Nebraska Newspapers

    THE FALLS CITY TRIBUNE. FRIDAY. APRIL 20. 1906.
THE SPENDERS
A TALE OF THE THIRD GENERATION
- By HARRY LEON WILSON
Ccimilhl , by LotbtOD Pubtllhlnp Crmninr.
danger of free/.iS has passed. The
temperature has been at fiO degrees
below zero. Now. suddenly It begins
to rise. The air Is scarcely In mo
tion , but occasionally It descends as
out of a blast furnace from overhead.
To the southeast is a ma.Ss of dull
black clouds. Their face Is unbroken.
But the upper edges are ragged , torn
liy a wind not yet felt below. Two
hours later Its warmth comes. In ten
minutes the mercury goes up 115 de
grees. The wind comes at a 30-mile
rtloclty. It Increases in strength and
warmth , blowing with a mighty roar.
Twelve hours afterward the snow ,
three feet deep on a level , has melted.
There are bald , brown hills every
where to the horizon , and the plains
are flooded with water. The Chinook
has come and gone , in this manner
suddenly went the Bines fortune.
April 30 , Consolidated Copper closed
at 01. Two days later , May 2 , the
drop of 40 points. Roughly the decline
meant the loss of $100,000,000 to the
15,000 shareholders. From every city
name Ill-fated stock closed at 51 a
of importance in the country came
tales more or less tragic of holdings
wiped out , of ruined families , of defal
cations and suicides. The losses in
New York city alone were said to be |
160,000,000. A few large holders , re
puted to enjoy liihlde Information ,
were said to have put their stock aside
and "sold short" in the knowledge of
what was coming. Such tales are al
ways popular In the street.
Others not less popular had to do
\viia the reasons for the slump Many
were plausible. A deal with the Roths
childs for control of the Spanish mines
had fallen through. Or , again , the
slaughter was due to the Shepler group
of Federal Oil operators , who were
bent on forcing some one to unload a
great quantity of the stock so that
they might absorb it. The Immediate
causes were less recondite. Tile Con
solidated company , so far from con
trolling the output , was suddenly
shown to control actually less than 50
per cent , of it. Its efforts to amend
cr repeal the hardy old law of Supply
and Demand had simply met with the
indifferent success that has marked all
mich efforts since the first attempted
rorner In stone hatchets , or mastodon
tusks , or whatever it may have been.
In the language of one of its news
paper critics , the "trust" had been
"founded on misconception and
prompted along lines of self-destruc
tion. Its fundamental principles were
the restriction of product , the In
crease of. price and the throttling of
competition , a trinity that would
wreck any combination , business , po
litical or social. "
With this generalization we have no
concern As to the copper situation ,
the comment was pat. It had been
suddenly disclosed , not only that no
combination could be made to include
the European mines , but that the Con
solidated company had an unsold sur
plus of 150,000,000 pounds of copper ;
that It was producing 20,000,000 pounds
a month more than could be sold , and
that it had made large secret sales
abroad at from two to three cents be
low the market price.
As If fearing that these adverse con
ditions did not sufficiently insure the
clock's downfall , the Shepler group of
Federal OH operators beat it down
further with what
was veritably a
golden sledge That Is , they exported
gold at a loss. At a time when obliga
tions could have been mot more cheap
ly with bought bills they sent out
many golden cargoes at an actual loss
of $300 on the half million. As money
was already dear , and thus became
dearer , the temptation and the means „
to hold copper stock , in spite of all dis
couragements , were removed from the
paths of hundreds of thu hurried hold
ers.
Incidentally. Western Trolley had
gone into the hands of a receiver , a
failure involving another 1100,000,000.
and Union Cordage had fallen 35
points through sensational disclosures
as to Its overcapitalization.
Into this maelstrom of a panic mar
ket the Bines fortune had been sucked
with a swiftness so terrible that the
family's chief advising member was
Icit dazed and Incredulous.
For two days he clung to the ticker
tape as to a life line. He had com
mitted the millions of the family as
lightly as ever ho had staked ? 100 on
the turn of a card or left ten on the
change-tray for his waiter.
