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About The Wealth makers of the world. (Lincoln, Nebraska) 1894-1896 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 15, 1895)
THE WEALTH MAKERS. August 15, 1S95 V (COKTINCKD FROM tAiT WEK.) CHAPTEB lit THE GREAT NIGHT SCHOOL OP ORETOWK. Mr. Commissioner Eaton, In his elab orate reports from the Washington bureau of education, condescended not to notice the night school of Orctown. Yet here was a great and curious factor in the educational elements of the coun try. Inside the gaunt building were gath ered some hundred miners, chiefly Eng lish and Swedes, with here and there a native American. They were formed into classes, some spelling in ponder ous earnestness easy words, some wrest ling manfully with the mysteries of arithmetic, some laboriously poring over the page of a primer, and some compelling their unpliant fingers to guide a pen over the mazy page of a child's copybook, but all strangely and sternly in earnest. Eight or ten teachers were scattered around the room. They were miners, who had little learning, or who had themselves been pupils of the school. One was exceptional. lie was a broad-shouldered, strong, athletlo fellow, better dressed than the GOT THE rest, but rough and uncouth In his manner. This man, Jack Wilders, was Frank Grey's mainstay, or, as ho him self styled it, "the professor's right bower." Jack was by profession a "prospect or," who had traveled in the service of the companies every acre of that wild region in search of ore, and having in vested his hard-won wages most advan tageously, now found himself at thirty five years of age in an independent po sition. Jack was no sybarite. He was a hard drinker and a rough liver, but down in the depths of his heart was a refining spot that leavened his whole nature an intense love for his little bright eyed wife and his curly-headed boy of five years. It was through an accident that befell this latter idol of his affec tion that, to use his own words, he "caught on" to the schoolmaster. One day little Willie Wilders was at tacked by a big angry cur belonging to Wixon, when Grey, who happened to be passing, carao to the rescue, and saved the child from anything worse than a wound in the leg. While the little sufferer lay crying on his bed the father, all tenderness, was his constant nurse. He never left the child's couch, save when, gun in hand, he went to Wixon's house and shot the dog dead on his master's doorstep. From that day Wilders was Grey's friend. That was how he came to be vice-principal of the Oretown night Bchool. Usually when the exercises were over the men departed quietly, but this night they remained in their Beats, and when Grey looked inquiringly, and old greybeard rose and said. "Mr. Grey an' mates: Me and Tom Bingham has got the sack, an' for no other reason than because we told Capt. Wixon we warn't goin' to leave off 'tending this here school, an', we wor agoin' to vote the republican or the demycratic ticket, just as we set our fancies, on 'em." "There must be some mistake," Grey said, rising hurriedly and speaking nervously. "Capt. Wixon cannot have understood our efforts, and as for at tempting to restrain in this free and emignienea country ine liDerty 01 a man's conscience, his political birth' right, his" But a roar of bantering laughter Btayed the speaker s eloquence. "Boys, listen to me." It was Wilders who spoke now. "I've been watching the run of things for fome time, and I ve come to the conclusion that we re got to have a change. It was bound to come. They don't want no light of education let into this region. They don t want no brains. They want . strong arms an' stout loins as will toil an get money for them. They'll do all the thinking for you. They appoint their own township and county officers, they own the newspapers, they send one of themselves to congress, and if some poor devil of a minister, as some times happens, dares to open his lips against the system, he quickly finds his supplies cut off. aow, what are you going to do about it? , Just at this moment a knock came to the door, and a boy handed a letter to Grey, who, casting his eyes over it,, seemed for the moment lost in thought. "My menus, he said, alter a mo ment's reverie, "I hold in my hand here a letter from the proprietor of this building giving me notio to quit pos session on Wednesday next, though pur "ME AND TOM BINGHAM HAS SACK." Copyricht ms. " agreement stipulated for three months' notice and saying that, if he had known we were going to teach com munism, he would never have let it to us. What does it mean? If we have taught communism, it has been from the text books these very men have placed in the hands of your little ones." "it means, roarea ine prospector, as ho smote with mighty hand the desk before him, "that you shall grovel In your ignorance all the days of your lives, and that the bosses of Oretown won't have nothing that interferes with their running things their way and doing all your thinking for you." A growl of