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And outside the church； oh； my brothers； surged and heaved the rank
and file of the tribe of Rubberers。 in two bodies they were； with the
grosgrain carpet and cops with clubs between。 They crowded like cattle；
they fought； they pressed and surged and swayed and trampled one
another to see a bit of a girl in a white veil acquire license to go through a
man's pockets while be sleeps。 But the hour for the wedding came and
went； and the bride and bridegroom came not。 And impatience gave way
to alarm and alarm brought about search； and they were not found。 And
then two big police… men took a band and dragged out of the furious mob
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of onlookers a crushed and trampled thing； with a wedding ring in its vest
pocket and a shredded and hysterical woman beating her way to the
carpet's edge； ragged； bruised and obstreperous。
William Pry and Violet Seymour； creatures of habit； had joined in the
seething game of the specta… tors； unable to resist the overwhelming desire
to gaze upon themselves entering； as bride and bridegroom； the rose…
decked church。
Rubber will out。
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The Voice of the City
ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS
〃One thousand dollars；〃 repeated Lawyer Tolman； solemnly and
severely； 〃and here is the money。〃
Young Gillian gave a decidedly amused laugh as he fingered the thin
package of new fifty…dollar notes。
〃It's such a confoundedly awkward amount；〃 he explained； genially； to
the lawyer。 〃If it had been ten thousand a fellow might wind up with a lot
of fireworks and do himself credit。 Even fifty dollars would have been less
trouble。〃
〃You heard the reading of your uncle's will；〃 con… tinued Lawyer
Tolman； professionally dry in his tones。 〃I do not know if you paid much
attention to its details。 I must remind you of one。 You are required to
render to us an account of the manner of expenditure of this 1；000 as
soon as you have dis… posed of it。 The will stipulates that。 I trust that you
will so far comply with the late Mr。 Gillian's wishes。〃
〃You may depend upon it；〃 said the young man。％ politely； 〃in spite of
the extra expense it will entail。 I may have to engage a secretary。 I was
never good at accounts。〃
Gillian went to his club。 There be hunted out one whom he called Old
Bryson。
Old Bryson was calm and forty and sequestered。 He was in a corner
reading a book； and when he saw Gillian approaching he sighed； laid
down his book and took off his glasses。
〃Old Bryson； wake up；〃 said Gillian。 〃I've a funny story to tell you。〃
〃 I wish you would tell it to some one in the billiard room；〃 said Old
Bryson。 〃You know how I hate your stories。〃
〃 This is a better one than usual；〃 said Gillian； rolling a cigarette； 〃 and
I'm glad to tell it to you。 It's too sad and funny to go with the rattling of
billiard bars。 I've just come from my late uncle's firm of legal corsairs。 He
leaves me an even thou… sand dollars。 Now； what can a man possibly do
with a thousand dollars？ 〃
〃I thought；〃 said Old Bryson； showing as much interest as a bee shows
in a vinegar cruet； 〃that the late Septimus Gillian was worth something
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like half a million。〃
〃 He was；〃 assented Gillian； joyously； 〃 and that's where the joke
comes in。 He's left his whole cargo of doubloons to a microbe。 That is；
part of it goes to the man who invents a new bacillus and the rest to es…
tablish a hospital for doing away with it again。
There are one or two trifling bequests on the side。 … the butler and the
housekeeper get a seal ring and 10 each。 His nephew gets 1；000。〃
〃You've always had plenty of money to spend；〃 observed Old Bryson。
〃Tons；〃 said Gillian。 〃Uncle was the fairygod… mother as far as an
allowance was concerned。〃
〃Any other heirs？ 〃 asked Old Bryson。
〃None。〃 Gillian frowned at his cigarette and kicked the upholstered
leather of a divan uneasily。
There is a Miss Hayden； a ward of my uncle； who lived in his house。
She's a quiet thing … musical … the daughter of somebody who was unlucky
enough to be his friend。 I forgot to say that she was in on the seal ring and
10 joke； too。 I wish I had been。 Then I could have had two bottles of brut；
tipped the waiter with the ring and had the whole business off my bands。
Don't be superior and insulting； Old Bry… son … tell me what a fellow can
do with a thousand dollars。〃 Old Bryson rubbed his glasses and smiled。
And when Old Bryson smiled； Gillian knew that be in… tended to be more
offensive than ever。
〃A thousand dollars；〃 lie said； 〃means much or little。 One man may
buy a happy home with it and laugh at Rockefeller。 Another could send his
wife South with it and save her life。 A thousand dollars would buy pure
milk for one hundred babies during June； July； and August and save fifty
of their lives。 You could count upon a half hour's diversion with it at faro
in one of the fortified art galleries。 It would furnish an education to an
ambitious boy。 I am told that a genuine Corot was secured for that amount
in an auction room yesterday。 You could move to a New Hampshire town
and live respectably two years on it。 You could rent Madison Square
Garden for one evening with it； and lecture your audience； if you should
have one； on the precariousness of the pro… fession of heir presumptive。〃
〃People might like you； Old Bryson；〃 said Gillian； always unruffled；
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〃if you wouldn't moralize。 I asked you to tell me what I could do with a
thousand dollars。〃
〃You？〃 said Bryson； with a gentle laugh。 〃Why； Bobby Gillian； there's
only one logical thing you could do。 You can go buy Miss Lotta Lauriere a
diamond pendant with the money； and then take yourself off to Idaho and
inflict； your presence upon a ranch。 I advise a sheep ranch； as I have a
particular dislike for sheep。〃
〃Thanks；〃 said Gillian； rising； 〃I thought I could depend upon you； Old
Bryson。 You've hit on the very scheme。 I wanted to chuck the money in a
lump； for I've got to turn in an account for it； and I hate itemizing。〃
Gillian phoned for a cab and said to the driver： 〃The stage entrance of
the Columbine Theatre。〃… Miss Lotta Lauriere was assisting nature with a
powder puff； almost ready for her call at a crowded Matinee； when her
dresser mentioned the name of Mr。 Gillian。
〃Let it in；〃 said Miss Lauriere。 〃 Now； what is it； Bobby？ I'm going on
in two minutes。〃
〃Rabbit…foot your right ear a little；〃 suggested Gillian； critically。 〃
That's better。 It won't take two minutes for me。 What do you say to a little
thing in the pendant line？ I can stand three ciphers with a figure one in
front of 'em。〃
〃Oh； just as you say；〃 carolled Miss Lauriere。 my right glove； Adams。
Say； Bobby； did you see that necklace Della Stacey had on the other night？
Twenty…two hundred do