The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1916-09-08
The Stream
Of Power
By GENEVlEVE LEE
Copyright, 1916. by w. G. Chapman

copyright. 1916. by w. G. Chapman)
Max BuIgcr was known to the well
advised in metropolitan business cir
cles as "a shark" He had capital COM
ing, going, doubling, trebling and called
It 1.-THE stream Of power" Within its
depths he lurked ready to pOunce on
any unWary victim who trusted to its
treacherOuS course. Into the stream
he lured fair but unsuspecting craft
and generally scuttled them.
His only living relative seemed to
be Bliss Porter, just out Of college and
headed for legal career. The young
man had barely heard Of this sordid
half-uncie until he was amazed, in
another city, struggling along indiffer-
emily, to receive check for five hun.
dred dollars from his relative, crisply
ordering him to close up his affairs and
come to Chicago.
II am going to leave my fortune to
you" was the blunt startling au-
nouncement of old Max. provided you
learn my business and carry it on
where leave It off,"
This seemed promising, but. at the
end Of week, after his esteemed
relative had shown him "the ropes"
Bliss Porter was disguised. The
precious ways of the shark, the tricks.
the traps, the preversions amazed and
then shocked him. He saw deluded
business men in need of money place
themselves totally In the power Of
heartless, devOurlng monster. He
saw family disrupted through the
harsh measures employed in collect.
ing an overdue obligation. Max Bull.
ger cared only for his pound of flesh.
1t mattered little to him that his ex.
acting extortions were ut the cost of
all his victim possessed.
4 wo~idn't accept his money,
wouldn't adopt his business methods
II he gave me a milliOn!" decided
Porter. II shall tell him so today
and end the farce"
They were out In the Bulger auto.
mobile that afternoon and Bliss was
waiting till they got away from the
crowded business center to deliver his
ultimatum. A jam Of vehicles blocked
them near the curb at one place. ri.
rectly within reaching distance stood
thin threadbare old man. He put
out his hand for aims to the passers-
by. Porter's generous nature was
touched by his forlorn friendlness.
He took a dollar bill from his pocket,
leaned out of the machine and placed
it in the hands of the old man.
"Oh | thank you, sir" began the
mendicant, aud then his eye CHANGED
to fall upon Bulger. The latter
shrank, cringed. Into the face of the
old man there had come fearful
rage, yet, withal, tempered with a
certain dignity. He drew himself up
to his full height. He tore the bank
note into hundred pieces. He
leaned over and flung them squareIy
into the face of the covering Bulger.
"You and your brood!" he shout
ed out, Il would starve ere | took
charity from such,' and then, the Gu.
riOus crowd surging about him, he
screamed out frightful arrangement
of Bulger. He accused him of ex-
tortion, Of running his business life.
Of driving him to beggary. The few
words fell like burning hot missiles,
and, as the automobile started I'd,
Bulger gasped family:
II am ill-get me home at once"
He was. indeed, III, for he never got
over the shock of the fearful anath.
emas hurled upon his guilty head. It
seemed to Bliss that day and night
after that the old mendicant haunted
Bulger. The latter gave up his blood
money traffic, but would awaken in
his sleep shrieking out the name of
Robert Lane. He sought respite In a
new sphere Of money-mad excitement,
gambling on the stock exchange, be-
came feecer, fleeced and losing most
nf his fortune in wild speculation.
Then he died with the name of Rob-
ert Lane upon his tortured lips and
Bliss was hrs heir
The young man was infinitely i'm.
pressed by the episode that had
brought to Bulger his doom. When
the estate came finally into his hands,
he found that it had dwindled to less
than fifty thousand dollars.
1T is tainted wealth." he told him
self. There is only one course res
titution. Then for my Old humble,
contented life with lesson ! shall
never forget"
Bliss Went all over the private pa
pers Of his half-uncle. He finally
unearthed the Robert Lane transac.
ton. Il was fragrant case. Getting
Lane into his clutches, BuIger had
Systematically robbed him He had
seized the home and business of the
merchant and absorbed 1t for com.
Daratively smaii debt. When he came
to figure up the frightful sacrifice
and injustice that had beggared Lane,
lrA