Jasper County Democrat, Volume 9, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 August 1906 — The Manager Of the B. & A. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Manager Of the B. & A.

By VAUGHAN KESTER

SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS. I-'-Dan Oakley, Manager of the Buckhorn and Antioch railroad (known as the "Huckleberry”), receives two letters, one telling him that his convict father, Roser Oakley, has been pardoned, and the other that General Cornish, the owner of the B. & A., is about to visit Antioch. ll—Oakley visits Dr. Emory and meets Constance Emory. Other visitors are Griff Ryder, owner of the Antioch Herald, and Turner Joice, the local artist.

CHAPTER 111. OAKLEY took the satchel from General Cornish's hand as the latter stepped from his private car. “You got my note, I see,” he said. "I think I'll go to the hotel for the rest of the night.” He glanced back over his shoulder as he turned with Dan toward the bus which was waiting for them at the end of the platform. "I guess no one else got off here. It's not much of a railroad center.” “No,” agreed Oakley impartially; "there are towns where the traffic is heavier." Arrived at the hotel, Oakley led the .way upstairs to the general’s room. It adjoined his own. Cornish paused on the threshold until he had lighted the gas. “Light the other burner, will you?” he requested. "There, thanks, that’s better.” He was a portly man of sixty, with a large head and heavy face. Ills father had been a Vermont fanner, a man of position and means according to the easy standard of his times. When the civil war broke out young Cornish, who was just commencing the practice of the law, had enlisted as a private In one of the first regiments raised by his state. Prior to this he had overflowed with fervid oratory and had tried hard to look like Daniel Webster, but a skirmish or two opened his eyes to the fact that the waging of war was a sober business and the polishing off of his sentences not nearly as important as the polishing off of the enemy. He was still willing to die for the Union if there was need of it, but while his life was spared it was well to get on. The numerical Importance of number one was a belief too firmly Implanted in his nature to be overthrown by any His own merits, which he was among the first to recognise. and the solid backing his father was able to give won him promotion. He had risen to the command of a regiment, and when the war ended was brevetted a brigadier general of volunteers along a score of other anxious warriors who wished to carry the title of general back into civil life, for he was an amiable sort of a Shylock, who seldom overlooked his pound of flesh, and he usually got all and a little more than was coming to him. After the war he married and went west, where he resumed the practice of his profession, but he soon abandoned it for a commercial career. It was not long until he was ranked as one of lhe rich men of bls state. Then he turned his attention to politics. He was twice elected to congress and served one term as governor. One of his daughters had married an Italian prince, a meek, prosaic little creature exactly five feet three inches tall. Another was engaged to an English earl, whose debts were a remarkable achievement for so young a man. His wife now divided her time between Paris and Ixmdon. She didn't think much of New York, which had thought even less of her. He managed to see her once or twice a year. Any of teller would have been superfluous There were moments, however, when he felt his life to be wholly unsatisfactory. He derived very little pleasure from all the luxury that had accumulated about him and which he accepted with a curious placid indifference. He would have liked the affection of his children, to have had them at home, and there was a remote period In his past when his wife had Inspired him with a sentiment nt which he could only wonder. He held it against her that she bad not understood. He lurched down solidly into the chair Oakley placed for him. “I hope you are comfortable here,” he said kindly. “Oh. yes." He still stood. “Sit down,” said Cornish. “I don't, as a rule, believe in staytug up after midnight to talk business, but I must" start east tomorrow.” He slipped out of his chair and began to pace the floor, with his hands thrust deep in his trousers pockets. “I want to talk over the situation here. I don't see that the road is ever going to make a dollar. I’ve an (opportunity to sell It to the M. and W. Of course this Is extremely confidential. It must not go any further. I am told they will discontinue it beyond this point, and of course they will either move the shops;away or close them." He paused in his rapid walk. “It’s too bad It never paid. It was the first thing I did when I came west. I thought it a pretty big thing then. I have always hoped it would justify my judgment, and It promised to for awhile mjtll the lumber Interests played out. Now, what do you advise, Oakley? I want to get your ideas. You understand If I sell I won’t lose much. The price offered will just about meet the mortgage I bold, bnt I guess the stockholders will come out at the little end of the horn."

