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About The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Nebraska) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 23, 1913)
BY f THOMAS DK0N?4 jg&s Copyrltfht. 1911. by CHAPTER IX. The Storm Breaks. T UlB sensation which the district attorney sprang In the sudduu indictment of the president of the Iroquois company was pro- fssnd and farreaching. The day before the Indictment was presented to the grand Jury stocks began to tumble without any apparent cause. When the warrant for the arrest of the great man had been served, and ho was admitted to bail to await his coining trial, there was a feeble rally in the market, but the rats quickly be gan to desert a sinking ship. The president under indictment had ceased to be a power. There was a wild scramble of his associates who were equally guilty to save their own skins. The press, which at first denounced Stuart, now boldly demanded the mer ciless prosecution of all the guilty, and they hailed the brilliant young district attorney as the coming man. For six consecutive days stocks had fallen with scarcely an hour's tem porary rally. Every effort of the bull operators, who had ruled the market for the two years past, to stem the tide was futile. Below the surface, In the silent depths of growing suspicion and fear, an army of sappers and min ers under the eye of one man were digging at the foundations of the busi ness world the faith of man In his fellow man. Each day there was a crash, and each day the little finr.ucier and his unscrupulous allien marked a new vic tim. In the mlM of rncip'.lgn for the destruction of public credit which Hlvens and" his" assoclhfe. the Allied Bankers, wre cond'ictiti? with nch profound secrecy and such re narkable results, when their profits bad piled up Into millions, a bomb was suddenly exploded under their own headquarters. The Van Dam Trust company was put under the ban of the New York clearing house. The act was a brea n of faith, utterly unwarranted by any known law of the game. But it was , done. When the president of the company walked quietly Into Bivens' office and made the announcement for a moment the little dark man completely lost his nerve. Cold beads of sweat started from his swarthy forehead. There must be some mistake." "There's no mistake. It's a blow be low the belt, but It's a knocV.out for the moment They know we are sol vent, two dollars for one. But they kow we have $90,000,000 on deposit, and we have some big enemies. They know that the group we have support ed have smashed this market, and they've set out to fight the devil with frre. They're determined to force a showdown and see how much real money Is behind ns. We can pull through If we stand together." Bivens sprang to his feet, exclaiming fiercely: "Until hell freezes overr The banker smiled feebly for the first time In a week. "Then It's all right. Mr. Bivens. We'll pull through. They'll start a roo on us tomorrow. Five millions In cauli will meet It, and we'll win bauds down. We have powerful friends. Onr only sin Is our association with your group. We must have that five millions In the safe before the doors are opened tomorrow." "Yon shall have it," was the Arm an swer. With a cheerful pressure of the hand the president of the Van Dam Trust company left, and Bivens called his secretary. "We turn the market tomorrow or ders to all our men. Knock the bottom out of it until the noon hour, then turn and send It skyward with a bound." When Dr. Woodman returned home that night from one of his endless (ramps among the poor Harriet opened the door. ' Something about the expression of his face startled her. For the first time In her life she saw In its gaunt liaes the shadow of despair. "What Is it, papa, dearT she asked tenderly, slipping an arm about his neck as she drew htm down into his favorite chair. "What, child?" he responded vaguely. "You look utterly worn out. Tell me what's the matter. I'm no longer a child. I'm a woman now strong and well and brave. Let me help you." "Yon do help me, baby!" be laughed, aiucffort sl.hls.old time Jovous Thomas Dixon plrTr''Evef y time I touch your Tittle hand you give me new life. Some day your voice will thrill thousands as It now thrills my heart. You'll win fame and wealth for your father. You shall care for him In old age. I'm not mis erable. I've really had a good day. I've spent the whole afternoon super intending the distributing of flowers among the hospitals. I saved a kid's life with a flower. Ills father used to work for me In the old days. They asked me to come to see him. There was no hope. He had been given up to die. I gave him a fragrant white pink. Ills thin, feverish fingers grasp ed it eagerly. In all his life he had never held a flower In his hand before, lie pressed It to his Hps, his soul thrill- ed at Its sweet odor, and the little tired spirit came staggering back from the mists of eternity Just to see what it meant Ue will