Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-06-30

up against itt' inquired the other.
$50 says my heaUless father. He
has sewed mp my pockets and scuttled
my drawing account. hence the dinner
pail on my arm. I'm in quest OF toll"
"I'li bet you starye." brightly pre-
dicted Mr.. Cady, in an effort at en-
enlargement. "l'll lay YOU five thou
sand that you make a flivver of any
thing you try"
1--WE quit gambling, too
AS they shook hands Cady grunted:
".My invitation to globctrot is with
drawn. Fine company you'd be"
AS Bob walked up the avenue he
pondered deeply, wondering If he real
~ We're SO lacking in ability as his
friends believed. Money was such
common thing. after all; the silly
labor Of acquiring 1t could not be half
so interesting as the spending of it.
Anybody could make money. but to
enjoy it. to circulate 1t judiciously. one
must possess indlviduality-of sort.
Money seemed to comewto some people
without effort, and from the strangest
sources-Kurtz, for instance, had
grown rich out of coats apA H.! tGQnsers!
I-.A---A---~@- saltpo.y -rrc1hk' w"is A"S
peered out from his hiding place Mt
the passing throngs, exposing a tiny,
limp. ping ribbon tongue. If Kurtz,
armed only with pair of shears and
foolish tape, had won to affluence.
why couldn't another? Stock broklng
was no longer profitable: and 61d
Hannibals opposition evidently forced
a change OF occupation.
| The prospect of such a change was
annoying. but scarcely alarming to an
ingrained optlmst. and Bob took com
| fort in rejecting that the best-selling
| literature of the day was replete with
| instances of disinherited sons. impov.
eriShcd society men, ruined bankers.
or mere oilers. who by lightning
strokes of genius had mended their
fortunes overnight. Some few, in the
earlier days Of frcnZied fiction, had
played the market others the ponies
still others had gone west and devel.
oped abandoned gold mines or obscure
water powers. 4 number, also, had
grown disgustingly rich from patent.
Ing rat-traps or shoe buttons. one
young man had discovered a way &c
keep worms out Of railroad ties and
had promptly bludgeoned the railroad
companies ont Of fabulous royalties
Over the stock market idea Boil
could work up no enthusiastically
much as horse racing was no longer
fashionable. opportunities for Pitts
burgh Phil future seemed limited
Moreover. he had never saved n Jock
ey's life nor Jockeys mother from
eviction. hence feedboX tips were no
likely. Nor did he know a single sou
in the business Of inventing rat-trap.
or shoe buttons. AS for going west
he was clearly Of the opinion that /
search for abandoned gold mines OF
forgotten waterfalls wasn't in his line
and the secret Of creosoting railroad
ties. now that he came to think Of II
was still locked up In the breast Of III
atiluent discoverer. Besides. as tn,
whole episode had occurred in the sec
ond act Of the play, the safety o
building upon it was doubtful at best
., Bob's wrinkled brow smoothed itself
and he nodded. His path was plain; |
, led around the nearest corner to hi
tailor's door.
Mr.. Kurt2s greeting was warm a.
, Bob strolled into the stately showroom
J. with its hlgh-backed Flcmish-Oa'
chairs, lts great carved tables, Its pan
, cled walls with their antlered decoril
) tons. This, 1t may be said. was not
: : shop, not a store where clothes wer
sold, but studio where mems dis
tinctlvGgarnents were draped, and th
: difference was perfectly apparent o
!. the first o. each month.
"Kurt2," began Bob. abruptly.
, Just bet Dick Cady five thousand do
1 lars that can make my own Twin
: for six months This falsehood tro,
? hled him vaguely until he remembers
: that high finance must be often col
Quoted behind veil.
Mr.. Kurtz, genial, shrewd. gra,
. raised admlring eyes and said:
: "1'll take another FIVE thousand"
Q But Bob declined. mo. I'm goln
to work"
This announcement interested u
: tailor deeply. "Who's going to hi
: youl" he asked.