San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-10-28

accounting and his judgment of meu.
he had set one company after another
on its feet. As things went in the
world, he had made himself rich. At
so he believed he had proved himself
able to evade any failure, any trap,
any exception to the long list Of sue
cesses which had made the securities
issued by him sell merely because his
name was behind them.
Well, that was what had done fol
him-that reputation. He had told his
friends he could take over this Polar
Forge Metallurgical Company and
carry it until it would be able to sup
ply an eager demand of the Detroi:
automobile manufacturers.
He remembered talking to Alice a.
they had come home from the Os-
bornes' through a spring night full OF
the scents Of hedges and sleeping gar
dens. 1--WE got prize, my girl" he
had told her.
A prize? Everything had gone
wrong. Polar Forge had been like a
huge ugly mouth, ever hungry, ever
calling for more. He shoveled wealth
into it. lie. borrowed on his own
paper.
Six months more would have seen
the company on its feet. Now he held
little piece of crumpled paper in his
hand-an example Of arithmetic. His
creditors had asked in peremptory
fashion for the answer 10 that Prob
lem and the answer was that he was
ruined.
Nasty conventional phrase which
goes running through mans head
in melodramatic repetitlons Il ar
ruined. / am ruined!" No use TO
think much now of beginning life all
over again. Success slipped away al
the approach of old age when there
is no real rebuilding of those houses
of cards blown down. His name by
word among the houses dealing in his
kind Of securities! Gossip at the club
Derision or pity-disgusting pity.
He must 90 home. This was Satur-
day night. No dining out-thank
Heaven! But the family. The grave
faces-concealed grief, terror, disap-
pointment. establishment. -
There was Aice--desr Alice, with
whom he had loved and laughed and
quarreled all these years. She would
say: Don't worry, John" She had
always said that in the pinches. She
would pull her tiny handkerchief
through her fingers, now slightly
wrinkled. and try TO laugh. But when
she knew that the house had gone toe
what then? And her place-her
place in comfortable social life. She
iad been SO fine. What would she say
now-at ruin? He had failed her a.
he last In reality, she would smile
md say: Don't worry, John" But
he vision he saw of her stricken face
represented, he knew, what would have
o be in her heart. -
He could hear his stenographef
aintly. She knew. She was telc-
honing some one there in the sound
roof telephone booth. He had seei
err eyes Redeemed. She would ge;
mother Job. Cold woman! Touched
seeing him sink. But a quick re-
ovcry. Depend upon it.
He laughed aloud. He had thought
Cynthia. his oldest daughter-some
ow the dearest. He had known that
would have TO let her so at las
he was II now. Some good, un-
FINISHED boy would take her, and he
ad stecled himself against that dag.
:cturing ali the compensations of los
kg her. and conjuring up, in advance
be DAYS he would spend occasionallr
;,h the new family with their chi
rem coming on like n new cycle OF
is own self-expression.
He had comforted himself by think-
g that blue-cyed Cynthia could
AIRY poor man if she wished. Blu.
pw. She might want to, but she was
"a to luxuries-to having whatevc:
aterial things she desired.
Balm. Ted alone would testify 10
Ift. He'd go to college again for his
cond year in spite of all-but under
hat conditions? Ted would have to
re with the grinds. And he'd have
knuckle down TO help in paying hi:
rn way: tutoring and all that kind
thing. A fine piece of business for
,rtillon's boy.
Aud Alice. the youngest. Seventeen!
le would learn though the years
st how costly it is to have a father
10 has cracked-who at % is sunk.
He thought of revolver in his
reau drawer at home. and he laugh
at the thought He was no gutter.
fe must go on.
Life must go on. Monday came tn,
coming! Gut now just time 10 20
me to dinner-to one more happy
ller. They would all be there. and
&c more, they in their ignorance
he with a brave front, could
Oh and chiff each other. They
|uld be gay. He would not destroy
5 last feast of the family.
Suddenly he recalled how little he
,Ioua IN S1upeza thu hest Out {