discontent rang rouna the room, and more than one rough orator rose in clamorous protest, but the schoolmaster, with a wave of his hand, stilled them, and said sternly; "My friends, let us make haste slow ly. Let us deliberate before we express ourselves." "That's so!" cried the prospector. "Then to put things into shipshape, I move that we meet again on Monday night to discuss the question." A unanimous "Ayel ayer settled tne matter, and the meeting dispersed. "Before you go," said Wilders to Grey, "I have a word to say. Uave you counted the cost? Sitting square down on a hornets' nest won't be a circum stance to the fix you'll find yourself in, if you go ahead in this business." "I shall do my duty." "Well, I'm with you." "But, Jack, I am assured that you exaggerate the state of affairs. It is incredible that such tyranny can exist in this free land." "Whv. bless your innocent heart, this free and independent country is full of spots as unwholesome 'as this cesspool of an Oretown. When capital gets la bor by the throat, justice squeals." "What a grand lot would be his who had the power of tongue and pen to re deem this mass of corruption," Grey said, with a hungry look in his eyes. Wilders grinned. "Not a bad move, I see. Start a paper, go on the stump, give the mo nopolies an all-fired raking out, and you'll end in a trip to Washington and a hatful of greenbacks." "You mistake me." "Not I you're green now, but if you hang on to politics, you'll soon get your eyes skinned." "I will study this great problem of social life, and balance my actions by reading the experiences of the great leaders of modern thought." "And you've made up your mind to raise Cain in Oretown?" "I have counted the cost. Dear friend, good night." CHAPTER IV. WISE MEN IN COUNCIL. "You are requested to be present at a meet Inn of the board of education to be held In the First ward school this evening at seven o'clock. Pettigrew Wixon, 'Moderator." A weak-eyed young woman, a daugh ter of W lxon s foreman, handed the young schoolmaster this missive as soon as the day's session was begun. This girl, Susan Green, was one of Grey's oldest scholars, and certainly his most troublesome one. In the early advent of the handsome teacher, she had done her poor best to attract his admiration, and, having failed, had imbibed a dislike to him that amounted to rabid hatred. Grey read Wixon's letter and asked, quietly: "Did the captain desire an an swer?" "No, he didn't." The schoolmaster did not condescend to notice the insolence oi the girl s tone, though the other pupils looked at each other in mute surprise. Well," he said, "you can tell him at dinner time that I will be there." "You can carry your own messages," the girl said in loud aggressive accents. The young schoolmaster gave a glance of pained surprise and ordered her to leave the room, which she did with as much noise as it was possible for her to make. When the dreary morning's work was over, Grey sat brooding, upon this un accountable trouble, which, to a man of his sensitive nature, was more than a mere passing annoyance. Presently a hand touched him on the shoulder and aroused him from his reverie. Elsie!" he cried, reprovingly. "Why, my dear child, have you not gone home with the other girls? Out of doors was a sprinkling of rain, and Elsie had donned a long cloak, whose blue hood formed a picturesque frame for her exquisite features. Even Frank Grey was struck with the loveliness and youthful freshness of the fair face turned up to his so pleadingly. The round, pansy eyes were moist with tears, the lips were trembling, and she SDoke hurriedly with much emotion. "Dear Mr. Grey, do not be worried about Susan. I could not go without saying to you that I that is aU the girls in my class are ashamed of her conduct to you. 1 hat 1 that is tney, are very sorry for you, and" "Nay, Elsie," replied the teacher with much tenderness, "it is not on Susan's account only that I am troubled to-day, Other things are weighing on my spirits. Thank you very much for your svmnathv. Go home now. 1 will loi J A low you presently." "Then you have other troubles and I do not know them," there was a world of emotion in her tones. 'Why is there so mucn troume? we were so nappy, and now oh, sir," she broke out passionately, "will anything happen that will cause you to leave Oretown?" I hardly think so. I do not know, . . . ' 1 .'iL . he said, looking at tne gin wuu a strange new-born interest. "Oh, dear Mr. Orey, wnat snoum l do if you were to go away ana leave me, and I should never see you again f What would become of me?" In the passion of her appeal, while the tears were streaming uown ner sweet face, the child had grasped his hand in both her own. Ere -Grey .could reply, he saw, to his utter discomfiture, that they were not alone. Standing in the doorway but a few yards from him was the portly figure of Capt. Wixon, and beside him posed the man he had seen on the hill by the lake. . No sound liau neraiueu mcir proach. A deep blush oi vexation mounted to the cneeic oi