Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1913-04-03
WHEN HE RETURNED
Human Interest Story Of Broken
Financier's Homecoming.
sy JOHN LINFooT.

bound Limited Neat farm houses, well
titled fields. flew past, with sleek cat
tie that looked up. munching content
edly. out of the lush grasses. II was
the prairie country OF Iowa, the re-
gion of black earth and farmlands,
the nations dairy and the center Of
her agricultural wealth.
Boys with pitchforks, farm-hands
seated above their harrows, guiding
the draught horses, glanced carelessly
at the speeding train and turned to
their work once more. They were
contented with their lot Such might
have been Bremertons. And he, who,
until two months before, had been a
man feared and respected in the
greatest part of America, a power in
Wall street, against whom host had
banded themselves and barely pre-
vailed-he found himself almost envy
ing these countrymen.
ut looks like my home country"
he reflected, as he caught sight of a
distant range of low hills, blue in the
haze of the afternoon. "And to think
that | might have been living here,
perhaps with my few acres, happy
never knowing or caring of anything
that lay behind these hills!"
The train slowed, drew into the sta
ton, waited few moments, and then
pulled cut again A man came into
the carriage and stopped at Bremen
TONS side. The financier looked up
with start and unconcealed impa-
tience.
Excuse me, sir, but are you John
Bremerton?" asked the other.
"Well?" Bremerton demanded curt
lIy
IL was sure that was on your
track. / knew / had recognized you.
want the inside story of the failure
Of the Cornucopla bank. | am repre-
sentative of the Iowa Free-Soiler."
Good Lord, man. that story has
been printed in every newspaper be-
tween here and Kingdom Come" said
Bremerton angrily. Don't you read
the metropolitan press out here?"
20 yes, indeed" said the reporter,
smiling. "but you know, Mr.. Bremen
ton, that the story has never come
from your own lips. You have sue
seeded in secluding yourself from all
the newspaper men. Now it would
be- a great feather in my cap If you
would give me an exclusive inter-
view"
| Bremerton softened a little. With
he loss of his fortune, the wreck of
all his hopes, with nothing at all
saved out of the ruin, why should he
1ot at least be instrumental In bring
ng a fragment of reputation to this
Young man at his side, whose per-
inacious good humor had already
won his sympathy.
you see, SIR" the reporter contin-
led, "of course we have all the de-
ails of the failure. We know that
you were made the victim of an un-
icrupulous gang of financiers who
wanted your properties. Nobody has
ever breathed word against your re-
)utation. When the crash came you
vent back, faced the music. and came
)ut with flying colors, But what are
you going to do now? You are an
owa man by birth. are you not? And
you never married, Mr.. Bremerton?
Have you come back to settle in your
state and marry your first sweet
leart? / want a real human story"
"A real human story" repeated
3remerton mechanically. and smiled a
title bitterly at the irony of events
which had left his life, except for his
videned experience, just where it had
)een when he had left Pennington, a
)enniless country boy, fifteen years
before. And his first sweetheart
Lizzie Gray! She was only fifteen
hen and he twenty-one. but he was
going to become rich and famous in
he etropolis-perhaps he would
sven make twenty dollars a week.
and then. when that miracle occurred,
he was going to send her the fare to
ply all their lives. He had written
every day for month, then every 9TH
er day, then twice week, once a
week, once a month; after a year his
letters ceased. After two years he had
stopped thinking Of her He had
heard, not long afterward. that she
was married.
"Framington! Change here for
Des Moines!" shouted the conductor.
and Bremerton started up hastily and
seized his suit case. He had taken
passage to Des Moines. although he
lad been Indifferent where he went.
Now that he reflected. he had selected
hat place. subconsciously. as it were,
because the train passed through
Framington. He had wanted to see
the old town again.
Standing upon the platform he
found the reporter at his elbow. He
had entirely forgotten him.
I'm afraid there's a wait OF two
hours for the Des Moines train" he
said. I'VE just missed the connec-
lion. Now. Mr.. Bremerton, won't you