Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1921-10-07

o
| led by the Mountaineer, took hold, and
then, pretty soon, everybody took
hold; after which the only trouble was
to keep people-our own rank and file
among them-from buying p, S. L.
| Common so fast that the New York
ers would catch on and run the price
up
They didn't catch on--nOt until after
| It was too late; and the minute Mr.
Chadwick wired us from Chicago that
we were safe, the strike went off, as
you might say, between two minutes
and Mr.. Norcross called a meeting of
stockholders, the same to be held
| bless your heart lin Portal City, the
thriving metropolis of the region in
which, counting Mr.. Chadwick in as
one Of us a good solid voting major
ity of the stock was now held. The
Mountaineer printed the call, and it
spoke of the railroad as "our railroad
company!
The meeting was held in due time,
and Mr.. Chadwick was there to pre-
side He made a cracking good chair
man, and the way he dilated on the
fact that now the country-and the
| employees-had a railroad of their
own, and that the whole nation would
be looking to see how we would de-
mOnstrate the problem we had taken
over, actually brought cheers-thin1
Of it; cheers in a railroad stockhold-
| ers meeting,
Following Mr.. ChadwiCks talk there
| was the usual routine business re-
| ports We're read and it was shown that
the Short Line, notwithstanding all the
stealings and mismanagements was
still a good going proposition at the
price at which it had been bought in.
A new board Of directors was chosen,
and MS soon as the new board got to-
gether, Mr.. Norcross went back to his
Office in the headquarters, not as gem
eral manager, this time-n0t on your
life but as the newly elected presi-
| dent Of Pioneer Short Line. And by
the same token, the first official cir.
cular that came out--a copy of which
| sent, tied up with a blue ribbon to
Maisie Ann--read like this:
ITO all Employees:
EFFECTIVE this day, Mr.. James r.
Dodds is appointed assistant to the
president with headquarters in Portal
City.
&c. Norcross, President"
That's all; all but a little talk be-
tween the boss and Mr., Upton Van
Britt that took place in our Office on
the day after Mr. Van Britt, still kick
ing about the hard work that the boss
was always piling upon him. had been
appointed general manager
you've made the rifle, Graham
just as l said you would" said our
own and only millionaire, after he had
got through abusing the fates that
wouldn't let him go back east and play
with his coupon shears and his yachts
and polo ponies. You're going to
be the biggest man this side of the
mountains, some day; and the day isn't
so very far off either
1t was just here that the boss got
out of his chair and walked to the
other end of the room. When he came
back it was to say:
you think have won out, Up
ton and so does everybody else.
suppose it looks that way to the man
in the street. But l haven't, you know.
| have lost the one thing for which
| would gladly give all the business
success | have ever made or hope to
make"
Mr. Van Britts smile was more than
half a grin,
at isn't lost Graham: it's only gone
before. Can't you wait decent lit
tie while?"
. Tf | should wait all my life II
wouldn't be long enough, Upton was
the reply. "What you said to me
that time when we first spoke Of Col
r lingwood-was true. You said she
= loved the other man-and so she did
r This time Mr. Van BIRTHS smile was
a whole grin.
= 81 said it, and I'll say 1t again. She
. didn't realize it or admit it, even tc
9 herself, you know; she's too good and
clean-hearted for anything like that
r But | could see it plainly enough, ant
e so could everybody else except the
h two people most nearly concerned.
d didn't mean HOWE COllingwood yor
n were the other man. Graham"
/, At this the boss whirled short
= around and tramped to the other enc
o Of the room again, standing for quite
e little while with one foot on the
= low window-sill and making out like
n he was looking down at the traffic
e gathering along in Nevada avenue
r But I'll bet a quarter he never saw
# a single wheel of it. When he camt
n back our way his eyes were shinnl
e and he put his hand on Mr., Van Britti
1t shoulder.
l.; at ought to have been you, Uppy,
Is he said, dropping back TO the old col
@ spge nickname. You're by long odd
a the better man. When-when do yol
y think | might venture to take littl
d run across to New York
sc At that, Mr. Van Britt laughed on
W loud.
IN "Ho! ho" he said 81 suppose
ar ought to say a year, You can wal
IN one little year, can't you, Graham?"
mot on your life y rasped the boss
And then: I'm tell you what I'll do
III | ri oornnronisnt with tho nronrintin