The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1916-05-04
CHAPTER Vlll.

CHAPTER VII.
The Stockholders Weld Their Mighty
Ballots.
r. a slight feeling of panic threat
ened Sledge when he stepped into
the stockholders meeting Of the
reorganized street railway COM
pany nobody knew it, for he sat of to
one side Of the presidents table, fac.
ing the gathering, as heavily indifter
ent rs ever, his big face expression
less and his small gray eyes gazing
steadily straight ahead at nothing.
Marley was far more nervous than
he. waiting impatiently, gavel in hand,
for Acting Secretary Hunt to finish
bis tedious job Of clerical work. Con-
siderable stock had been brought in
to 10 entered on the books, and, as the
certificates were displayed to him.
Hunt. with lavender silk handker
chief tucked in his cuff, looked occa.
slonally across at Sledge, evidently
worried that he could not catch the
eye Of the big chief
Bert Glider was the last man in line
at Hunts desk, and as he handed over
large bundle Of certificates Hunt
glanced at the name on the back OF the
top one and coughed loudly. He
scraped his chair. He dropped his
corporate seal on the floor with a loud
clatter. but Sledge looked straight
ahead. Whatever had happened to
him he would know In good time, but
In the meantime he was going to rest
mind and body and nerves, and, If the
big boss had one faculty which more
than another had helped him to sue
cess. this was it-his putty like liner
tia.
Marley. waiting, gavel in hand and
pulling with rapid strokes at his
goafee. watched this little tab:cau un-.
til, with another perspiring glance at
SledGe, Hunt handed back the bunch
of certificates to Glider and closed his
books. Then, at last. the presidents
gavel fell, and he announced the spc-
cial stockholders meeting of the Ring
City Street Railway company open for
business.
Immediately he made a neat little
speech to his faithful friends, the
staneh investors who had believed ia
the future Of their heretofore prosper
GUS organization well enough to hold
to their stock or to purchase more in
the face of apparent adversely. 1t was
true that certain purely manipulative
transactions had seemed to initiate
against the company and had tempo
rarily depressed the market value OF
its stock
Bendix stole sly look at Sledge
He had never batted an eyelash
However. the president went on, the
intrinsic value Of the stock was still
there. and, with that thought constant
~ in mind. there was no need for a
panic. The stock was worth and
should command par. The improve
ments. for which the reorganiza ton
had been made. were to be carried out.
and others vastly greater were in i'm
mediate contemplation.
1t was hopeful speech, rousing
speech. reassuring speech, and Presi.
dent Marley felt when he sat down,
bathed in self appreciation and per
spiration. that, there being six re-
porters present by special invitation.
he had raised the market value of his
stock from ten to fifteen points.
So impressive was his speech that
little Henry Peters, whose cheeks were
shrunken and pale and whose wrinkle
framed eyes we're bleared from the
loss of sleep, turned to his nearest
neighbor and said, with a sigh of re,
lief:
I'm glad l didn't sell my stock day
before yesterday. l almost took thir'
ty-five for 1t, but the man didn't come
back"
His neighbor, a waffle necked ma,
with a crooked nose and towlike hal
which swept down his forehead ant
curled up over his eyebrows, salt
through his nose, like the wheeze of {
penny whistle:
"Nyah; everything's all talk"
Up rose Attorney Tucker, sharl
nosed little man with beady eyes ant
the crisp business air which frown
| on a smile and hates holiday.
Let his fellow stockholders bewar'
of too much optimism. He himsel
had been, next to President Marley
the largest individual holder Of stool
In the company. He had sold all bu
an extremely small portion before tn
| panic and wished that he had sold tn
balance, for the outlook was yer.
| gloomy. He did not wish to make hi
remarks in the form Of personal tt
rade, but he did feel it necessary t
| point out that the downfall and ulti
mate ruination of their company wa
due, not to mismanagement, but t
| political manipulation.
Let me tell you the truthr' b.
shouted. I'VE have with us today
at this very meeting, man Of tremen
dous power and influence; a politician
| Of national renown; one who is at thi
moment under the searching eye O
the law: an omnipotent friend and
| relentless fee, and this man has che
| sen. for reasons of his own, to wreck