Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1920-10-15

"Wcll, Jack, Just to celebrate the
discovery of your old pal, I'll tell you
what I'll do. I'll o. X. your voucher
for the expense of bringing young
Geary back to the y. s. A.. and when
we get him here, II will be up to you
to find snug berth for him with Col
orado Consolidated"
"Neddy," said John Stuart Webster
"by my halldom, love thee. You're
a thoughtful, kindly old stick-in-the-
mud"
mo ifs nor butts. I'm your boss"
Jerome interrupted and waddled
away to telephone the head waiter at
his favorite restaurant to reserve a
table for two.
Mr.. Webster sighed. He disliked
exceedingly to disappoint old Neddy,
but He shrank from seeming to
think overwell of himself by declln-
ing Observation-Disclosures
year job with the biggest mining COM
pany in Colorado, but
"Rotten luck" he soliloQulzed. at
runs that way for while, and then
It changes, and gets worse!"
When Jerome returned to his seat,
the serious look In Webster's hitherto
laughing eyes challenged his lmmedl-
ate attention.
"Neddy," said John Stuart Webster
gently, "do you remember my cross
ing my fingers and saying Kings X
when you came at me with that propo-
sition of yours? 1t just breaks my
heart TO have to decline it, but the
| fact of the matter Is. think you'd
better give that Job to your brother,
after all. Al any rate, I'm not going
TO take It."
"Why?" the amazed jerome de-
handed. Johnny you're crazy in the
head. OF course y0u'll take it."
For answer Webster handed his
friend the letter he had just received.
Read that, old horse, and see If you
can't work up a circulation he sug-
gested.
Jerome adjusted his spectacles and
read:
"Calle de Concordia 10, Buenaventura,
"S0brante, G. a.
"Dear John: l would address you
as dear friend John did | but pos
sess sufficient courage. In my heart
of hearts you are still that, but after
three years of silence, due to my stu
pidity and hardness Of heart, it Is, per-
haps, better to make haste slowly.
"To begin, / should like to be for
given, on the broad general grounds
that / am most almighty sorry for
what | went and done Am | forgiv-
en-? ! seem to see your friendly old
face and hear you answer Aye and
with this load off my chest at last |
believe | feel better already.
Jack, you poor, deluded old piece
of white meat, do you think for mo-
ment that | held against you your
testimony for the operators in Cripple
Creek? l thought you believed the
charges and that you testified In a
firm belief that was the guilty man,
as all of the circumstantial evidence
seemed to indicate. | thought this for
three long, meagre years, old friend,
and Pm sorry. After that, / suppose
there isn't any need for me to say
more, except that you are an old fool
for not saying you were going to
spend your money and your time and
reputation trying to put my halo back
on straight! I doubt If was worth
it, and you knew that; but let 1t pass
for we have other fish TO fry.
"The nubbn of the matter Is this
There is only one good gold mine left
In this weary woodland | have It,
It's the sweetest wildcat | ever struck,
and we stand the finest show In the
world Of starving to death If we
tackle it without sufficient capital to
20 through. 1t will take at least thirty
thousand dollars, and we ought to
have double that to play safe. do
not know whether you have, or can
raise, sixty cents, but at any rate
am going to put the buck up to you
and xou oon toEa a looL
"This is a pretty fair country, Jack
If you survive long enough to get
used to it. At first you think it's Par
adise; then you grow to hate 1t and
know it for hell with the lid off; and
finally all your early love for it re-
turns and you become what l am now
"a tropical tramp! There Is only one
social stratum lower than mine, and
that's the tropical beachcomber.
am not that-yet and will not be II
my landlady will continue to listen &c
my establishments. She Is sweet
soul, with divine disposition, and
am duly grateful.
II would tell you all about the geog
raphy, topography, flora and fauna OF
Sobrante, but you can ascertain that
in detail by consulting ATTY stand
ard encyclopedia. Governmentally the
country is similar to its sister re-
publics. It's a cold day indeed when
two patriots, two vivas and couple
of old Long Tom Springfield rifles
cannot upset the S0brante apple cart
We haven't had q revolution for near
~ six months, but we have hopes.
~ am addressing you at the Engi
neers club, In the hope that my letter
may reach you there, or perhaps the
secretary will know your address and
forward II to you. If you are foot
loose and still entertain lingering
regard for your old pal, get busy on
-----------------
Hylan Cables Lloyd George
New York.-An appeal to Premier
LLOYD George of England, at Lucerne