or an ally in the deal, and certainly he was a
stock-selling power throughout New England. He had agreed to go before
the Legislature and the public, and pledge his word that his scheme
would do all the wonderful things he had promised for it.[8] And when
amid acclamation the charter was awarded and it became known that we
were its beneficiaries, I could see our stock soaring.

FOOTNOTES:

[8] As a matter of fact, he did, later, in the peroration of an eloquent
address before a public legislative hearing, electrify the law-makers with:
"I here and now pledge my word, my fortune, and my sacred honor to the
fulfilment of these promises."

CHAPTER XX

AN AWKWARD ATTACK OF APPENDICITIS

In no walk of life is that head-light axiom, "Man proposes, God
disposes," so often flashed plump in the eyes of enthusiastic travellers
for their bewilderment or befuddlement as in finance. At this very
moment of success I was, without knowing it, on the brink of ruin, owing
to causes and conditions which were beyond human power to calculate or
foresee. Here is what happened:

All the details of our bargain having at last been agreed upon verbally,
it was proper the principals should get together and formally execute
the documents which should bind the trade. We arranged to meet on a
given Saturday at the beautiful stock-farm of Parker C. Chandler, Esq.,
the Bay State's general counsel, and as secrecy was important, a special
train was to take the party the twenty-five miles out of Boston. By an
unavoidable accident I missed the train, and in driving over the road in
a bleak rain-storm, caught a violent cold. I was about three hours late,
but when I arrived we went to work with a will and by seven o'clock,
shortly before dinner, our contracts had been dictated to the
stenographers and would be typed, ready to sign, by the time we came to
our coffee.

That dinner was a thing to be remembered. No one in New England
understands more admirably the art of dining than does Parker Chandler,
and he gave us a feast worthy to celebrate the brilliant new combination
which was to end all our troubles and lead us out of darkness into the
light. As the cheese was being served I was seized suddenly with a
terrible pain, which was followed by convulsions. They carried me to a
bedroom; lawyers and capitalists went scurrying after doctors, and in
the confusion the documents which were all ready awaiting execution were
put aside. It was obvio