me wiiooimua ter, as he bade the girl leave him and turned haughtily to receive his visitors. With a sinister grin on his coun tenance Wixon came forward and ab ruptly introduced Eev. Archibald Dodd, a gentleman interested in schools. The minister had not an imposing presence. Short, squat in figure, ill dressed in a suit of rusty black, with a fringe of red whiskers illuminating a coarse face, he seemed but ill suited to adorn a pulpit. Bowing coldly to the two men, and without giving them time for further address, Grey left the building. That night the board of education met, and after the dispatch of some mi nor preliminaries, the worthy president announced the principal business of the evening's session. It was his painful duty, he said, to call the attention of the board to the fact that the principal of their schools was a man of evil repute and unfit to hold so responsible an office. This statement he substantiated by the fol lowing charges: First. That the inti macy existing between Mr. Grey and Miss Elsie Whit ford, a pupil, had been matter of comment among the citizens for some months past. That be, Capt. Wixon, disbelieving these reports and actuated solely with a view to clear Mr. Grey's reputation, had engaged a much esteemed friend, Rev. Archibald Dodd, to prosecute inquiry, which had resulted in the painful conclusion that the principal was really guilty of at least great indiscretion. Grey sat dumfounded at the very absurdity of the accusations, speech less with honest indignation. "We will proceed to receive evidence," continued Wixon in judicial accents. "Call Miss Clarkson." Gadsby, one of the directors and keeper of the store in Wixon's mine, "WHAT WOULD IDO IF YOU LEAVE ME?" rose to do his master s uiuaing-, ana brought in a bold, gayly-dressed young woman, with a profusion of red hair, one of the under-teachers, who had in her turn set her cap at the handsome schoolmaster, and whose admiration, like that of the weak eyed Susan's, had been turned into trail by his indiffer ence. A chair was obsequiously placed for the lady. 'Have you ever noticed too great fa miliarity between Mr. Grey and Miss Whitford?" 'Yes. Some months ago, when criti cismg Mr. lirey s mismanagement in the presence of the girl, she attacked me in an insolent manner, and spoke of him with such enthusiasm that I was led to imagine her interest in him was warmer than the relation that usually exists between pupil and teacher." "Go on, Miss Clarkson." "When for a short time I boarded at Mrs. Whitford's, I had to remonstrate with Mr. Whitford for allowing his daughter to visit Mr. Grey's room, which she did constantly. "Anything more?" "Nothing. I came here reluctantly, urged only by a strong sense of duty." "Mr. Grey, have you any questions to ask Miss Clarkson? "I?" said Grey, bitterly. "None. But if she believes in a God, I would advise her to fall on her knees and implore pardon for her venomous malice. The innocence of the sweet child she has maligned is beyond the foul breath of such a slanderer." Miss Clarkson put her handkerchief to her eyes and sobbingly appealed for protection. It was prettily done, and decided the wavering opinions of two members of the board, who were neither dependent on Wixon nor dis honest men, but simply prejudiced against Grey for his communistia pro pensities. "You may retire," said the moderator solemnly. "Let Francis Uolbrook be called." This was one of the lads the Whit fords had brought from Derbyshire with them a sluggish, loutish exotic from the back country. He slouched into his seat and sheep ishly eyed the company. "You live in the family of Mr. Whit ford?" "Oi du." "You are in the habit of seeing Mr. Grey and Miss Whitford in their daily relations to each other?" "They beant relations." "I mean you have seen them in com pany nearly every day?" 'Oihev.'- "Have you noticed any familiarity between them?' "Zur?" "Any sweethearting?" "Zurely. He's sweet on her, an' her's sweet on he." "Much together?" "They be." , Mr. Dodd, who sat waxed wroth at the next to Wixon, man's slowness, and interrupted the examination by asking, fiercely: "Whv don't you speak out? What do you know about it, fellow?" "Oi knaws nowt." Then, what did you come here for?" To am thy ten dollars," was the stolid response. "Eh, what?" Mr. Edgsrly, an old man of some property, and a member of the board, interrupted. "Who promised to give you ten dollars?" Tie did, pointing to Dodd, said he'd giveOi ten dollars, if Oi proved owt agen the schulemeaster." Mr. Dodd, hastily interjected: "Mere ly to compensate him for his loss of time," but the explanation fell flat. The witness was excused. Susan Green next appeared. "Have you had any conversation with Miss Whitford concerning Mr. Grey?" "Often, sir." "Repeat what she has said." "Please, sir, I don't like to, sir, it seems so like breaking confidence." "My good girl," Wixon said paternal ly, "you must speak the truth. Your feelings do you credit. No harm can come to yur young friend by repeat ing this conversation. It may be