live." The girl's arms slipped around his neck in a tightening hold, and she pressed her cheek against bis a no ment In silence. "Papa, dear, it's no use trying to deceive me. I've the light to know what Is troubling you. I'm not a child. You must tell me." "Why. It's nothing much, dearie." he answered gently. "I'm worried a little about money. I've a note due at the bank, and they've called on me unexpectedly to meet it But I'll manage somehow." "I'll give up ray music, go to work and help' you right away." The father placed his hand gently over her Hps, and the tears sprang Into his eyes In spite of his effort to keep them back. "Don't talk sacrilege, my child. Such words are blasphemy, (iod gave me a man's body for the coarse work of bread winning. lie gave you the su preme gift, a voice that throbs with eloquence, a power that can lift and inspire the world. "PpMiilse me, dear It's the one wish of my heart the one thing worth i working and struggling for-promise me that you will never stop until the training of your voice Is complete; that no matter what happens yon will obey me in this. It is my one com mand. You will obey me?" "Yes. papn. I promise. If It will make you happy." "It's the only thing I live for. All I ask Is that yon do your level best with the gift of God." "I'll try. papa dear." was the quiet answer as she kissed him again and softly left the room. Harriet had scarcely reached her room when Adams, the cashier of one of the allied banks, who owed the doctor for three months' rent, entered the library with quick, nervous trend. "I've news, sir." he said excitedly "I've a big tip on the stork market" The older man grunted contemptn onsly. "Yes. that's what alls you. I know. You've been getting tbem for some time That's why you owe me for your rooms. That's why there's some thing the matter with your accounts." "I swear to you, doctor, my accounts are cleau. I've bought a few stocks. I've made a little and lost a little. I've got the chance now I've been waiting for. I've a real piece of In formation from the big Insiders who are going to make the market tomor row. 1 got It from Bivens private secretary. The little weasel has made millions on this break, and he has been Bcl'.lng the market short for two weeks. Tomorrow morning he Is go ing to smash It for the last time and at noon throw his millions on the bull side. The market will go down three points on the break In the morning, it will Jump five points In ten mln utes when it turns the other way. There are stocks on the list that will recover ten points before the market closes." "Bivens is going to do this?" the elder man interrupted. "Then ifi a trick. It's a lie. Take ray advice and do Just the opposite from what you understand. Bivens will sell out bis partners In the deal." "Man, be can't sell out!" the cashier Insisted. "It's his own deal, ne's In It for all he's worth!" The doctor rose with sudden excite ment "Adams, this is the first time in my life I've ever been tempted to buy rtocks. I'm In desperate need of money. I've a note for $3,000 due. I've $2,000 set aside to finish my little girl's musical studies. I've got to meet that note somehow, and I've got to have the money for her. It looks like a chapffi. J'I.I.bo In and watch the nuirki't tuiii'irrnw " "If it don't n t exactly n I wy d'n't touch i;. If .t dues, go in lor all you'tv world. If MiK-ks tart tlmvu as I say they will, seq short, cover at noon and they buy for a rise. Don't listen to fools just buy. buy. buy! You cau sell before the market closes and make $''0,OOO." "I'll drop into a broker's o!!k-e and watch tbe market open, anyway. Adams. Thank you." The next day the more optimistic traders on tle stock exchange expected a change in the market. Stocks had de dined for two weeks with appalling swiftness and fatality. Kvery hour had marked the ruin of men hitherto bill walks of solidity. Experienced men reasoned and reasoned from experience that there must be a turn somewhere The bottom surely had been reached The time for a rally had come. Stuart slept late. He was up until 1 o'clock writing a reply to a peculiarly venomous attack on his integrity which a tuoruiiig paper had printed. The writer had boldly accused him of be ing the hired tool of the group of finan cial cutthroats who were coining mil lions out of the ruin of others In thede struction of public faith. Ills reply was simple, and his con cluding paragraph was unanswerable except by an epithet. "My business Is the enforcement of Justice. I am tbe servant of the people. If Wall street cannot stand the em forcemeut of law so much the wors" for the street. It Is no affair of mine." Dr. Woodman hurried downtown to the office of a friend on Pine street, an old fashioned banker and broker whose ''If you'v got a dollar, nail it up." name had always stood for honesty and fair dealing uud conservative business. It was halt an hour before the stock exchange opened, but the dingy little otlice was nicked with nu excited