Then he had seen his cunningly built
foundations , rested upon with hopes so
high for three months , melt away like
snow when the blistering Chinook
comes.
It has been thought wige to adopt
two somewhat differing similes In the
foregoing , in order that the dlreness of
the tragedy may be sufficiently appre
hended.
The morning of the first of the two
last awful days , ho was called to the
office of Fouts & Hendricks by tele
phone.
"Something going to happen in Con "
solidated to-day. "
He had hurried downtown , flushed
with confidence. He knew there was
hut one thing could happen. He had
reached the office at ten and heard the
flrst vicious little click of the ticker
that heating heart of the stock ex
change as it began the1 unemotional
story of what men bought and sold
over on the floor. Its Inventor died in
the poorhouso. but capital would fare
badly without his machine. Consul !
dated was down three points. The
crowd about the ticker grew absorbed
nt once. Reports came In over the
telephone. The hears had made a tet
for the stock. It began to slump rap-
Idly. As the stock was goaded down
point by point , the crowd of traders
waxed more excited.
As the stock fell , the banks request
ed the brokers to margin up their
loans , and the brokers. In turn , re
quested Percival to margin up his
trades. The shares he'had bought out
right went to cover the shortage In
those he had bought on a " 0 per cent ,
margin. Loans were called later , and
marginal accounts wiped out with np-
palling Informality.
Yet when Consolidated suddenly ral
lied three points Just at the close of
the day's trading , he took much com
fort in It as an omen of the morrow.
That night , however , he look but little
satisfaction In Uncle Peter's renewed
assurances of trust In his acumen.
Uncle i-'eter. ne d&nileu ail lu once wat
a fatuous , doddering old man , unable
to realize that the whole fortune was
gravely endangered. And with the
; amblcr's inveterate hope that luck
must change , he forchore to undeceive
he old man.
Uncle Peter went with him to the
ofllce next morning , serenely Intel-
ested in the prospects.
"You got your pa's way of taking
hold of big propositions. That's all I
need to know , " he reassured the young
man , cheerfully.
Consolidated Copper opened that day
it 78 , and went by two o'clock to 51.
Perclval watched the decline with a
conviction that he was dreaming. He
aligned to think of his relief when he
should awaken. The crowd surged I
about the ticker , and their voices came.
as from afar. Their acts all had tfcc' I
weird Inconsequence of the people we | 1 I
see In dreams. Yet presently It had _
gone too' far to be amusing. He must
arouse himself and turn over on his
side. In five minutes , according to the
Iream , he had lost $5,000,000 as near
ly as he could calculate. Losing a
million a minute , even in sleep , he
thought , was disquieting.
Then upon the tape he read another.
hapter of disaster. Western Trolley | I
had gone Into the hands of a receiver ; i
a fine , fat , promising stock mine
without a word of warning ; and whil
he tried to master this news the her
rlble clicking tning declared tha
Union Cordage was selling down t
58 a drop of exactly 35 points Bine
morning.
Fouts , with a slip of paper in hi
hand , beckoned him from the door o
his private office. He went dazedly I
to him and was awakened from th
dream that he had been losing a for
tune In his sleep.
Coming out after a few moments , h
went up to Uncle Peter , who had been
sitting , watchful but unconcerned , ii
one of the armchairs along the wall
The old man looked up inquiringly.
"Come Inside , Uncle Peter ! "
They went into the private office o
Fonts. Perdval shut the door am
they were alone.
"Uncle Peter , Burman's been BUS
pended on the board of trade ; Font
just had this over his private wire
Corn broke "
to-diy.
"That so ? Oh , well , maybe it wo
worth a couple of million to find ou
Burman plays corn like he plays
poker ; 'twas If you couldn't get H fu
any less. "
"Uncle Peter , we're wiped out. "
"How , wiped out ? What do you
mean , son ? "
"We're done , I tell you. We necdn'
care a damn now where copper gone to
We're oat of it and Uncle Toter
we're broke. "
"Out of copper ? Broke ? But yoi
said " He seemed to be making ar
effort to comprehend. His lack of
grasp was pitiful.
"Out of copper , but there's Western
Trolley and that Cordage stock "
"Everything wiped out. I tell you
Union Cordage gone down 35 points
somebody let out the inside secrets
and God only knows how far Western
Trolley's gone down. "
"Are you all In ? "
"Every dollar you knew that. But
say , " ho brightened out of his despair ,
"there's the One Girl a good pro
ducer Shepler knows the property
Sheplor's In tills block " nnd ho was
gone.
The old man strolled out into the '
trading-room again. A curious grim
smile softened his square jaw for a
moment. He resumed his comfortable
chair and took up a newspaper , glanc
ing incidentally at the crowd of ex
cited men about the tickers. Ho had
about him that air of repose which
conies to big men who have stayed
much In big out-of-door solitudes.
"Ain't ho a nervy old guy ? " said u
crisp little money broker to Fouts.
"They're wiped out , but you wouldn't
think ho cared any more about it than
Mike , the porter , with his brass polish
out there. "
The old man held his paper up , but
did not read.
Perclval rushed In by him , beckon
ing him to the Inner room.
"Shepler's all right about the One
Olrl. He'll ( UK. . , mortgage on It tor
two hundred thousand If you'll recom
mend It only ho can't get the money
before to-morrow. There's bound to
' e a rally tn this stock , and we'll go
right back for some of the hair of the
--why what's the matter Uncle Pe
ter ! "
The old man had reeled , and then
weakly caught at the top of the desk
with both hands for support.
"Ruined ! " ho cried , hoarsely , an If
the extent of the calamity had Just
\
Ht'lXEU ! "
borne In upon him. "My God ! Ruined ,
and at my time of life ! " He seemed
about to collapse. Perclval quickly
helped him Into a chair , where he be
came limp.
"There , I'm all right. Ob , It's ter
rible ! and we all trusted you so. I
thought you had your pa's brains. I'd
'a' trusted you soon's I would Shep
ler , and now look what you led us Into
fortune gone broke and all your
fault ! "
"Don't , Uncle Peter don't , for
God's sake not when I'm down ! I
can't stand It ! "
"Gamble away your own money
no , that wasn't enough take your
poor ma's share and your sister's , and
take what little I had to keep me in
my old age robbed us all that's
what comes of thlnkln' a damned tea-
drlnkln" ' ' fop could have a thimbleful
ol brains ! "
"Don't , please not just now give
ll to me goort later to-morrow all
you want to ! "
"And here I'm come to want In my
last days when I'm too feeble to work.
I'll die In bitter privation because I
was an old fool , and trusted a young ,
one. "
"Please don't , Uncle Peter ! "
"You led us In robbed your poor
ma and your sister. I told you I didn't
know ' ! anything about It and you talked
me into trusting you 1 might 'a'
known better. "
"Can't you stop awhile just a mo
ment ? "
"Of course I don't matter. Maybe I
can hold a drill , or tram ore , or some
thing , but 1 can't support your ma
and Plshy like they ought to be , with
my rheumatlcomln' on again , too.
And your ma'll have to take In. board
ers , and do washln' like as not , and
tlrmk of poor Plshy prob'ly she'll
have to teach school or clerk In a
store poor Pish she'll be lucky now
if she can marry some common scrut )
American out in them hills like as
not one of them shoe-clerks In the
Boston Cash Store at Montana City !
And jest when I was lookln' forward
to luxury and palaces In England , and
everything so grand ! How much you
lost ? "
"That's right , no use whining !
Nearly as I can get the round figures
of It , about twelve million. "
"Awful awful ! By Gripes ! that
man Blythe that done himself up the
other night had the right of it. What's
the use of living if you got to go to
the poorhouse ? "
"Come , come ! " said Perclval , alarm
over Uncle Peter crowding out his
other emotions. "Bo a game loser ,
just as you said pa would be. Sit up
straight and make 'em bring ou an all
other deck. "
He slapped the old man on the back
with simulated cheerfulness ; but the "
despairing one only cowered weakly
under the blow.
