Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1915-10-20

strong men, anu one Dy one presented
themselves. in turn. to a grave and
silent. kinky-haired old darby by the
name of Ephraim.
One motive alone had dragged them
over sterile plains and snowy noun
tains and bounding seas; the magic
whisper Of Money!
Through Ephraim they came to the
stocky. understanding. square-faced
chess player who was called Allison.
They found him pleasant. agreeable,
but hardly of their class. He was so
forceful as to be necessarily more or
less crude, and he had an unpleasant
fashion OF waving aside all the decent
little pretenses about money. That
was the fault of this whole rude coun-
try, where luxury had been brought TO
the greatest refinement ever known in
the history of the world; 1t was so
devoted to money, and the cultured
gentlemen did their best to get all
they could.
To Ivan Strolesky Allison was frank
and friendly. for there was something
in the big Russian which was different
from these others. so he fastened to
have business out of the way.
"Iiere are your lines" he said
spreading down map which had been
brought up to date by hand. "The
ones | want are checked in blue. The
others do not care for"
The grand duke looked them over
with a keen eye.
Il am rather disappointed" he con.
fessed in excellent English. Il had
understood that you wished TO control
our entire railway system"
81 do" assented Allison; but l don't
wish TO pay out money for them all
II can acquire the lines have
marked, the others will be controlled
quite easily from the fact that | shall
have the only outlet"
The grand duke. who had played po
ker in America and fan-tan In China
and roulette in Monte Carlo. and all
the other games throughout the world
smiled with his impressive big eyes
and put his hand up under his beard.
THE matter then seems to resolve
itself into a question Of price" be
commented.
mo; protection" responded Allison
IF were buying these railroads out
right, l should expect my property in
terests to be guarded, even if had to
appeal to International equity; but
am not"
NO" admitted the grand duke
They cannot be purchased"
The proposition resolves itself then
into matter of viTtuei commercial
seizure" Allison pointed out.
The grand duke, still with his hand
/ in his beard, chuckled, as he regarded
Allison amusedly.
Il shall not mind II you call it pi
racy," he observed. I'VE. in Russia
must collect our revenues as we can
and we are as frank as Americans
about it. Returning to your MATTE Of
+ protection, shall admit that the
only agreement upon which we car
secure what you want, would not hold
in international equity; and, in conse
quence, the only protection ] can give
you is my personal word that you will
not be molested in anything which you
wish to do, providing it is pleasant &c
myself and those / represent"
"Then wen make it an annual pay
ment," decided Allison. putting away
some figures he had prepared. Wen
make it a sliding scale, increasing
each year with the earnings"
The grand duke considered that
proposition gravely. and offered an
amendment.
After the first year." he said. I'VE
shall begin with a large bonus, how
ever"
Allison again put out of his mind
certain figures he had prepared to sug
gest. Apparently the grand duke need
ed large supply of immediate cash
and the annual payments thereafter
would need TO be decreased accord
ingly, with still another percentage de-
Quoted for profit on the dukes neces
sites.
Let us first discuss the bonus" pro
posed Allison, and quite amicably they
went into the arrangement, whereby
Ivan Strolesky filched the only valu
able railroad lines in his country from
| the control of its present graft-ridden
possessors, and handed it over to the
International Transportation company
by the way" said Allison. How
soon can we obtain possession?"
Ivan Strolesky put his hand in his
| beard again, and reflected.
There is only one man who stands
in the way" he calculated. "He will
be removed Immediately upon my re
turn"
There was something so uncanny
about this that even the practical
Allison was shocked for an instant
and then he laughed.
"We have still much to learn from
your country" he courteousIy con
fessed.
When Ivan Strolesky had gone. ALI
son went to his globe and drew a
bright red line across the land of the
frozen seas.
There came a famous diplomat. a
heavy blond man with red face
and big spectatles and high, wide
round forehead.
Il do not know what you want.
said the visitor, regarding Allison with
a stolid stare. Il have come to see.
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