The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Nebraska) 1901-current, January 23, 1913, Image 5

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    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