Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1915-08-11

Hello. Allison" called the hearty
voice of Jim Sargent You're looking
like yoUngster tonight"
Il feel like one" replied Allison.
smiling. I'm on vacation" He was
either vain enough or curious enough
to glance at himself in the big mirror
as he passed It. He did look younger;
astonishingly so: and he had about him
quality of hghtness which made him
restless. He had been noted among
his business associates for a certain
dry wit. scathing. satirical, relentless;
COW he used that quality agreeably.
and when Lucille and Ted. and Arly
and Dick Rodley Joined them. he was
quite easily sharer in the gayety. At
the theater he was the same. He par
ticipated in all the repartee duriGg the
intermissions, and the fact that he
found Gsil studying him. now and then.
only gave him an added impulse. He
was frank with himself about Gail. He
wanted her. and he had made up his
mind to have her He was himself a
little surprised at his own capacity of
entertain ment, and when he parted
from Gail at the Sargent house, he
left her smiling. and with softer look
in her eyes than he had yet seen there.
Immediately on his return to his
library, Allison threw of his coat and
waistcoat, collar and tie. and sat at
the table.
what is there in the icebox?" he
wanted to know.
well, sir" enumerated Ephraim
carefully; "Mirandy had a chicken
potpie for dinner. and then there's"
THAT win do: cold" interrupted Al
lison. Bring It here with as few
service things as possible. a bottle OF
vichy and some olives"
He began to set down some figures.
and when Ephrain came, shaking his
head to himself about such things as
cold dumplings at night. Allison
stopped for ten minutes, and lunched
with apparent relish At seven-thirty
he called Ephraim and ordered a cold
plunge and some breakfast. He had
been up all night, and on the map of
the United States there were penciled
two thin straight black lines, one from
New York to Chicago, and one from
Chicago to San Francisco. Crossing
them. and paralleling them. and an
Cling in their general direction. but
quite close to them in the main, were
lines Of green and lines of orange:
these three.
Another day and another night he
spent with his maps, and his books,
and his figures; then he went to his
broker with list of railroads.
"Get me what stock you can OF
these" he directed Pick 1t up as
quietly as possible"
The broker looked them over and
elevated his eyebrows. There was
not road in the list which was i'm
portant strategically, but he had
ceased to ask questions Of Edward
Allison.
Three days later Allison went into
the annual stockholders meeting of
the L. and c. railroad. and registered
majority of the stock in that insig-
nificant line. which ran up the shore
opposite Crescent island. joined the
Towando valley shortly after its emer-
gence from its hired entrance into
New York. ran for fifty miles over the
roadway of the Towando. with which
it had a longtime tracking contract,
and wandered up into the country,
where It served as an outlet to GER
tain conservatiyely profitable terri
tory.
The president reached for his gavel
and called the meeting. The stock
holders, gray and grave. and some
with watery eyes, drew up their chairs
TO the long table; for they were direc-
tors, too They answered to their
names, and they listened TO the min
utes, and waded mechanically through
the routine business, always with their
gaze straying to the new forct which
had come among them. Every man
there knew all about Edward E. ALI
son. He had combined the traction in
terests Of New York by methods as
| logical and unsympathetic as geom-
etry, and where he appeared, no mat.
ter how pacific his ayowed intentions.
there we're certain to be radical up
heayings.
Election Of officers was reached in
the routine. and again that solemn in
ouiry in the faded eyes. The official
slate" was proposed in nomination
| Edward e. Allison voted with the rest
Every director was reelected
New business. Again the solemn
inquiry
Move to amend Article Three, Sec
ton One Of the constitution, relating
to duration of Office" announced ALI
son. passing the written motion to the
secretary. ION a call from the major
ity of stock. the stockholders of the
L. and C. railroad have a right to
| demand a special meeting. on one
weeks notice, for the purpose OF re-
organization and reelection"
They knew It. 1t lad to come.
Edward r. Allison waited just long
enough to vote his majority stock. and
left the meeting in hurry, for he
had an engagement to take tea with
Gail Sargent.
tTO BE coNTrNUED)
Fools ofttimes rush in and via
while wise men investigate.
~-~~~~~-~~~-~-~-~-~-~-~-r'~>