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About The Alliance herald. (Alliance, Box Butte County, Neb.) 1902-1922 | View Entire Issue (March 22, 1921)
THE ALLIANCE HERALD. Tt'KSDAY, MARCH 22. 1021 THHEn MM PUNCHER IV Roltert J.CSieaci uuinoror Kitchener, and other poems Jkutatiem ty Irwin Myr TldetTlioltl the hill In his fingers iglnperly, bs though It might csrry In fection, ns In very truth It elf il. He realized thnt he stood at n turnlng polnt thnt everything the future held for him might rest on his present deci sion. There remained In him not a lit tle of the fine, stern honor of the rnnehmnn of the open range; nn honor curious, sometimes terrible, In Its In- irrMi'iuiinii m rini mm wniiiR, nui it fine, stern honor nevertheless. And he Instinctively felt thnt to accept this money would compromise him for evermore. As he turned the hill In his fingers he noticed that It wns for one liundred dollars. He thought It was ten. "I can't take that much," he ex- in i ii it. ij ii ic u iaiii "Fair enough," said Conward, well Spleased that Dure should be Impressed tjHii ! ' (11 l Can't Take That Much," He Ex. 'claimed. "It lan't Fair." y his generosity.' "Fair enough," he repeated. "It's Just ten per cent of my profit." "You mean you made a thousand -dollars on that deal?" "Exactly that. And that will look like a peanut to what are golDg to junke later on." "We?" "Yes. You and me. We're going Into partnership." "But I've nothing to Invest. I've only a very little saved up." "Invest that hundred." Dave looked at Conward sharply. AVas he trifling? No, his eyes were frank and serious. "You mean It?" " "Of course. Now, '111 put yoifonto something, and It's the" biggest thing that has been pulled off yet. There's -a section of land lying right against the city limits thnt Is owned by a fel 3ov over In England; remittance man who fell heir to an estate and had to go home to spend It. I am arranging through a London office to offer him icii uuuurs nn acre, and i u net lie jumps at it. I've arranged for the nec essary credits, but there will be some expenses for cables, etc., and you can put your hundred Into that. If we pull it off and we will rll It off we start n"pTn n"!islnessa"s "Conwnrd &" EiTTen, or Elden tc Conwnrd, whU-hevor sounds better. Boy, there's a fortune in lt." "What do you figure It's worth?" said Pave, trying to speak easily. "Twenty-five dollars an acre?" "Twenty-five dollars an acre!" Conward shouted. "Dave, newspaper routine has killed your imagination. Twenty-five dollars an acre! Listen! "The city boundaries nre to tie ex tendedprobably will be by the time this deal goes through. Then It Is city property. A street-railway system is to be built, and we'll see that It runs through our land. We may have to 'grense' somebody, but It's a poor en gineer thnt saves on grease. Then we'll survey that section Into twenty-flve-foot lots and well sell them at two hundred dollars each for those nearest the city down to one .hundred for those farthest out averuge one hundred and fifty total nine hundred and sixty thousand dollars. Allow, say, sixty thousand for grease and there Is still nine hundred thousand, and that doesn't count resale commissions. Dave, It's good for a cool million." Dave was doing rapid thinking. Sud denly he faced Conward and their eyes met. "Conwnrd," he said, "you don't need my little hundred to put this over. Why do you let me in on It?" Conward smiled and breathed easily. There had been a moment of tension. "Oh, that's simple," he answered. "I figure we'll travel well in double har ness. I'm a good' mixer I "know peo ple and I've got ideas. And you're sound and honorable and people trust you." "Thanks," said Dave, dryly. "That's right," Conward continued. "Well .be a combination hard to beat." Dave had never felt sure of Con ward, and now he felt less sure than ever. But the lust of easy money was beginning to stir within him. .The bill in his hands represented more than three weeks' wages. Conward was making money making money fast, and surely here was an opportunity Burh as comes once In a lifetime". "I'll go you," he said to Conward, at last. "I'll risk this hundred, and a little more, If necessary." "Good," said Conward, springing to his feet and taking Dave's hand In a warm grasp. "Now we're away. But you better play safe. Stick to your pay check here' until we pull the deal through. There won't be much to do until then, anyway, and you can help more by guiding the paper along right lines." "It sounds like a fairy tale," Dave demurred, as though unwilling to cred it the possibilities Conward had out lined. "You're sure it can he done?" "Pone? Why. son. It has been done In all the big centers In the States, and at many a place that'll never be a cen ter at all. And it will be done here. Dave, bigger things that you dare dreuni of are looming up right ahead." CHAPTER VII. Dnvld TTMon mnVol Mq ftfr-1lnnr A World W I Necessity HAT makes possible the Running of farms and businesses; the erecting of schools and churches and homes; the building of roads; the payment of wages; in short, the carrying on of human activ ities and life itself? It is saving, your saving, our saving, the saving of those who