ki Suits began to drag Chains across
Lots, a wave of Joy engulfed Main Street from the Grain Elevator clear
out to the Creamery.

Then came 10,000 Carusos, temporarily residing in Box Cars, to
disarrange the Face of Nature and put a Culvert over the Crick. Real
Estate Dealers emerged from their Holes and local Rip Van Winkles
began to sit up and rub their Eyes.

One morning a Train zipped through the Cut and pulled up at the New
Station.

The Road was an Assured Fact. The Rails were spiked down; the Rolling
Stock was in Commission; Trains were running according to Schedule.

There was no longer any Reason for Waiting, so the Citizens hiked over
to the Court House and began to file Damage Suits. The Town Council
started in to pass Ordinances and the Board of Equalization whooped the
Taxes.

Horny-handed Jurors hung around the Circuit Court-Room waiting for a
Chance to take a Wallop at the soulless Corporation.

When the Promoter came along on a Tour of Inspection, the only Person
down to meet him was the Sheriff.

Children in the Public School practised the new Oval Penmanship by
filling their Copy-Books with the following popular Catch-Line: "When
you have a Chance to Soak the Railroad, go to it."

And the Trains never ran to suit Everybody.

MORAL: Go easy with Capital until you get it Roped and Tied.

THE HEIR AND THE HEIRESS

Once upon a Time there was a Work-Horse who used to lie awake Nights
framing up Schemes to Corral more Collateral to leave to the Olive
Branches.

They may have looked like Jimpson Weeds to the rest of the World but
to Pa and Ma they were A-1 Olive Branches.

Pa was a self made Proposition--Sole-Leather, Hand-Stitched and Four-
Ply, with Rivets around the Edge.

His Business Career had been one long Rassle with Adverse
Circumstances. Nothing was ever handed to him on a Sheffield Tray
with Parsley around it. The World owed him a Living, but in order
to collect it he had to conduct his Arguments with a piece of Lead-Pipe.

He was out for the Kids, if you know what that means. He was
collecting Hebrew Diplomas and he had a special Liking for the
light-colored Variety with a large C in the Corner.

He was going to provide for his Family, regardless of what happened to
other Families.

He had a little Office back of the Bank and made a Specialty of helping
those overtaken by Trouble. Any one in Financial Straits who went into
the Back Office to arrange for a Loan was