Argosy, Vol. 1 (1882) — page 96: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

w& The others glanced from him to Joe, expectantly. The American, calmly occupied with his cigar, was to all ap- pearances unconscious that their inter- est was focused upon him. “It is a genuine pleasure, Don Oc- tavio,” he said, “ to indulge in wine and tobacco upon its native soil.” ‘Yes, yes, doubtless,’”’ returned the don, fidgeting; “we think down here that the flavor of our native wine is excellent, and we have no question as to the quality of our cigars.” ‘“ There certainly can be none,” said Joe, puffing away with the utmost con- tent. “Hem! Hem! Ha!” coughed the don awkwardly, “ you were going to tell us something about your ideas of a street car line; I believe, Senor Bar- ber.” “My mind shall be an open book to you, gentlemen,” Joe responded, “ but it is little more than a blank page. In fact, | can hardly see more than one line written across it.” “That one line,” suggested the don, “ might speak volumes to us.” