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of life。 Did you notice how some of them stared at us； as though they
were but half awake in the heat； with that glow on their faces？ It made
me afraidafraid that they'll wake up some day； and then they will be
terrible。 I thought of the children。 It seems not only wicked； but mad
to bring ignorant foreigners over here and make them slaves like that；
and so many of them are hurt and maimed。 I can't forget them。〃
〃You're talking Socialism；〃 I said crossly； wondering whether Lucia had
taken it up as her latest fad。
〃Oh； no； I'm not；〃 said Maude； 〃I don't know what Socialism is。 I'm
talking about something that anyone who is not dazzled by all this luxury
we are living in might be able to see； about something which； when it
comes； we shan't be able to help。〃
I ridiculed this。 The prophecy itself did not disturb me half as much as
the fact that she had made it； as this new evidence that she was
beginning to think for herself； and along lines so different from my own
development。
While it lasted； before novelists； playwrights； professors and ministers
of the Gospel abandoned their proper sphere to destroy it； that Golden
Age was heaven； the New Jerusalemin which we had ceased to believe
would have been in the nature of an anticlimax to any of our archangels
of finance who might have attained it。 The streets of our own city
turned out to be gold； gold likewise the acres of unused； scrubby land on
our outskirts； as the incident of the Riverside Franchisewhich I am
about to relateamply proved。
That scheme originated in the alert mind of Mr。 Frederick Grierson； and
in spite of the fact that it has since become notorious in the eyes of a
virtue…stricken public； it was entered into with all innocence at the
time： most of the men who were present at the 〃magnate's〃 table at the
Boyne Club the day Mr。 Grierson broached it will vouch for this。 He
casually asked Mr。 Dickinson if he had ever noticed a tract lying on the
river about two miles beyond the Heights； opposite what used to be in the
old days a road house。
〃This city is growing so fast； Leonard；〃 said Grierson； lighting a
special cigar the Club kept for him； 〃that it might pay a few of us to
get together and buy that tract； have the city put in streets and sewers
and sell it in building lots。 I think I can get most of it at less than
three hundred dollars an acre。〃
Mr。 Dickinson was interested。 So were Mr。 Ogilvy and Ralph Hambleton；
and Mr。 Scherer； who chanced to be there。 Anything Fred Grierson had to
say on the question of real estate was always interesting。 He went on to
describe the tract； its size and location。
〃That's all very well； Fred；〃 Dickinson objected presently； 〃but how are
your prospective householders going to get out there？〃
〃Just what I was coming to；〃 cried Grierson； triumphantly； 〃we'll get a
franchise； and build a street…railroad out Maplewood Avenue； an extension
of the Park Street line。 We can get the franchise for next to nothing；
if we work it right。〃 （Mr。 Grierson's eye fell on me）； 〃and sell it out
to the public； if you underwrite it； for two million or so。〃
〃Well； you've got your nerve with you； Fred； as usual；〃 said Dickinson。
But he rolled his cigar in his mouth； an indication； to those who knew
him well； that he was considering the matter。 When Leonard Dickinson
didn't say 〃no〃 at once； there was hope。 〃What do you think the property
holders on Maplewood Avenue would say？ Wasn't it understood； when that
avenue was laid out； that it was to form part of the system of
boulevards？〃
〃What difference does it make what they say？〃 Ralph interposed。
Dickinson smiled。 He； too； had an exaggerated respect for Ralph。 We all
thought the proposal daring； but in no way amazing； the public existed to
be sold things to； and what did it matter if the Maplewood residents； as
Ralph said； and the City Improvement League protested？
Perry Blackwood was the Secretary of the City Improvement League； the
object of which was to beautify the city by laying out a system of
parkways。
The next day some of us gathered in Dickinson's office and decided that
Grierson should go ahead and get the options。 This was done； not； of
course； in Grierson's name。 The next move； before the formation of the
Riverside Company； was to 〃see〃 Mr。 Judd Jason。 The success or failure
of the enterprise was in his hands。 Mahomet must go to the mountain； and
I went to Monahan's saloon； first having made an appointment。 It was not
the first time I had been there since I had made that first memorable
visit； but I never quite got over the feeling of a neophyte before
Buddha； though I did not go so far as to analyze the reason；that in Mr。
Jason I was brought face to face with the concrete embodiment of the
philosophy I had adopted； the logical consequence of enlightened self…
interest。 If he had ever heard of it； he would have made no pretence of
being anything else。 Greatness； declares some modern philosopher； has no
connection with virtue； it is the continued； strong and logical
expression of some instinct； in Mr。 Jason's case； the predatory instinct。
And like a true artist； he loved his career for itselfnot for what its
fruits could buy。 He might have built a palace on the Heights with the
tolls he took from the disreputable houses of the city； he was contented
with Monahan's saloon： nor did he seek to propitiate a possible God by
endowing churches and hospitals with a portion of his income。 Try though
I might； I never could achieve the perfection of this man's contempt for
all other philosophies。 The very fact of my going there in secret to
that dark place of his from out of the bright； respectable region in
which I lived was in itself an acknowledgment of this。 I thought him a
thiefa necessary thiefand he knew it： he was indifferent to it； and
it amused him； I think； to see clinging to me； when I entered his
presence； shreds of that morality which those of my world who dealt with
him thought so needful for the sake of decency。
He was in bed； reading newspapers； as usual。 An empty coffee…cup and a
plate were on the littered table。
〃Sit down； sit down； Paret；〃 he said。 〃What do you hear from the
Senator？〃
I sat down； and gave him the news of Mr。 Watling。 He seemed； as usual；
distrait； betraying no curiosity as to the object of my call； his lean；
brown fingers playing with the newspapers on his lap。 Suddenly； he
flashed out at me one of those remarks which produced the uncanny
conviction that； so far as affairs in the city were concerned； he was
omniscient。
〃I hear somebody has been getting options on that tract of land beyond
the Heights； on the river。〃
He had 〃focussed。〃
〃How did you hear that？〃 I asked。
He smiled。
〃It's Grierson； ain't it？〃
〃Yes； it's Grierson；〃 I said。
〃How are you going to get your folks out there？〃 he demanded。
〃That's what I've come to see you about。 We want a franchise for
Maplewood Avenue。〃
〃Maplewood Avenue！〃 He lay back with his eyes closed； as though trying to
visualize such a colossal proposal。。。。
When I left him； two hours later； the details were all arranged； down to
Mr。 Jason's co