Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-12-25


Incorporated
Ccopyright 1887: By MaFxery Sharp
IN TWO PARTS-PART ONE
A TOY SOLDIER HOLDS TIKI
CLUB TO GLYN-DAVID'S
TRUE NATURE
n IKE every other Hon Of industry
Glyn-David had his tackals. Blu
they were leaneK beasts thar
Utmost; for Glyn-Dayid was bott
shrewd and mean. He had beer
shrewd enough, even af the romantic
age OF ~, to turn aside from the gold
fields and take a job in 3 cheap eating
house; that was while he was stiM fresh
from his Welsh village, and daxxied, 81
far as it was in him to be daxxled, By
the immense novelty Of South Africa
] The years went by, he set up fol
! himself, and as one cheap restaurant
was added to another he became SO
! shrewd as to cease, for business pur-
! poses, to be mean. The food was good
/ the portions were lavish; a fiat rate
and as much as you could eat was one
Of his earliest and most successful
principles
Another principle, of more purely
moral order, was strict adherence to
the literal truth; yet this. too, contri-
buted to Glyn-Davids success. for
though he never told 8 technical lie,
it was surprising how often his bus
mess opponents drew the wrong in
ference from a perfectly true state
ment.
So on these two principles. Glyn-
David flourished nightly, and by the
time he was owner of SO eating houses
and six first class hotels, meanneSs
had simply become a private tndulg-
ence.
He was one or the richest men In
South Africa and he had once been
seen to step into the gutter to pick up
a broken tin soldier.
1t was popularity supposed that he
intended to melt 1t down; but in this
his critics were wrong. A toy soldier
not of tin, but the big old-faShioned
wooden kind, with only one leg-had
been his first piece of property and
he had never forgotten it.
Like all Welshmen, Glyn-David pos
sessed a sentimental streak, though
none of his jackals had so Tar been
able to discover its location. When the
word went round, however, that he
was about to make his first trip back
to England, one Of them at least pricked
it's ears.
wen take a chance" decided Jimmy
Meredith. Hes not been home Tor 40
wears. IL Ut U1A AOlAQGyg S&AAA ksNAAAekso
feeling a bit sentimental. II we can
raise the passage, it's worth trying"
Camilla-who was Meredith's VIE,
or cousin, or sister, just as c1rcllm-
stances reQuired-nodded approVlngly
She had a pretty but not too striking
face, a pretty but not too striking
figure, and whatever plan MereulIn
proposed was always sure OF her lnltla!
approval. It started him off well and
any objections could always be raised !
later. In this case, however, sae was
too anxious for the trip to look beyond
the immediate future.
am have to get some clothes, Sne
said thoughtfully. Good ones, too :"
Meredith went to the phone and rang
up rich young man who thought ne
could play poker.
They all three travelled tourist
Glyn-David because the third class was
full. Meredith and Camilla because OF
ON the second day out Camilla
over Glyn-Davids feet, sat
down in the next chair to apologize,
and within 10 minutes had completely
captured his attention by mentioning
that she had been leIS ia q sn raSfa,Ia
-ant. The idea was a good one ana IL
worked only too well.
c.Ivn-Dayid liked the sound Of his
,wn voice and liked giving ADVICE 70
PRETTY Young women. 1t was the only
hing he ever did give them, as Gamma
discovered. She was actually 1orceu'
md more than once, to leave MIN IN
guarded while she slipped along TO tine
BAR and bought herself drink.
you're losing your touch" said Mere
18th somberly.
Camilla shrugged.
IT never pretended to be able TO
ouch an oyster. Why don't you 90
ome work?"
lad decided TO hold OFF Till Lonqon,
md then turn up either as GAMMA
husband Qor the purpose OF
,lackmaiD or as a scion OF nopllty
for the purpose Of a confidence trlck):
n the meantime he was keeping out OF
Slyn-David's way. -
sWell, I think you're wrong, slo
camilla, when he now reminded ner
4 these projects. II you caugng nun
n Cleopatra's bedroom at midnlgnt,
ed be debating a prospectus and COM
,laining of her shorthand. What about
game Of poker?"
sSTTe plaved poker all yesterday after
Ioon. with the Mannheim crowd. III
vas the first time, so they. let MIN WIN. ,
When they suggested dL1OtliSE BaAt~ W
ay. he said no, he realized 1t was prac-
's II don't believe said Camilla, fin
hing her drink, that you've any hne
q" r. haven't" admitted Meredith. "but
We a bunch. I'm going to wait TIL mes
n new ground, in London. I've got
llnch that If / dropped gold prick
1 HYDE Park, he'd give me nalI a
1iIlion in cash to show his good faith. !
ssRight," said Camilla pleasantly. \
You cali it a bunch. III call 1t soften- /
70 of the brain. And Ill have another !
Iartini, lust before we go broke.
During his fortnight In London Glyn-
avid got through a great deal OF ;
1siness, all profitable, consumed q {
reat number of free meals, and IN y
g snare time went sightseeing; he !
sited st. Pauls cathedral (omitting :
ne crypt and dome, which had 70 pc 4
AID for), Westminster Abbey (omig- :
ne the effigies and the treasurer, the
g. 3. building, the British museum, n
le Tate and National galleries. ne
SO kept an eye open for suitable res a
Iurant sites, and mentally added hall Z