too late, but we want to shield her" "Infamous scoundrel!" Grey cried, leaping to his feet; but before he could reach the dastardly chairman, strong arms were wound around him. "Take him out. Off with him," cried Wixon, foaming with passion. "We have shown him too much considera tion by permitting his presence at alL" In vain Grey struggled, and his eject ment was only a matter of moments, when an unexpected ally appeared and changed the aspect of affairs. Bound ing from a seat in the gloomy back ground of the room, where he had been hitherto unobserved, came came like an avalanche the burly form of the prospector. Hands off, or by the Etarnal, 1 11 be the death of some of you," and Grey stood free, for few men in Oretown cared to come to blows with Jack W'ilders. The commotion subsided, Grey, as one in a dream, aiiowea nis inena to lead him to a seat, the minister, who had fled at the first sign of violence, sneaked back to his place again, and Wixon resumed his magisterial func tions. "Jack Wilders," he said, "the laws of the state construe such conduct as yours a felony, but we will proceed, and attend to you later. Now, Susan Green, tell us .what you know about At 11 " mis matter. . "Elsie and I have talked about sweet hearts." "Yes." "She said she meant to go for Mr. Grey." "Well, and she went for him, 1 sup pose." "You bet she did, sir. All the pupils have been talking about their carry ings on." "Carryings on?" ' "Well, his favoring her, and her never taking her eyes off him. Oh, she's dead gone on him, that's certain. Ihen they're always talking and whispering together." "Anything else?" "No, I think not sir," and the ami able young lady was allowed to re tire, Mr. Dodd whispering that she was a very reluctant witness, who knew a great deal more than she chose to tell. "Now, Mr. Dodd will please speak." "Gentlemen," said the reverend wit ness, beiore 1 proceed to make tne damaging statement I am about to do, I would suggest that Mr. Grey be given the opportunity to resign and go away in peace. If this were done the exposure might be avoided and the in quiry end here." "What do you say to this, Mr. Grey?" asked Wixon. That I am only waiting to see what further infamy you and your tools are plotting," was the stern response. "Mr Dodd will proceed then." This he accordingly did with great unction. "Happening to be in this neighbor hood with idle hours on my hands," he declared, "Capt. Wixon interested me in the painful stories which were cur rent concerning these young people, which at the time he believed to be without foundation, and I consented to sift the matter to the bottom. At first I was convinced that they were simply indiscreet." He paused. "And what led you to any other con clusion?" "The evidence of my own eyes and cars." The silence in the room was intense. "Yes, Mr. Moderator, my own unprej udiced observation. I myself have seen her in his room standing near the window with his arm around her. This very day, since preparing these charges. in company with Capt. Wixon, I found this couple in his class room alone. The girl was weeping and again and again crying in deep distress: 'Oh, what shall I ao if you go away and leave me? What shall I do?'" He paused impressively, and, turning to Grey, demanded: "Can you deny this, young man?" A dead silence followed; even his friend the prospector eyed the school master doubtfully. A deep flush dved Grey's cheek. "The words are truly reported, the interpre tation and tone of delivery false as per jury." H':s explanation hung fire. Wilders -broke the oppressive silence by asking if he might question the minister. "No," said Wixon. "Yes," said Ed trerlv. and finally he was allowed to appear uh Grey's friend and adviser, He addressed Mr. Dodd. "What church do you belong' to,j5ir?" "That is no business of yours," was the sullen response. "Nevertheless," interposed Ldgerly, "I think you should answer." "Are you ashamed of it? hotly con tinued Wildurs. "Speak out, man. Are you a regular parson? Got your certifi cate? No bogus, and all that kind pf thing?" . "Well, sir," stammered Dodd, in con fusion, "I am not what you would call an ordained priest; we have no such mummies in our church." "What is your church?" "Well, the Hopkinsites. Our forms are based on the simple principles oi the early disciples: to whom the spirit of teaching is given, he goeth out into the world and preacheth the truth." "That will do. I guessed as much, sneered the prospector, as he took his seat, while the moderator hastily asked what steps the board would take in the matter. "No immediate action," said Edgerly. "If Mr. Grey is guilty, he can resign his position without further scandal, as I understand the proceedings of this meeting arc tc be kept secret." "That's it," interrupted Wixon; "the best possible course he can pursue. No fuss. Called away on urgent private affairs. Work too much for his consti tution. Must have rest, and " "But," added Edgerly, "if he is inno cent he is either the victim of unfortu nate circumstantial evidence or