"We can't wo ain't got the stake
for a new deck. Oh , dear ! think of
your ma nnd me not knowin' where
to turn fur a meal of victuals at our ] '
time of life. "
Perclval was being forced to cheerfulness -
fulness In splto of himself. \ .
"Come , it Isn't as bad as that , Uncle nil
Peter. We've got properties left , and .
j.
good ones , too. "
old
Uncle Peter weakly waved the hand .
of finished discouragement. "Hush , jest
f
don't speak of that. Then prpopertUs
need a manager to make 'em pav a
plain business man a man to stay on do
the ground and watch 'em and develop
'em with his brains a young man
with his health ! What good am I
a poor , broken down old cuss , bent ,
double with rhnumatlz almost I'm ties
ashamed of you fur suggesting such a you
thing ! " All
"I'll do It myself I never thought
of asking you. "
Uncle Peter emitted i nasal gasp
of disgust.
"You you you'd make a purty that
manager of anything , wouldn't you ! Girl.
As If you could bo trusted with any but
thing again that needs a schoolboy's
intelligence. Even If you had the say
brains , you ain't got the taste nor ttie kind
sperrlt in you. You're too lazy too
trlflin' . You , -agoln' back there , do
velopln' mines , and gettln' out ties , I
and lumber , and breeding shorthorns ,
and Improvin' some of the finest lapd keep
God ever made- you beln' sober and
Industrious , and niinrt , like a business
innn hnR got to bo out there nowadays.
That nln't any bonanza country any
more ; now nin t like 1870 , don't fig-
wo on tltut. You got to work tin- low
grade ore now for n few dollars a ton ,
and you got to work It with ImiliiH.
.No , sir , that country nln't what It
used to lie. '
There might 'a1 boon a
time when you'd made your hoard and
clothes out there when things come
easlnr. Now It's full of men that hustle
and keep their tnlnd on their work ,
and nln't runnln' ofT to pink lean In
New York. H takes a man with BOIIIO
of the brains your pa had to make the
game pay now. Hut you don't let mo
hear any more of that nonsense. ! "
Perclval had entered the room pale.
He was now rod. The old man's hit
ter contempt had flushed him Into
momentary forgetfulness of the ills-
aster.
"hook hero , Uncle Peter , you've
been telling mo right along I did have
my father's head and my father's
ways and bin nerve , and Hod Knows
what I didn't have that bo had ! "
"I was fooled 1 can't deny It.
What's the use. of tryln' to crawl out
of It ? You did fool me , and 1 own up
to It ; I thought you had some SI.MIHO ,
some capacity ; lint you was only like
him on the surface ; you jest got one
or two little ways like his , that's all
Dan'l J. now was good stuff all Ilia
wav through. He might 'a * guessed
wrong on copper , hut he'd 'n * saved a
get-away stake or borrowed one , and
he'd 'a' piked back fur Montana to
make his pile right over anil he'd 'a'
made It , too that was the kind ol
man : your pa was he'd 'a' made It ! "
" 1 have saved n get-away stake. "
"Your pa had the head , 1 tell you
and the spirit "
"And. by God , I'll show you I've got
the head. You think because 1 want
ed to live here , nnd because I made
this wrong play , that I'm like all these
plnheails you've seen around here.
I'll show you different ! I'll tool you. "
"Now don't explode ! " said the old
man , wearily. "You meant well , poor
fellow I'll sny that fur you ; you got
a good heart. Hut there's lots of good
men that ain't good fur anything in
particular. You've got a good heart
yes you're all right from the neck
down. "
"See here , " said Perclval , more
calmly , "listen : I've got you all Into
this thing , and played yon broke
against copper ; and I'm going to got
you out understand that ? "
The old man looked at him pity-
"I tell you I'm going to get you out.
I'm going backtherc , and get things inaction
(
action , and I'm going to stay by them.
I've got a good Idea of these proper
ties and you hear me. now I'll fin
ish with a bank roll that'll choke Red
Bank Canyon. "
Fouts knocked and came In.
"Now , you go along uptown , Uncle
Peter. I want a few minutes with
Mr. Fouts , nnd I'll come to your place
at seven. "
The old man arose dejectedly.
