Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-03

tk's!4
TO GO INTO IT."
at sightS Of the long rows of figures
which were trailing from page to page
on the Willer accounts. And when
their wives and daughters came out in
blazing millinery and gewgaws the la
dies Of the north end shut their eyes mo-
mentarily in horror and then came for
ward and embraced their martyrdom.
1t oil came about from a paragraph
in California paper, which stated
that John Willer had struck it rich
be ready to start for the east with
nearly a thousand pounds of gold. A
Connecticut paper copied this. but sub
stituted Connecticut for the word
News Gatherer, remembering that
John Willer had once been upon it's de-
linquent subscription list and had aft
erward disappeared. copied from the
Connecticut paper. with sundry changes
for accuracy's sake. So when the peo-
pie of the North End opened their pa
pers one morning and found under
startling headlines that Our esteemed
fellow citizen, John Willer. is about to
return from Klondike with a ton or
more of gold" followed by the editorial
comment that he would undoubtedly
build a church and town library and
factories for the working people and
would establish a bank and a railroad
to Plattsburg and a steamboat line to
Burlington, besides other improvements
which will advance our enlightened
community to the front rank from
which it has long been debarred by iso-
lot no fnr
the social sacrifice.
| A little Investigation disclosed that
there were many Willers and that the
| whereabouts of three Of them were I'M
known. These three were of distinct
branches of the family, and either
might be the one with the plethora of
gold. So the name must be reverenced
in its entirety.
the public school against the jeers and
opposition of his own kindred and the
indifference of those who thought time
given to one of his name was time
wasted. From there he had worked and
fought his way through an academy to
college. through technical institute.
Eager. earnest. obstinate. always more
or less seedy in appearance. never with
dollar to spare above needed ed d.ue ex-
and sure Of himself, fortified with prac-
teal knowledge Of mechanical sciences
and eager to supply them to the every
day work around.
But he was Floyd Willer: and al
though they acknowledged his ability
and gave his Views consideration and
asked him to their public entertain
ments and gatherings. none OF them
admitted him to the inner circle of So
cial life. He invented a propeller and
explained 1t to Judge Potter and to
Lawyer Blake and to the other few
| moneyed men of the place; but. while
they listened with much interest. all re-
70 od in
pany for its manufacture or sale. He
studied the lake question and the adj
vantage of summer travel. and formu-
lated plan to run a steamboat from
Oak Bluff Point to some desirable rail-
road connection on lower Lake Cham
plain. And once more they listened.
acknowledged the soundness of the
plan, but declined to help its advance.
SO he devised enterprise after enter
prise, all of which were turned down.
until at last it came home to him that
1t was not the soundness OF the pro-
pects not his own ability or knowledge.
but Just the name Of Willer. Then he
put up a small, building near the
waters edge and started to making
small boats for living. To facilitate
the work he took up his abode tempo
rarily, in little room he partit Toned
off at one end OF the building, doing
his own cooking.
He was at work here one day when
he heard the sound Of carriage wheels,
followed presently by firm. ponderous
footsteps coming around the end Of the
building. 1t was Judge Potter.
How do you do. Floyd?" the judge
began. "rve come down for little
more talk about your steamboat plan"
Floyd stared. then laughed a little
CURLY. Whats the use?" he said.
You refused to go into it and I'm not
able to get ont patents"
The Judge picked up. shaving with
To- tlv Of m
worth more than capital" he observed.
blandly. especially when there are
carefully worked out plans in the back
ground. Now I take up new things
has been in my mind. I'm here to take
up the proposition as you outlined 1t to
me some time ago. My brother will go
into it with us and probably Lawyer
hundred thousand dollars. 1 think you
estimated-and will issue stock. pre-
senting you with one-sixth in return
for your planning it and the patent.
This in addition to the regular salary
which will be attached to your office as
superintendent and general manager.
You will agree to these terms. 1 sup
pose?"
yes" replied Floyd. in daze. only
ITS all right. them" beamed the
office at o'clock and we will have the
papers made out. Good-by
Ten minutes later, as Floyd was me-
chanically packing his tools in the
chest, he heard other footsteps, and
Lawyer Blake hustled in.
| Good morning. Floyd. Glad to see
you looking SO well this bright day.
But didn't I see Judge Potter leaving
here a few minutes ago? I hope it
wasn't about the steamboat scheme 1
was considering?"
'srhe steamboat scheme you refused
l =
Eyes, it was"
| .Dear, dear!" complained the lawyer.
his face falling. II had decided about
that same thing myself. However, as /