crowd ot customers. The doctor followed old Dugro. the head ot the firm. Into his private otlice and asked his ml vice lie got It sharp. shori and lo the point. v "(!o home, doctor, and stay there This market Is no place for an ama teur It's all I can do to keep the wolf from my door In these days " "But I've received some Important information " "Keep 1 dark." old Dugro scowled "Don't tell it to your worst enemy. If you've got a dollar, nail It up and sleep on the box." "But I've some information 1 think I'm going to act on and 1 want to open a small account with you." "All right I've warned you." was the grim answer. "1 wish you good luck." The doctor drew his check for $2,000 and smilingly took bis place among tbe crowd before the board. The ticker would tell the story in the first hour If stocks should sell off three points before noon, he would know. He determined to put this to tbe test first He would not sell the market short lie would be content with tbe big Jump the market would make upward when It started. As the noon hour drew near tbe doc tor's heart was beating, like a sledge hammer. Bivens' program bad been carried out to the letter. Stocks had de clined for tbe first hour a point, and in the second hour suddenly smashed down two more points amid the wildest excitement on the exchange. Tbe moment to buy had come. The doctor was sure of It Stocks bad touched bottom. The big bear pool would turn bull In a moment and the whole market would rise by leaps and bounds. He called old Dugro. "Buy for me now Amalgamated Cop per, tbe market leader, for all I'm worth!" Tbe broker glared at him. "Buy! Buy in this market? Man, are you mad?" "I said buy!" was the firm answer. -What's the limit?" "Not a share without a stop loss or der under It" "Well, with the stop?" "I'll buy you 400 shares on a four point stop." "And when It goes up five points?" tbo doctor asked eagerly. "I'll double your purchase and raise your stop, and every five points up I'll keep on until yoo are a millionaire!" The old broker smiled contemptu ously, but It was all lost on the doctor. "Do It quick." The order was scarcely given before It was executed. Dugro handed the memorandum to Woodman with a grunt "It don't take loiiz to get 'cm today!" The words had scarcely left bis lips when a hoarse cry rose from the crowd hanging over the ticker. Copper had leaped upward a whole point U'tween sales. A wild cheer swept the room. Tor ten minutes every stock on the list responded and begat; to climb. The doctor's face was wreathed In smiles. Men began to talk and laugh and feel human for the tirst moment iu two weeks Dugro grasped the doctor's baud. and his deep voice rang above the roar: "You're a mascot! You've broken the spell! For Cod's sake stay with us!" Suddenly another cry came from the crowd at the ticker. The boy nt the board sprang to the Instrument with a single bound, his eyes blazing with excitement. Ills cry of "Down!" pierc ed every ear in the room with horror. The panic had come. In ten minutes stocks tumbled five points, and the doctor's last dollar was swept Into space, while the whole mar ket plunged down. down, down into the abyss of ruin and despair. Men no longer tried to conceal their emotion. Some wept, some cursed, some laughed; but the most pitiful sight of all was the man who could do neither, the man with white lips and the strange, hunted expression In his ryes who was looking death in the face for the first time. A full quarter of an hour of tbe panic had spent itself before the dazed crowds In the broker's offices read the startling news that caused the big break. The ticker shrieked Its message above the storm's diu like a little laughing demon. "The Van Dam Trust Company Has Closed Its Doors and Asked For the Appointment of a Receiver!" Bivens had not kept his solemn pledge The great bank had stood the run for two hours and closed its doors. And the work of destruction had Just begun. At 3 o'clock the doctor walked out of Dugro's olllce without a dollar. He felt aluu t happy by contrast with the fools he left shuffling over the floors of Dugro's oliice. His own sense of loss was merely a blur. The revelation he had Just had of the mad lust for money which hud begun to possess all classes was yet so fresh and startling he could form no adequate conception of his own posl tlon. It was not until he entered bis own door and paused at the sound of Har riet's voice that he began to realize the enormity of the tragedy that had befallen him. (To Re Continued.) LOYAL DAUGHTERS HOLD MOST DELIGHTFUL SOCIAL From Wednesday's Dally. Tin1 Loyal Daughters of llie Christian church held a most de lightful social gathering at the home of Rev. It. I,. I lunklebergi on South Eleventh si rod last evening. Tho affair was in llic nature of a "cobweb" social, (ho chief feature of the evening being a large spider web of twine, which (lie gliosis were asked to unwind, llic llrsl (o llnisli being given a prize. In (his contest Miss Siden