Rawn. and
came often 10 john Rawn's hous,. HIS
ideas as an inventor were stolen h:
John Rawn. An organize ton called
tho lntcrnati onal Power Company wa
formed. with Rawn its president.
ana ltdlSey pdiu Sa,OuD Wear
Then Rawn began his career
K.lly's Row saw him no moro. He
built million dollar house In Chi
cago and poured diamonds into his
wife's lap. when Il word OF love was
worth more 10 her than both house
and diamonds. After while nc no
longer had need OF SUCH a wife in sllsi,
house SO ne divorced Laura. she
who had been Laura Johnson, and by
way of compensating her, gave her
for maintenance stocks and bond:
amounting TO a million. calling her at
tcntlon TO his muniicence and tn, fact
that few men would desire 10 DC so
generous
Between the time OF his taking an.
other younger, fairer woman to pre-
side over his 'palatial residence lie
induced his daughter Grace. to leave
her husband and. with her child. come
10 live with him. John Rawn IN maxi
Ing this arrangement. VERY senslbIy
pointed out that he could provide luxu-
r!cs for Grace which Halsey was UNI
able TO procure. Moreover. he her
father had need of her. and Charles
Halsey must needs stand aside. And
iTalsay did.
But slow purpose was forming in
FIalsey's mind Having been sopa-
rated from his VILE and child, he saw
another woman 10 whom he turned
often for sympathy. between whom and
himself there might have Seen com
radeship and friendship. Here John
Rawn interviewed again. He dazzicJ
the womans mind. tempted her ambi-
tion, and married her.
Then Halsey. having perfected his
invention, instead Of putting it on the
market destroyed every trace OF his
work by breaking his motors and max.
Ing the secret Of success wholly and
entirely his own. He broke John
Rawn also and held him At his mercy.
John Rawn had taken his wife away.
Well, he, Charles ialsey, would repay
John Rawn in full. Upon John Rawn
who had taken toll of everybody else
should rest the burden of years, the
burden of business failure and utter
fursakenness.
Then when the hour seemed about