Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1915-10-15
CHAPTER l.

No Place for Sentiment.

tor sun. streaming through Ino SAcA0
',orv windows. cast, on the floor and
~ tbe vacant benches, patches OF
.ubv and sapphire, of emerald and OF
tonaz these seeming only to accentu-
,ts the dimness and the silence.
In that silence the vestry door
,rpaked it opened wide, and it was
&c If vision had suddenly been set
there! Bathed in the golden light
from the transept window, brown
haired, brown-eyed, rosy-cheeked,
sood girl who might have been one
Of the slender stained-glass virgins
come to life, the golden light flaming
the edges of her hair into an aureole.
She stood timidly, peering into the
dmness, and on her beautifully
curved lips was a half questioning
smile.
Uncle Jim," she called, and there
was some quality in her low voice
which was strangely attractive. and
disturbing.
by George, Gail, l forgot that you
we're to come for mel" said Jim Sar-
gent, rising from amid the group of
men in the dim transept. We'll be
through in a few minutes. Allison.
you were about to prove something to
u.s. think"
prove is the right word" agreed
the stockily built man who had evil
IDENTIFY been addressing the vestry. He
was acutely conscious of the presence
Of Gail, as they all were. your rec
tor suggests that this is a matter of
sentiment. You are anxious to have
fifty million dollars to begin the erec-
ton of cathedral; but l came here
to talk business, and that only. Grant
ing you the full normal appreciation
Of your Vedder Court property, and
the normal increase Of your aggregate
rentals, you cannot have, at the end
Of ten years, penny over forty-two
millions. / am prepared to offer you,
in cash, a sum which will, at three
and half per cent, and In ten years,
produce that exact amount. To this
add two million"
How much did you allow for in.
crease in the value of the property 2"
asked Nicholas Van Ploon, whose only
knowledge for several generations had
been centered on this one question.
The original Van Ploon had bought
vast tract of Manhattan for a dollar
an acre, and, by that stroke of tower
ing genius, had placed the family of
Van Ploon, for all eternity, beyond the
necessity of thought.
For answer, Allison passed him the
envelope upon which he had been fig
urlng, checking off an item as he did
3d. He noticed that Calls lips
tWitched with suppressed mirth. She
turned abruptly to look back at the
striking transept window, and the
'nree Yestrymen in the rear pew i'm
medlately sat straighter. Willis Cum
bingham, who was a bachelor, hastily
smoothed his Vandyke. He was SO
nch' by Inheritance, that money
meant nothing to him.
Not enough" grunted Van Ploon,
handing back the envelope and twist
ing again in the general direction of
Gail
Ample" retorted Allison. you
can't count anything for the buildings.
Mmle l don't deny that they yield the
Echest income of any property in
Tue city. they are the most decrepit
,enements in New York. They'll fall
aOWn In less than ten years. You
nave them propped up now"
Jim Sargent glanced solicitously at
oail but she did not seem to be bored;
not particle!
Ihey are passed by the building
Inspector annually" pompously stated
W. l. Chisholm, his mutton chops
turning pink from the reddening of
ING sam beneath. He had spent q
.Heume in resenting indignities be-
t0re they reached him.
bullding inspectors change" insin-
tain"
Pour indignant vestrymen jerked
'OF"ard to answer that insult.
Gentlemen, this is a vestry meet
s' sternly reproved the Rev. Smith
oO!a' advancing a step, and seeming
" leel the need of a gavel. His rich.
uesp oarytone explained why he was
world.
e@ll $ eyes were dancing, but other
1'Se she was occurrences itself as she
studied in turns, the members of the
.Ienest yestry in the world. She esti-
n.1'ea that eight of the gentlemen
l present were almost close enough
y 'he anger line to swear. They NUM-
, GsFed just eight, and they were most
'eFesung! And this was q vestry
neetingi
:. The topic of debate was money, /
Osneve'" suggested Rufus Manning.
eseulns his sense of humor from
, somewhere in his beard. He was the
anuei member. Suppose we return
ering?" - S-.
"hy" inquired the nasal voice Of
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