boltoni was awarded the prize, having distanced all others in the unwinding of the web. During the course of the evening delicious refreshment s were served lo the guests and it proved to be. one of tho most enjoyable events that (he young people of the church have had this winter and the members are looking forward lo (he future gatherings with great expecta tions. Every one of (he thirty guests present enjoyed themselves to the utmost, and feeling that as entertainers Rev, and Mrs. Dun. kleberger were certainly withou rivals. Many ills come from impure blood. Can't have pure blood with faulty digestion, lazy liver and sluggish bowels. Burdock Blood Bitters is recommended for strengthening stomach, bowels and liver and purifying (lie blood nn a CAM BEGURED! I Will Prove It To You At My Expense. TOO WnO ARE SUFFER ING THE TORTURES OF ECZEMA. WHOSE DAYS ARE MISERABLE. WHOSE NIOHTS ARE MADE SLEEFLES8 BY THE TERRIBLE ITCH 1NO. BURNING PAINS. LET ME SEND YOU A FREE TRIAL OF TI1E TREATMENT WHICH HAS CURED HUNDREDS WHICH 1 BELIEVE WILL CURE YOU. I WILL REND IT FREE. POSTAGE PAiD. WITHOUT ANY OBLIGATION ON YOUR PART. JUKT WRITE ME A LETTER, OR SEND YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS ON A POSTAL CARD. I WILL SEND TUB TREATMENT FUEE OF COST TO YOU. l&BGTZELI in W.Maln SU.Ft.W7ns.Ij4 mil 3 C ia Lis V 'j i ! Clearance Prices $1-95 V: AM $2.95 1 pUTCHl Udcuy in Any Position. n ,3 Men's and Boy's Jersey Sweaters Blue, grey and maroon Don't C. E. WESCOTT'S SONS ALWAYS THE HOME OF SATISFACTION III Joshua Murray of Pender Broke Prairie in Cass County In 1853. From Wednesday's Dally. The following appeared in the Omaha Daily News of Tuesday and contains some interesting items of pioneer farming in Cass coun- ly that no doubt will be read with interest by (he farmers of the present, time: I noticed an item in the Omaha News, of the pioneers of Nebraska oiling of Iho children of t ho early days of Nebraska. As I was one of t li fin. I will (iive a little sketch f my life on starling out in Ne braska. I came to Nebraska in T:i and long hi a right of the Otoe Indians in Cass county and mull a nouse on a claim ami moved on inai aim in 'Si and commenced farm ing. 1 plowed my prairie sod wiin throe yoke of cattle. They wore not broke lo drive, so I got a man lo help me to drive them. Tho first day the first round we plowed was not very straight, as wo crossed it several limes the second lime around. But before night we learned them to "gee and haw," and the trouble of farming was all over. I plowed twenty acres and planted that to sod corn and ruised about twenty-five ushels of corn lo the acre. I broke prairie ground for throe or four years, got $5 an acre. I began to shirk. I was beginning to gel rich. And that winter split rails enough to fence forty acres, seven rails high. I might give quite a history of Nebraska as I have lived in tho state ever since '54. The people undertake to farm loo much land and they have poor grain instead of good. And when they lake it to the elevators they have lo keep changing it from place to place so it won't spoil, until (hey get it on the market. I could give a great deal more information on farming and may do so at some other lime. Joshua Murray, Pender, Neb. PIANO BARGAIN I have a splendid piano which I wish to sell to someone in the vicinity of Plallsmouth. It is a big bargain for someone. Terms, either cash or easy payments, as low as five dollars per month. Address E. M. Wallace, care Smith & Barnes Piano Co., Chicago, 111. 1-20-wkly-tf For Sale Cheap. House of six rooms, pantry, porches, well, cistern, chicken house, sheds. All in good condi tion. Three lots. Young, bearing fruit trees. Cement walks. Call on Mrs. Emily Dickson at Mor dock's store. l-2i-2wk8ddtw The Journal fop Calling Cards. PANTS! PANTS! PANTS! All sizes. Come early and get the best pick. Also don't for get those fine shirts at 79c miss it. lli'Wm;l.V; PATIENTS AT THE HOSPITAL ARE DOING VERY NICELY From Wednesday's Daily, Mrs Glen Rawls, who was operated on yesterday morning at Omaha at tho Presbyterian hos pital, spent a very easy night, and this morning her temperature was almost normal and the physi cians in attendance are greatly pleased with tho condition of tho patient and the prospects for her recovery are very bright. floorge Horn, jr., who is re covering from the effects of an operation at tne Hospital mere, is reported ns getting along as well as could 00 exported so soon after the operation, and unless 11 n for seen complioal ions set in the patient will soon be on the high road lo recovery. Itching, torturing skin erup tions disfigure, annoy, drive one wild. Doan's Ointment is praised for its good work. 50o at all drug si ores. Manhattan -Shirt Sale!- Negligees soft and stiff cuffs; plain or plaited fronts; some detached cuffs $1.50 Manhattans Now $1.15 Negligees stiff or turnover cuffs; plain or plaited bosoms $2.00 Man hattans Now $1.40 I 1 hi Li Manhattan Shirts Stetson Hats (i fe 1 i c