Virginia seeks an

cozy quarters. I had come to listen to the details of that booming enterprise with the epidemic proclivities, the

and necessities, half a dozen bottles of claret, a segment of cheese, and some heads of lettuce; the whole surmounted by a clean leather-c

preceding me through the dark passage. I followed, mounted the old-fashioned wooden ste

ustr

nt I was sharing with that genial gent

es; and here, Chad, befo' you go hand me that claret. Bless my soul! it is as cold as a dog's nose; Fitz,

t a-burnin' none." And the colonel, satisfied now that Chad's hand had reached the oven door below, made a

ook to a certain extent of his personality-open, bright, and with a great draft of enthusiasm always rushi

hours we both get sleepy together, and I cover it up with its gray blanket of ashes and then go to bed myself. Ah, Major! when you are gettin' old and have no wi

tlemen. We do not have any such weather i

ap, his round face aglow with the firelight, and compared h

ied about you when you came

ed. Enormous strain, suh, on a man solving the vast com

table, and the various other commodities on the sideboard. When he reached the pass-book he straightened himself up, held it off admirin

ant to the sto' for my supplies. He returns in haalf an hour with everything I need, and brings back this book which I keep,-remember, gentlemen, which I keep,-a mark of confidence which in this degen'rate age

slight tremor around t

sed nothing but th

entleman's feelin's by doin' so for the world," he re

workings, there was no mistaking the co

said Fitz, turning to me, his face wri

when all was ready and the table candles were lighted, he announced that

s and family blood to possum hunts and modern literature, while the

where else was he so charming, and nowhere else did the ma

erfect honesty and sincerity underlying everything he did. But it was not until the cheese had completely lost its geometrical form, the coffee served, and the pipes lighted, that the subje

all over with the charm of good-fellowship, but never poison it with the cares of yo'

ring around a package of papers, and spreading them out like a g

the office, and so the colonel proceeded without it, appealing now

here this road runs," said the colonel, reaching for the casters. "I am sorry I hav

thousand. From this point the line follows the bank of the Big Tench River-marked by this caarvin'-knife-to this salt-cellar, where it crosses its waters by an iron bridge of two s

haven't room enough to lay out

ancestor, suh, General Thomas Wilmot Fairfax of Somerset, England, who settled here in 1680. From here we take a course due na

road at Warren

the scheme, for there can be no competition;" and the colonel leaned back in his chair, and looked at me with the a

the carving-knife to the salt-cellar and back in a loop to the cheese, and then asked if the Big Tench

er Hall," said

" I asked in pe

as on his fee

'lies of Virginia, not to be of any advantage to a new enterprise like this! Why, suh, it will give an air of respectability to the

life it has," replied Fitz, solemn as a graven

l build a round-house marked by this napkin-ring, which will accommodate twelve locomotives, construct extensive shops for repairs, and erect large foundries and caar-shops. Altoge

rected. I have the refusal"-here the colonel lowered his voice-"of two thousand acres of the best private-residence land in the county, contiguous to this very spot, which I can buy for fo' dollars an acre. It is worth fo' dollars a square foot if it is worth a penny. But, suh, it would be

sire to get at the facts, "where is the G

ear Major; I am

ad that p

city until I go over the ground, which we will do together shortly. But"-raising the candle to the level of his nose-"this is as near as I can come to your ideas with any hopes of putting the loan thr

AND WARRENTOWN

VIRGINIA SEEKS AN

LLION OF DOLLA

s' shares at .

nary " " .

PURPOSES OF CO

IN 1,000 FIRST MORTGAGE

ECTION GU

ferred Debenture Bonds of the C.& W. Air Line Railroad at par and accrue

Promoters reserve the right to adv

rries conviction on its vehy face," sai

was about to ask him what it all meant, when the colo

is one thing

e of the banker; I ha

rds, 'Subscriptions o

ondon, Rich

lle?" sugg

ainly

y in Cart

ould give tone and dignity to any subscription list. Think of this, suh!" and the colonel traced ima

OWNES, Member of the

0 sh

. I.B.

he Distric

nty.......

HOMAS C

nfederate Army

friends, suh, and would

il and without a word inse

ument for another brief mom

ou mean, by 'full pro

of course,-the man

nd of pr

ge when the interest is not paid, of co

s has ruined haalf the gentlemen in our county, suh. But for that foolishness two thi

ause you couldn't get a banker to touch your bond

cally give away at fifty cents on the dollar-twice as valuable. I appreciate, my dear Fitz, the effo

exactly the way in which I propose to forward this enterprise. Chad, bring me thr

self, "is to start this scheme honestly in the beginnin', and avoid

ties of this class are not paid when they become due. As a gen'ral rule this interest money is never earned for the fust two years, and the

eeing the colonel

erybody knows exactly where they stand. They

eristic roars and asked if t

moment answer, bu

are all speculators, and like excitement. The very uncertainty as to thi

eriod of time in which to foster a great enterprise like the C.& W.A.L.R.R., and it is for this purpose that I issue t

spin' banker seeks to trammel this enterprise by any fo'closure cla

all such harassing clauses, and t

irst subscribers. They cost one tenth of the ordinary shares and draw five times as much dividend. It is

ese Founders' s

and at ten d

moment and communed i

cash, and the balance in such po'tion of my estate

e prospectus with the same sort of respectful silence he would have shown the Rothschilds in a sim

hand on my shoulder. Before I could reply Fitz raised his finger, l

jor and I will divide the remaining tw

give you ample notice, Major, before t

of my life to have you both with me in this enterprise, but I had no idea it would be realized so soon. Fill yo' glasses a

ng like a millionaire myself, and to wonder whether this were not the opportunity of my life. Fitz was so far affected that he recanted to a cer

s the finding of a banker who would attempt to negotiate the loan, the subsequent selling of the securities, and the minor items of right of way, construction, etc., were matters so light and trivial as no

undation for the centre-pier of that bridge, and some one should be sent at once to make a survey. We can't be delayed at this point a day. And, Fitz, while I think of

at effect, recording the suggestion very much as a priv

fire,-an attitude never indulged in except on rare occasions, and then only when the ver

ht; face in hands, elbows on knees, crooning over the fire, the silver streaks in his hair glistening in the flickering firelight, building castles in the glowing coals,-the old manor house restored and the barns rebuilt, the gates rehung, the old quarters repaired,

ressed joy, visible in his face even when he began loosening the two lower buttons of his old threadb

ustr

tened his smile from one of triu

ing must be done there; we must

ndment here, and a suggestion there, until

e door, with parting instructions to Fitz, saying over and over again that it had been the happiest night of his life. And he would have gone bare

what kind foolishness dis yer? I

suddenly thoughtful, and did not speak until we reached the tall clock tower

here and there with belated wayfarers trudging home through th

heme like the colonel's, and yet I keep on lying to the dear old fellow day

tell h

shoulder, looked me strai

t would brea