of a deliberate plot to ruin him. In that case, let him stay and fight it out." "Right you are, old boy," cried the prospector, wringing Edgerly's hand. "And you bet your bottom dollar, my man will 6top to face the music." The meeting was adjourned. (TO BB CONTINUED.) The Commission Will Stay. Topeka, Kan., Aug. C. Governor Morrill and Attorney General Dawes held a conference to-day and decided that the present police commission of Wichita should be retained and an as sistant attorney general be appointed to aid them in enforcing the prohibi tory law. It is understood that the ap pointment as assistant attorney gen eral was offered to W. P. Campbell, ex department commander of the G. A. R., but Mr. Dawes said this afternoon that matters were so unsettled that he could not say who the assistant attor ney general would be. Defender Wins Again. New York, Aug. 7. The Defender and Vigilant sailed over a 35 M mile course yesterday, from Cottage City, Mass. , to this port, the race being an event in the cruising of the New York Yacht club. The sea was smooth and the wind varied in velocity from ten to fifteen miles an hour. For twenty miles down to the Vineyard Sound lightship it was a dead beat to wind ward and the Defender beat the Vigilant by about five minutes, forty six seconds, both yachts carrying club '.opsails and baby jib topsails. MeSBick Arrested for Forgery. Liberty, Mo., Aug. 7. Thomas F. Messick, the school director of the Liberty district who has embezzled about $3,500 of the school funds, was arrested at his home shortly before 12 o'clock last night by Deputy Sheriff Ed Cave and taken before Justice Emerson. Preliminary examination was waved and bond was fixed at $1,000 on each of the four charges of forgery and raising a warrant, lo-day he is seeking bondsmen, but so far in vain. He was a church leader. PATRIOTIC PARITY. The French People Will Not Tolerate Con. piracies to Injure the Government'! Credit. A great many people wonder why France is financially so prosperous. One of the reasons is that she is patri oticand stands up for France. In a late case before a French court a creditor had sued on a note payable in gold, and the court held the proviso void, on the ground that one sort of. money issued by France was as good as another and to discriminate in favor of either one was a conspiracy to in jure the government and its credit, and that the debtor has the right to nav in anvthin&r issued by law as 1 F ' '- money. That doctrine a sound and patriotic one if enforced in this country, would brine1 Secretary Carlisle up with a round turn. There are no "fifty-cent" depreciators allowed in France a five franc piece being as much money as a Nanoleon. France makes her own money and makes an attempt to dis credit it even in contracts a conspiracy at law. No wonder France is prosper ous, as her lawmakers and her courts are as patriotic as her people. JNo hign officers of state are there engaged in depreciating the money issued for the use of her people. It is morally a crime in the United States and ought to be held as an offense at law by our own courts possibly will be so some day. Kansas City Journal. Judicial Tyranny. Commenting on the fact that En gland, with 30, 000,000 people, has only thirty judges of the first class, while Illinois, with 3,000,000, has 178, even the capitalistic Globe-Democrat is con strained to sav that "we have made our judicial system a source of endless triflinsr with the interests of the peo- nl " Furthermore it declares that "we have so many judges and so many different tribunals that a case may be ialtun from one to another on various pretexts, and the expense is apt to ex ceed the amount involved in a majority of cases." Just so; and this is one of the indictments I bring against our nlntoeratic svstem. The justice that we are all taxed to pay for administer ing comes so high that a poor man can't afford it. I hardly expect to see the Globe-Democrat admit the truth of the charge, though. Star. Vnv nn vonr subscription and gpt ffw new subscribers for The Wealth Ma tiers. Onlv 30c. from now till No. veinber 1st. To invigorate the system after illness Avpr'a Kftrsanarilla is highly recom J mended. Big Silver Picnic. Angoat 15 Senator Teller and Congressman J. F. Shoffreth of Denver, and Hon. W. J. Bryan and Senator Allen will address the people at Lincoln Park, August 15th Excursion rates will be given by all railroads. OAR National Encampment at Louisville. Ky The Burlington will on September 8th to 10th sell round trip tickets, via St. Louis, at $18.35; via Peoria, $19.35; via Chicago, f 20.40, good to return un til September 25th. For full information apply at B. & M. depot or city office, corner 10th and 0 streets. G. W. Bonn ell, C. P. & T. A. Dr. Miles' Nerve P l asters cure RHEUMA TISM. WEAK BACKS. At druggists, only 25c. Buy "Direct Fkom Factory" Best MIXED Faints. At WHOLESALE PRICFg, Delivered Free. For Houfi, Barns, Roofs, all colors, and SAVE Middlemen's profits. 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