" ’Oakley understood exactly what was ahead of the stockholders if the road changed hands. Perhaps his face showed that he was thinking of this, for the general observed charitably: “It's unfortunate, but you can’t mix sentiment in a transaction of this sort I’d like to see them all get their money back, and more too.” His mental attitude toward the world was one of generous liberality, but he had such excellent control over his impulses that, while he always seemed about to embark in some large philanthropy, he had never been known to take even the first step In that direction. In short, he was hard and unemotional, but with a deceptive, unswerving kindliness of manner which, while it had probably never involved a dollar of his riches, had at divers times cost the unwary and the indiscreet much money. “I am sure the road could be put on a paying basis,” said Oakley. “Certain quite possible economies would do that Of course we can’t create business; there is just so much of it and we get it all as it is. But the shops might be made very profitable. I have secured a good deal of work for them and I shall secure more. I had Intended to propose a number of reforms, but If you are going to sell, why, there’s no use of going into the matter”— He paused. The general meditated In silence for a moment. “I’d hate to sacrifice my interests if I thought you could even make the road pay expenses. Now, Just what do you intend to do?" “I'll get my order book and show you what’s been done for the shops,” said Oakley, rising with alacrity. “I have figured out the changes, too, and you can see at a glance just what I propose doing." The road and the shops employed some 500 men, most of whom had their homes in Antioch. Oakley knew that if the property was sold It would practically wipe the town out of existence. The situation was full of Interest for him. If Cornish approved and told him to go ahead with his reforms, It would be an opportunity such as he had never known. He went into his own room, which opened off Cornish’s, and got his order book and table of figures, which he had carried up from the office that afternoon. He had taken a great deal of pains with his figures, and they seemed to satisfy Cornish that the road if properly managed was not such a hopeless proposition after all. Something might be done with it. Oakley rose in his good esteem. Ho had liked him, and he was justifying his good opinion. He beamed benevolently on the young man and thawed out of his habitual reserve Into a genial, ponderous frankness. “You have done well,” he said, glancing through the order book, with evident satisfaction. “Of course.” explained Oakley, “I am going to make a cut in wages this spring If you agree to it, but I haven’t the figures pr this yet." The general nodded. He approved of cuts on principle. "That's always a wise move,” he said. "Will they stand It?" "They’ll have to.” And Oakley laughed rather nervously, lit* appreciated that his reforms were likely to make him very unpopular In Antioch. "They shouldn't object. If the road changes hands it will kill their town." “1 suppose so," agreed Cornish Indifferently. “An'd half a loaf Is lots better than no bread,” added Oakley. Again the general nodded his approval.

“You have, done well.” he *ild. "What sort of shape la the shop In?” asked after a moment's silence. "Very good ?n the whole.” “I am glad to hear you

tpent ovef~aTiundrea thousand dollars on the plant originally.” “Of course the equipment can hardly be tolled modern, but It Will do for the sort of work for which I am bidding,” Oakley explained. “Well, it will be an interesting prob lem for a young man, Oakley. If yon pull the property ,up ft will be greatly to your credit. I was going to offer you another position, but we will let that go over for the present. I am very pleased, though, with all you have done; very much pleased Indeed. I go abroad in about two weeks. My youngest daughter is to be married In London to the Earl of Mlnchester.” The title rolled glibly from the great man’s lips. “So you’ll have the fight, if it Is a fight, all to yourself. I’ll see that Holloway does what you say. He’s the only one you’ll have to look to in my absence, but you won’t be able to count on him for anything. He gets limp in a crisis. Just don’t make the mistake of asking his advice.” “I'd rather have no advice," interrupted Dan hastily, “unless it’s yours,” he added. “I’ll see that you are not bothered. You are the sort of fellow who will do better with a free hand, and that is what I Intend you shall have.” “Thank you,” said Oakley, his heart warming with the other'sff>raise. “I shall be back in three months, and then If your schemes have worked out at all as we expect, why, we can consider putting the property in better shape.” (A part of Oakley’s plan.) “As you say, it’s gone down so there won’t be much but the right of way presently.” “I hope that eventually there’ll be profits,” said Oakley, whose mind was beginning to reach out into the future. “I guess the stockholders will drop dead If we ever earn a dividend. That’s the last thing they are looking forward to,” remarked Cornish dryly. “Will you leave a 6:30 call at the office for me? I forgot, and I must take the first train. Good night” [TO BE CONTINUED) A few odds and ends left of the great clearance sale at one-half price to close out, at the Chicago Bargain Store.