"Don't let me Interfere a minute
with your financial operations. I'm
too old a man to be around In folks'
way. "
He slouched out with his head bent.
A moment later Perclvnl remem
bered his last words , also his refer
ence to Blythe. He was seized with
fear for what he might do in his
despair. Uncle Peter would act
quickly if his mind had been made up.
He ran out Into Wall street , and
hurried up to Broadway. A block off
on that crowded thoroughfare he saw
the tall figure of Uncle Peter turning
into the door of a saloon. He might
have bought poison. He ran the
length of the block and turned In.
Uncle Peter stood at one end of the
bar with a glass of creamy beer in
front of him. At the moment Per
clvnl entered he was inclosing a large
slab of Swiss cheese between two
slices of rye bread.
He turned and faced Pcrclval , lookIng -
Ing from him to his sandwich with
vacant eyes.
"I'm that wrought up nnd dis
tressed , uon , I nardly know what I'm
doln' ! Look m me now with this
stuff In my hands. "
"I just wanted to be sure you were
right , " said Pcrclval , greatly re-
llnved.
"All right , " the old man repented.
"All right ? My God ruined ! There's
nothln' left to do now. "
He looked absently at the sand
wich and bit a generous semi-circle
Into it.
"I don't see how you can eat , Undo
Peter. It's so horrible ! "
"I don't myself ; It ain't a healthy
appetite can't be must be ) ino
kind of a fever inside of mo I s'pose
from all this trouble. And now
I've come to poverty and want in my
age. Say , son , I believe thero's W
one thing you can do to keep me
from goln' crazy. "
" . You hot I'll fir
"Name It , Uncle Peter.
It ! " '
"Well , It ain't much of course I ;
wouldn't expect you to do all them
things you was Jest braggln'about back hi
tlcroaljout goln' to work the proper
and all that-yon would do It If w
could , I know but It ain't that.
I ask IB , don'i play this Wall street IK
game any more. If we can save out hi
enough by good luck to keep us de hiHi
cently , so your ma won't have to take Hi
boarders , why , don't you go and lose di
, too. Don't morgago : the One tl
. I may he sort of superstitious , le
somehow , I don't believe Wall
street is your game. Course , I don't ta
you ain't got a game of some
but I got one of them presenti
ments that it ain't Wall street. "
"I don't believe It Is , Uncle Peter
won't touch another share , and I hi
won't go near Shepler again. We'll Bt
the Ono Girl. "
BO caJlofl a cab fecjuq 0lfl mftfl , aatt j
saw him starte safely off tip-town.
At the hotel Uncle Peter mot Hilly
llnie nourishing an evening paper that
flared with exclamatory headlines.
'It's all In the papers , Uncle Peter ! "
"Dead broke ! Ain't It awful , Hilly ! "
"Say , Undo Peter , you snld you'd
raise hell , nnd you done It , You done
It good , didn't you ? "
CHAPTER XXV.
Till : NU\VB HIIOKKX , WUKKI'MM'ON
AX KNOAGHMKNT IB llltUKliN.
At. seven Pcrclval found Uncle Peter
al his hotel , still In abysmal depths of
woe. Togrthrr they went to break Iho
awful news to the unsuspecting Mrs.
and Psyche.
"If you'd only learned something use
ful while you had the chance , " begnn
Undo Peter , dismally , as they were
driven to the Illghtower , "how to do
tricks with cards , or how to slug
funny songs , llko thnt lutle friend of
yours from Hnltlmore you wns tdlln *
me about. Look at him , now. He
didn't have anything but his own abll-
Ity. He could tell you every tlmo
what card you was thlnkln' about , and
do a hklrt dance and give comic reel-
tatlons and Imitate a dog fight out In
the hack yard , a ml now he's married
to one of the richest ladles In New
York. Why couldn't you 'a' been learn-
In * Home of them clever things , so you
could V married Home good-hearted
woman wltn lots of money -but no "
Uncle Peter's tones were bitter lo ex
cess "you was a rich man's son and
rnlhod In Idleness and now , when the
rainy day's come , you can't even take
a white rabbit out of a atovr-ptpo bat ! "
To these senile mniinderlngs Porclval
paid no attention. When they came
into the crowd and lights of the H gn-
tower , he sent the old man up alone.
