Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-12-01
CHAPTER +.

Though Of Philadelphia, Jones was
not an American, nor had he any.
thing Of the American accent. Au.
gtraiian born, he had started life in
b bank at Melbourne. gone to India
for trading house. started for him.
self. failed. and become q rolling
stone. Philadelphia was his last halt.
With no financial foundation. Victor
And Philadelphia gentleman had
competed for contract to supply the
British government with Harveyized
steel struts, bolts and Orders; he had
come over to London to press the
business; he had interviewed men in
brass hats. slow moving men who had
turned him over to slower moving
} mon. The Stringer Company. for so
he dubbed himself and Aaron
stringer. who had financed him for
the tourney, had wasted three weeks
on the business, and this morning
their tender had been rejected. Hard,
mans. the Pittsburgh people. had
got the order. II - f.,Vy
It. was e. nasty blow. II he and
Stringer could have secured the con.
through ali right. stringer would have
put the thing In the hands Of Lauren.
son Of Philadelphia. and their com.
mission would have been enormous,
81, s'r WoulS O. have ave I lled thsir poesets:
FAILING that they were bankrupt. Az
least Jones was. .,,sS ,,''53e3 So, : ~
And juatinably you win say. con.
Aidering that the whole business was
be. yet. on behalf. Of this bluffer-I
would. put, It Forward that he had
risked everything on one deal. and
that. this was no little failure OF his,
hut. a DISASTER naked and complete.
ne had less than. ten pounds In his
voy. You see he had sreckoned on do
insr all his business in q week. and II
IL failed-an idea which he scarcely
entertained-on getting back third
class:to the States He had not reck-
don. OF the three-week delay. =.
= 4. Yesterday he had sent q cable to
Stringeri for .funds.- and had got as q
reply: Am WAITING news ofZcontract."
4 StAnger was that sort Of man.
He was thinking about stringer
st the Savoy. Americans and Eng
glisht. well-to-do people. with no
money worries, 30 he fancied. He was
thinking about Stringer ana his
ewn position. with less, than ten
ssrsss.ptsd.. and three thousand miles
Z n deep water between himself and
Jones Mss .xsn.y-fopr year. ,,a,,s ot ;: a &C.
s locked , tnfsy asoous aiSsa
three guesses you would have judged
10 be q Scotch free kirk minister In
Mufti: an actor In the melodraMatic
Tine; food crank. , These being the the
world .I' ,SN-4s
In reality, he had started life. as
+. before said., in a bank. educated him.
Self In mathematics and higher COM
and, aiming to be millionaire. had
left the bank and struck out for him.
self In the great tumbling ocean OF
f Ms Sad glimpsed the truth. Seen
The fact that the art Of life is not
10 much to work ones self as to mako
other people work for ono, to convert
BY one's. own mental energy the bod
actions. Had this government con-
tract come of he would have. and to
his own profit. set 2 thousand ham
mers swinging. dozen steel mills
mills and ships lie had never seen,
hever would see. ~
!. THAT is the magic Of business. and
when you behold roaring towns and
faging Battles. you see and read Of
the work OF a comparatively small
number Of men, gentlemen. who wear
frock coats. who have never handled
Z bale, or. carried gun, or steered q
ship with their own hands. Magicians!
He ordered q whisky and soda from
b passing attendant; to help him think
home more about Stringer and hts own
awful position. and was taking the
klass from the salver when q very
well dressed man OF his own age and
build, who had entered by the passage
leading up from the American bar, drew
bis attention.
This mans face seemed quite IA
4hiliar to him, so much SO that he
started In his chair as though about
to rise and greet him. The stranger
also seemed for q second under. the
kame obsession, but only for q second;
he made half pause and then passed
on, becoming lost to sight beyond the
Dalm trees at the entrance. Jones
leaned back in his chair.
Z "NoW, where did sec that guy be-
fore?" asked he Of himself. where on
earth have I met him? And he recog-
hized me---wherc in the-whcre in the
k.-where in the-?" -
His memory. vaguely and vainly
Searching for the name to go with-that
face, was at fault. He finished his
whisky and soda and rose, and then
strolled or, not needing much In what
direction till no reached the book and
newspaper stand, where he paused to
Inspect the wares, turning over the
pages OF the latest best seller with
nut imbibing q word Of the text.
THAN hA found him ae1f 6o1yn NJ a irp IN