Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1921-02-22
CHAPTER xXXIII.
The Wreck u the Great Project

n
1nly feel deep sympathy with any nm
fortunate reader of these pages who
mas been lurod into the reading Of
them by tie VAN hope OF finding such
person concealed sonewhs in this
aistory. In oroer TO meet this popH-
lar demand, / would feel almost
tempted to stray from the strict ac-
euraey OF truth that has hitherto been
so carefully preserved In this record
and giving rein to the imagination
tell a fairy-story of my achievements
Of Aiassna that would come up to all
the requirements of a model hero
we're It not for the unimmaginatiye
ieculty born in me for telling Only
bald facts and simple truths.
ii is with humility that | acknowl-
edge myself so great failure as a
hero" and might very properly be
styled "her2' OF failures; and this
great Alabama scheme only addel one
more tc the many that had gone be-
fore. The consciousness of such con-
sinuous failafe is humiliating even to
the most unharoic of heroes" and
were ii not too late, would gladly
shift the "heroship" to more worthy
shoulders. But. alas, 1t is now too
late; and ! must even unworthily
carry the title to The end even as
soi.lc 81 our greatest heroes in real
life do.
In falling to reach the true stand
ards OF herolsm In this particular
case. however, there are extenuating
circumstances that must be taken into
account; and il the kind reader will
bremisc TO consider them in forgiV-
ing spirit. will in turn conflde priv
4telv to him or her. as the case may
nc that very few heroes are real
heroes at all. and only bear The title
because silly people put it on them
and that is true in books and life.
And now. having thus betrayed my
self and others in tllt ) trictest priv
icy. nind ycu and fore > iadowed the
faflure of our grand Alabama project
/ will proceed with the narrative of
one Of the most painful periods II my
life: period that began in jay, clad
ness and brilliant hops. and euded il
sorrow and sadness, and all our bright
deans blasted
when y.arted from Jack Churchill
in North Alabama, on the cay follow
ing the conversation reported in the
last chapter, LIES prospects were
bright and smiling; and | looked for
ward to a future of useful work
among people who would BIO congenial
ny race and consanguinity, and with
assured fortune and the accomplish
.nenI of all my ambitions as the goal
almost in sight. These hopes and
dreams we're only strengthened and
fostpred by nearer survey of the
field of action. A couple Of weeks
spent ir a first preliminary survey of
the ground. convinced ME that Char
lie Douglas expectations had beer
only too moderate, ard tho possible
tics Of the project went far beyond
anything he had told me; aid /
dreamed dreams of being the proud
instrument of bringing into being a
magnificent iron centre that should, in
time, rival or eclipse any that the
country had yet seen.
Nor were these dreams dampcned
by the attitude IF indifference and idle
curiosity rather than Of interest
hat the inhabitants assumed t.,waids
the beginning os the work that was
started after the preliminary survey.
That was to be expected. as they we're
sunk as deep. or even deeper in the
sleep OF iethargy that had so long
Earalyzed the whole South, than the
people o. my own birthplace. Hence
was | neither downc1st nor disaD-
pointed that + received neither aid nor
encourage rent in my work from
these people. so like my 1wn. nor sur
prised to find that what they lacked in
energy and enterprise, they made up in
Hospitality and courtesy. The other
would, knew, come with the awaken
ing that would follow the ball of pro-
gress once set rolling.
So filled with anticipations Of a
glorious success, went TO work with
what assistance could be obtained
from among the sleepy. kindly. indol-
ent. skeptieal, Indifferent people Of
the country, laying ont city and pro-
jecting railroads. The work was
hardly begun however, when a tickle
fate caused TO happen the only twc
misfortunes that coald have worked
failure to the rroject-the death Of ii
original promoter, Charlie Doug,as
followed by a panic in the money
market
Things were just beginning to take
shape. when received an urgent tele-
gram from Iny sister to return II
Washington as soon as possible. al
Charlie was dangerously i'll and wish
ed to see me. /, Of course, answered
this by leaving on the next train. lit.
tie thinking at the time that I was TAX
ing my final farewell Of our great Ala.
hama schemes: and destined only tc
see that country again some year;
later, when other hands had carried