"You go , please , and break It to
them , Uncle Peter , i d rather not be
there just at flrst. I'll come along In
a llttlo bit. "
So Uncle Peter went , piotesling ( hut
he was u broken old man and a cum-
bcrcr of Gen s green earth.
Mrs. Bines and Psycho had that mo
ment sat down to dinner. Uncli ; 1'u-
tcr's manner at once alarmed them.
"It's all over , " he said , sinking Into
a chair. >
"Why , what's the matter , Undo
Peter ? "
"Perclval hns "
Mrs. Bines arose quickly , trembling.
"There I just know It It's all ovir ?
he's been struck by one of those ter
rible automobiles Oh , lake me to (
where he Is ! "
"He nln't been run over he's gone
broke lost all our money ; every last
cent. "
"He hasn't been run over and
killed ? "
"He's ruined UK , I. tell you , Marlhjr
lost every cent of our money In Wall
street. "
"Hasn't he been hurt at all ? not
even his leg broke or a big gash in his
bend and knocked senseless ? "
"That boy never had any sense. I
tell you he's lost all our money. "
"And he ain't a bit hurt nothing the
matter with him ? "
"Ain't any more hurt than you or mo
this minute. "
"You're not fooling his mother , Uncle
Peter ? "
"I tell you he's alive and well , only
he's lost your money and Plsh's and
mine and his own. "
Mrs. Bines breathed a long , trem
bling sigh in relief , and sat down , to
the table again.
"Well , no need to scare a body out '
of their wits scaring his mother to
death won't bring his money back , will
It ? If it's gone It'8 gone. "
"But ma , It IB awful ! " cried Psycho.
"Listen to what Uncle Peter says.
"NKVUIl MIND. MY SON. "
Vo're poor ! Don't you understand ?
'orco has lost all our money. "
Mrs. Bines was eating her MIIIP de-
Innlly.
"Long's he's got his health. " she be-
an.
an."And
"And mo wlndln' up In tlio poor-
louse , " whined Undo Peter.
"Think of It , ma ! Oh. what shall
vo do ? "
Perclval entered. 1'ncle Peter did
lot raise his head. Psycho stared at
ilm. His mother ran to him , satluflcd
icrsolf that ho was sound In wind and
hnb , that ho had not treacherously
lonned his summer underwear , and
hat his feet were not wet. Then she
ed him to the table.
"Now you sit right down here and
ake some food. If you're all right ,
jvcrything is all right"
With a weak attempt at his old
jayety he began :
"Really , Mrs. Crackonthorpo " but
10 caught Psycho's look and had to
itop.
"I'm sorry , sis , clear into my bones ,
made an ass of myself a regular
fool right from uie factory. "
"Never mind , my sou ; eat your
soup , " satil his mother. And tiittn ,
with honest Intent to comfort him :
"Reiiicmbor that saying of your pa'ti ,
'It | takes al * kinds of fools to make u
world. \ ' "
"Hut there ain't any fool llko a damn
fool , ! " said Undo Peter , shortly. "I
been a-tellln' him. "
"Well , you Just let him alone ; you'll
spoil his appetite , first thing you know.
My son , eat your soup now , before It
gets cold. "
"If I only hadn't gouo In so heavy , "
groaned Pcrclval. "Or , If I'd only got
tied up In some way for a few weeks
soniollitiiK I could tide over. "
"Yes. " said Uncle Peter , with a
cheerful effort at "it's
| , sarcasm , always
easy to think up n lot of holec you
could gut out of some different kind
of , . a hole besides the onn you're In ,
Tliat'H all some folks can do when they
get In one hole , they say : 'Oh , If I was
only . In that other one , now , how .slick
I could climb out ! ' I ain't ever mot u
person yet was satisfied with the luilo
they j , was In. Always sonio cotnplalut
to ( ( make about 'em. "
"And 1 had a chance to get out a
week ago. "
"Yes , ami you wouldn't take It. of
course you knew too much Hwollln'
around here about beln' u Napoleon of
finance and a Shepler and a Wizard
< if Wall street , nnd all that kind of
guff and yon wouldn't take your
chance , and old Mr. Chance wont right
off and left you , that's what. 1 toll
you , what notno folks need Is a bread
of diHiiccH that'll itnnd without hltcli-
lu' . "
Pvrdval braced himself and began ou
his soup.
