The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1919-04-25

water companies, and Brandon
through TIE valley Star, were pointin:
out that the valleys salvation depend
ed on the immediate control of the
river; that the railroad. only, haC
power to effect 1t. These conservative:
were counseling caution. Only tina
morning. the Star had issued an extra
a special edition pleading for co-opera
ton. If the river breaks out again.
warned Brandon's editorial, without
immediate force to restrain it, recla
nation for that valley is a dream that
is done. And the only force equal to
that emergency is the railroad. WHY
deliberately antagOniZe the railroad
The Desert Reclamation company. ii
Is well known, is bankrupt. For the
instant, the railroad has assumed the
responsibilities of the smaller organi-
cation. Apply the same situation to
individuals. Suppose a private citizen
is in straits, and another comes for
ward to help him. Must every cred
itor assume that the Samaritan should
pay the crushed citizens bills? In the
present issue. self-interest should urge
! consideration. Better q small loss
I today that tomorrow may amply re-
fund, than total ruin in the future"
Hardin, from his morose unshared
table. could see the anxious curiosity
setting toward the railroad group.
Over glasses, heads were close TO-
geti:er. Near him. the talk ran high.
Scraps of inflammable speeches blew
his way from BartOn's party.
Hardln's mouth wore set sheer.
Water company talkl'' Black was
haranguing mis- comrades. "Stand out
against item. Done let them bluff
you. MxfshalI will try to bluff you.
Stand .ogetheri" Barton's resonant
organ broke through the clatter.
Mp shall is not going to bluff u.s."
Grace and Black began to talk at once.
Hardin's lip grew rougher. Where had
they all been if 1t had not been for
him? Why, he'd pulled them from
their little farms back East, where
they were toiling-where they'd be
toiling yet. They'd had the vision of
sudden wealth-they hadn't the grit
TO work for it, to wait for it! How
many years had he been struggling?
He was young man when he'd gone
into this thing, and he was old now.
reached of the midday dinner Bah
cock was nervously consulting his
watch. shouldn't we arrange the
meeting?" he asked for the third time
The social and casual air of the meet
ing had leased him. What had the po-
litical situation in Mexico to do with
the important session confronting
them? His fussy soul had no polite
salons; office rooms every one of
them. MacLean looked to Tod Mar
shall to answer.
81 think it will arrange ITSELF His
voice was silken. 1T is to be a dis
cussion, a conference. You can't slate
that"
I'VE could program" began Bah
cock, looking at his watch again.
Il don't think Wen have to-" Mar
shall smiled across the table. You'll
find this meeting will run itself There
is not a man here who is not burning
to speak. Look at them now! Drop
a paper in that crowd, and see the |
blaze you'd get You can open the |
Mr. Babcock, and l would |
suggest that you call on Mr.. De la |
Vega first"
The eyes of the dining room fol- |
lowed the party as they filed past the |
buzzing tables. Faraday was not in
town; Marshall represented that pow
en- AS he walked out, bowling right |
and left his right hand occasionally !
extended in his well-knOwn oratorical,
courteous gesture. His black tie was