Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1915-09-30
CHAPTER !.
A Rich Name Son.

~ LID CYRUS MARTIN, the soar
king, sat In his library In nc
very contented frame Of mind
There was a thorn In his flesh
and he began to feel it more and more.
It was not an agreeable sensation, a
thorn in the flesh, for a soap king
whose cuticle was not accustomed to 1t.
He traced 1t more or less vaguely to
his meeting that morning with his old
friend and rival in the soap business,
John Clark. They had fallen In with
each other, as often happened, at the
Directors club about lunch time and
had one Of their half friendly, half hos
tile chats together. And to make a
long story short, Martin had bet Clark
$4,000 that his son, Rodney Martin,
would be making more money in a
years time than Clark's son Ellery. As
neither boy had ever made penny in
his life, unless betting on a football
game or winning a jackpot could be
called making money, there was fair
ly sporty flavor to the bargain.
The bits Of business lore and anec-
dotes Of sagacity and trade that Clark
represented as coming from the preco-
cious lips Of the marvellous Ellery had
finally goaded old Martin into fury.
He at least knew that Rodney was a
nincompoop in business, If he was his
son; he had no illusions about that.
But the comparisons had reached a
point finally beyond which he would
not let them proceed unchallenged, and
so he had made his ridiculous wager
and must abide by 1t. The prospect Of
turning over $4,000 to John Clark In a
years time and admitting Rodney's in
competence to boot was devilish.
What was the matter with rich
mems sons anyway? thought Cyrus
Martin. Rodney's father had not spoil
ed him, his fathers conscience was
clear on that point at least. Perhaps
he had not spoiled him enough, his
mother used to think SO. Perhaps his
mother, had she lived. with that nerv-
GUS way she had of prodding people
on, would have been Of benefit when
mere sternness had failed.
The boy had spent more money in
college each year than the sum total
Of his fathers and mothers expenses
during the first childless years of their
married life; not necessarily on fast
living, his father was reasonably sure
Of that, but for luxuries and gew-
gaws at which young men in the old
days would have turned up their noses.
RndnnuS0 N0thas hn@ ~ a. -
lege himself, though his parents could
have sent him. He was not altogether
self made man. His own father
Rodney's grandfather. a country bank
er In Connecticut. had left him the
heritage Of a modest fortune and |
thrifty habits, and in the soap kings |
mind now these seemed more to be
thankful for than half dozen college |
professors and their snap courses. Yet |
there was nothing particular the mat
ter with Rodney's inheritance and en-
Vironment, there was just something
backing in the boy himself.
Compare Rodney. for instance. with
young Rufus Plodman, son Of old Eli
hu Plodman Of the State Wire and
Iron works. Rufus was one of the
liveliest young men In the business
world, married to a nice wife and with
q family growing up already. His
name was beginning to be mentioned
more and more. Then there was
IChauncey Brinkhurst, who took the
burden OF the Excelsior National bank
almost entirely on oid Brinkhurst's