Never you mind , Uncle Poter. You
remember what I told you. "
'That takes a different man frotu
what you are. If your pa wau alive
now "
"Hut what are we going to do ? " cried
I'syche.
First thing you'll do , " suld Unde
Peter promptly , "you go write a loiter
to that beau of your'n , tellln' him It's
ill off. You don't want to let him ho
the one to break It because you lost
your money , do youou go sign Ills
release right this minute. "
"Yes you're right , Uncle Peter I
suppose It must be done hut the poor
fellow really cares for mi ! . "
"Oh , of course , " answered the old
man ] , "It'll fairly break his heart. You
do It just the same ! "
She withdrew , and presently cutuu
back with a note which she dlBpulchod
to Mauburn.v
Perclvul and his mother had contin
ued their dinner , thn former shaking
his head between the Intervals of the
old man's lashings , and appearing to
hold ' silent converse with himself.
This was an encouraging sign. It Is
a curious fact that people never talk
to themselves except triumphantly.
In moments of real despair wo are
Inwardly dumb. Hut observe the hold
ers of Imaginary conversations. They
are conquerors to the last one. They
administer stinging rebukes that leave
the adversary writhing. They rlso to
Alpine heights of pure wisdom and
power , leaving him to flounder ignobly
li the mire of his own fatuity. They
achieve repartee the brilliance of which
dn/.7.1es him to contemptiblealienee. . If
statistics were at hand wo should
doubtless learn that no man has ever
talked to himself save by way of dem
onstrating his own godlike superiority ,
and the tawdry Impotence of all ob
stacles and opponents. Perclval talked
to himself and mentally lived the next
five years in a style that reduced
Uncle ! * tcr to grudging but Imperative
awe for his superb gifts of adminis
tration. He bathed In this Imaginary
future as In the waters of omnipotence.
As tlmo went on he foresaw the shafts
of Uncle Peter being turned back upon
him with such deadlines that , by the
time the roast came , his breast was
swelling with pity for that senile
scoffer.
Uncle Peter had nrst declared that
the thought of food sickened him.
Prevailed upon al lust by Mrs. Dine *
to taste the soup , tie was soon eating
as those present had of late rarely seen
him eat.
" Taln't a natural appetite , . iough , "
he warned them. "Ha a kind of a
niRiiln before 1 iv > nil t < > pl"ct'H. I
s'pose. "
"Nonsense ! We'll have you all right
In a week , " said Perclval. "Just remember - ,
member that I'm going to take care of
you. "
"My Mii can do anything he makes
up his mind to , " declared Mrs. Bines
just anything hi : lays out to do. "
They talked until late Into the night
of what he hhoiihl "lay out" to do ,
Meantime the stronghold of Man-
Mini's , optimism was being desperate
ly stormed.
In an evening paper he had read of
Purclval's losses. The afternoon press
of New York Is not apt to understate
the facts of a given case. The aecoun *
Mauburn road stated that the young
western mllllon.ilif had beggared his
family.
Mauburn had gone to hU room to be
alone with tins bitter nows. He had
begun to face it when Psycho's note
of roloaup came. While he was ad
justing this development , another
knock mine on his door. It wan the
same maid who had brought Psycho's
note This tlmo she brought what ha
saw to bo a cablegram.
me , Mr. Maiiburn now this
came early to-day , ami you wasn't in
your room , and when you came In Mrs.
Ferguson forgot It till Just now. "
He tore open the envelope and read :
"Male twins born to J.aily CatjseUtlorpe
Mother and norm doliiK finely.
"IIlNKUi. "
Mauburn felt the rock foundations of
Manhattan Island to be crumbling to
dust. For an hour he sat staring at
the message. He did not talk to him
self once.
( Continued Next Week )