The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1914-09-18

are it will be rebuilt in less than
twenty-five years. It's case of penny
wise and pound foolish so far as the
appropriation goes, and you know It"
But 1 tell you it's graft"
mo, it's taking advantage of the
foolish and incompetent specifications
made for this job. Why, it's not even
sharp practise. It's making money on
another mans mistake. It's picking
up the loose ends of business deal
and putting them in your pocket, and
believe me, It's the loose ends that
have made the American millionaire"
rs that the secret?"
Certainly. Why, it's the same op-
portunity that would come to you II
| you were walking across a farm,
kicked up some dirt and discovered
gold. Would you go to the owner Of
the farm and say: There's gold on
your land; hope it makes you rich?'
Certainly not. You'd buy the farm.
You might stake him to the potatoes,
but you'd take the gold. What the
devil is the matter with you fellows
who are always working your hearts
and souls out for twenty-five dollars
week because of your Sunday school
notions? Here's an opportunity right
in your hand. Don't let 1t go by. Take
advantage of it,
Not me, Brand"
"All right. We can get along with
out our end OF that particular profit,
even If 1t Is a useless waste. Waste,
| tell you, and nothing else. But Bob,
you can't get along without the forty
| thousand, and let me tell you some
thing; labor doesn't make money; toll
doesn't make money-for the toiler!
The only thing that makes money is
money, and if you haven't some Of 1t
to turn over and make into some
more, you're going to work for some
body else all your life. That's the
toiler's job Now, be sensible. Take
this and stop worrying"
John, I'm afraid you have got into
the wrong house. It's true l haven't
got anything but twenty-five dollars
week-that l haven't paid for this
home, which you say you partly own,
and for which you so kindly over
charged me. It's true that I've got a
wife to take care of and can't even
buy her the pretty things she wants.
But supposing l take your money.
What is the price l pay for 1t? My
conscience. I'd have money in the
bank. but fear and dread of God in my
heart"
Fear, fddlesticks! It's not fear in
your heart but chill in your feet,
that's worrying you. What you need
Bob, is nerve, and-money. Good old
American eagles are the greatest
nerve builders in the world"
q know it, but l want to get mine
in the daylight like white man; not
in the dark like footpad."
We'll you're mighty particular
about yourself but supposing you
think of some one else. How about
your wife? Don't you think you might
do something for her? If you were
taking one nickel from the people, or
stealing a cent, wouldn't argue with
you, but you're not. You're simply
taking advantage Of another mans
blunder. You can't stop that blunder;
you can't go to that man and have
these specifications changed. But you
can take this money and put your wife
: in a better position. If you don't dc
it, it's your own fault. Bob, If you
stick to these specifications you're
throwing that two hundred thousand
: dollars and your share of 1t away, just
as II you dropped 1t in the river I'm
showing you how you can save forty
thousand dollars. But, no, you won't
do it. Instead of that you talk about
. grating and stealing and conscience
and all Of the gibberish you find in the
yellow papers. Now, I'm telling you
straight; you're throwing away an op
portunity that may never come to you
|. again. You're stepping right over the
gold on the farm and you're handing IL
to somebody else. Oh, I'm so sorry
The sudden entrance of his wife pre-
, vented a reply by Reynolds. Both
, men rose to their feet. Bob, in the
height of his moral combat with
, Brand, had almost forgotten her prox
I unity. He had not noticed that the
door to their room was slightly ajar
Brand had, and in his peroration, as
, 1t were, when he saw that Reynolds
showed no sign of accepting his offer
he had purposely raised his voice sc
that she could hear. Jane extended
her hand now as her husband present
! ed the millionaire, and she smiled a
, welcome.
81 couldn't help but hear" she said
land thought l had better let you
know Am in the way?"
mot at all" Brand promptly an
swered. you see, Mrs. Reynolds, Bob
and are old friends, and l would like
> to be counted among his wife's friends
| IL