lived before us, that makes these things possible. ; You couldn't borrow if someone hadn't saved and when 'you haven't saved enough for your own use you must pay others for the use of what they have saved. It's fair, isn't it? Cut why not save for yourself, receive five per cent interest on your savings and accumulate enough to buy things you will want with your own money? Opening a savings account with us will help you to do these things. Come in today. . The First National Bank cigar In Ills liailie'or quarters." Tlic years had been good to the firm of Conward & F.lden ; good far beyond Ihe wlldness of their first dreams. The transaction of the section bought from the English absentee had been but tin beginning of bigger and more daring adventures. Conwnrd, In that first wild prophecy of his, had spoken of a city of a quarter of a million people; already more lots had been sold than could he occupied by four times that population. Diive had often asked himself where It nil would end. The firm of Conward A Elden had profited not the least In the wild yeai of gain-getting. Their mahogany-finished first-floor quarters were the last word In office luxuriance. Conward's private room might with credit hnve housed a premier or a president. Its purpose was to lie Impressive rather than to give any other service, as Con ward spent little of his time there. On Dave fell the responsibility of office management, and his room wns fitted foi efficiency rather than luxury. It commanded a view of the long general office where a battery of stenographers and clerts took enre of the details of the business of Conward & Elden.-And Dave had established his ability as an office manager. His fairness, his fear lessness, his impartiality, his courtesy, his even temper save on rare and ex cusable occasions had won from the staff a loyalty which Conward, with all his abilities as a good mixer, could never have commanded. " - He had prospered, of course, Ill statement to his banker ran into seven figures. Dave was still a young man, not yet In his thirties; he was rated a millionaire; he had health, comeliness, and personality; he commanded the respect of a wide circle of business men, and was regarded as one of the matrimonial prises of the city; his name had been discussed for public office; he was a Rueeess. And yet this night, as he sat In his comfortable rooms and watched the street lights come fluttering on as twi light silhouetted the great hills to the west, he was not so sure of his suc cess, lie was called a success, yet In the honesty of his own soul he feared the coin did not ring true. He felt that the crude but honest conception j of the square deal which was the one valuable heritage of his chlldhod was slipping away from him. He had little In common with Conwnrd outside of their business relationship. He 'sus pected the man vaguely, but had never found tangible ground for his suspicion. He was turning the matter over In his mind and wondering what the end would.be, when a knock came at the door. ! "Come," he said, switching on the light. . . . "Oh. It's you. Bert I I'm honored. Sit down." Roberta Morrison threw her coat over a chair and . sank Into another. Without speaking, she extended her shnpely feet to the fire, but when its soothing warmth had comforted her limbs she looked up and said : . "Adam sure put it over on us, didn't he?" . "Still nursing that grievance over your sex?" laughed Dave. "I thought you would outgrow it." "I don't blame him," continued the girl, ignoring his interruption. "I am Just getting back from forty-seven teas. Gabble, gabble, gabble. I don't blame him., W.e deserve It." "Then jou have had nothing to eat?" "Almost. Only Insignificant Indi- gestlbles " Dave pressed a button ntid a Chi nese boy (all male Chinese are hoys) entered. "Bring something to eat. Go out for it, and lie quick. For two." "You'va had your dinner, surely?" asked Uert. "Such a dinner as a man eats alone," he answered. "Now for something real. You stick to the paper like the ink, ilon't you, Bert?" "Can't leave It. I hate It and I love It. It's my poison and my medi cine. Most of all I hate the society twaddle. And, of course, that's what I have to do." "Bert," Dave Bald, suddenly, "why don't you get married?" "Who, me?" Then she laughed. "It would be mean to put over anything ; UL did iml understand. "With whoiuV' he demanded, almost peremptorily. "With ('onward Elden." she an swered, and the rogutshness of her voice suggested that her despised fem ininity lay not far from the surface. "Were ymi about to be Jealous?" "Why didn't you mine to me?" She realized that he was In deep earnest. "I did," she answered can didly. "At least, I asked for you, but you were out of town, so Conward took me In hand and I followed his ad vice." "Do you trust Conward?" he de manded, almost fiercely. "Well, he's good enough to be your pnrtner, Isn't he?" The thrust hurt more than she knew. Hp bad his poise again. "Ileal estate is the only suhject 1 would trnt him ou," she continued. "1 must say, Dave, that for a shrewd business man you nre awfully dense about ('onward. . He remained silent for a few mo ments, lie decided not to follow her lend. He knew that If she had any thing explicit to say about Conward she would say It when she felt the time to be opportune, and not until then. "How much did you lnv?st?" "Not much. Just what I had." "You mean nil your savings?'! "Why not? It's all right. Isn't it?" He had risen und wns standing by the window "Its all right, Isn'f It?" she repeat ed. "I'm afraid It Isn't 1" he said, at length, In a restrained voice. "I'm afraid It Isn't." "What do you mean?" she demanded. "Bert," he continued, "did It ever occur to you that this thing must have an endthat we can't go on forever lifting ourselves by our own boot straps? We have built a city here, a great and beautiful city, almost as a wizard might build It by magic over night. There was room for it hera; there was oecnslon; there was Justifi cation. But there was neither occa sion nor Justification for turning miles and miles of prairie land Into city lots -lots which in the nature of things cannot possibly, in your time or mine, be required for city purposes. These lots should be producing; wheat, oats, potatoes, cows, butter that is what we must build our city on. We have been considering the effect rather than the-cause. The cause Is the country. the neglected country, and until it overtakes the city we must stand still, If we do not go back. Our prosperity has been built on borrowed money, and we have forgotten that borrowed money must some time he repaid." "Yon menn that the boom is nbout to burst?" she said. "Not exactly burst. It will not be so sudden as that. It will Just ooze away like a toy balloon pricked with pin." There was silence for some minutes. When she spoke at length It was with a Urge of bitterness. "So you are unloading?" v "The firm Is. I betr vou.- Bert.'.tr (Continued on Page 7) It Would Be Mean to Put Over Any thing Like That on a Man, and a Girl Wouldn't Have Me." like that on a man, and a girl wonldn't have me." "Well, then, why don't you bay some real estate?" he continued, Jocularly, "Every mnn should have some dissipa tion something to make hlra forget his other troubles." "A little late In the meal for that word. Isn't It? But the fact Is, I have Invested." K look came IntoJiU .fnee which she Wanted to buy1 both your fat and stock hogs. O'Bannon and Neuswanger. Phone 71. IStz Unemployment is Sending Men From Cities to Farms Men who left the farm for the city during the period of high wages are returning in great numbers to till the goil, according to the oiricer in charge of the federul free employment offices in Nebraska. It is'al.o stated that many of them are being hired without pay, being willing to do general farm work for their board and loom.' Farmers, thoughout Nebraska, re ports indicate, are making prepara tions now to employ help for their spring work. A great many requests for farm help have already been made to the federal employment of otlicers. These requents are coming from all parts of the state. J here is every indication, it present conditions continue, that Nebraska fanners will be able to employ farm help this spring for less than half what thev paid last year. A large number of experienced farm hands have been employed during the last few weeks at very low wages, it is claimed, while others are being given a place to work for their board and room until soring work begins. A great many of the men applying for work on the farms at the present time are ex-service men. . On being discharged from the army these men were attracted to the city where high wages were being paid. As soon as industries began to close down and money tighten they were thrown out of employment. As most of them are inexperienced in nnciing new joos in a city triey lounu memseives -up airainst it." W hue a great many or the men np- nlvinsr for inhs'are civen daces, the supply of .farm, help at the present time far exceeds the demand, and it will probably be some little time be fore all are able to find employment. TEACHERS' EXAMINATION T?emlnr teachers examinations will be held at the court house March 2G. - OPAL RUSSELL, 30-S3 County Superintendent GRANDMA 1 OR A BLUE SUNDAY "Helen, I really cannot permit jou to read novels on the Sabbath." 'Rut irrnmlma. this-one 18 all rlffht: it tells about a girl who was engaged to three Episcopal clergymen all at once. Boston lranscript. Very naturally most of the teeth in serted In preventive laws turn out to IMPERIAL TONIGHT TONIGHT A Film Dramatization of Ethel M. Dell's Great Novel Bars of Iron 99 COMKDY rpi T" TV laughs xne JLfug jLJocror WEDNESDAY Will Rogers IN "Guile op mi Women" COMEDY VllLDOCtU - Ihe Guile of.Womgrj. "MOVIE MAD" THURSDAY and FRIDAY MARCH 24 and 25 Charles Chaplin Latest 6 REELS of JOY JTl THINK OF THIS! Six Dig Reels of the Biggest Comedy The Screen Has Ever Known. TrrT . ...... iuuiv A 1 rJAK TO MAKE IT STARTING FRIDAY AND RUNNING FRIDAY MATINEE, FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY MATINEE The Worlds Wonder Jungle Serai 13 WE0fs 13 ) mW ' ROMANCE? THRILLS, 0fjpli ANIMALS, JUNGLES. " rg- VA U 9 J$ pt SENSATIONS FROM THE - 1 it yfMj$Wln HEART OF MgiJ1i0 DARKEST AFRICA l.r RIG WEEKS 15 x (kT&iP I FRIDAY AFTERNOON ', H JRV t . AND NIGHT and ' f$ VS mh I SATURDAY MATINEE j fvVv;4r J : WykWJ' it It be false.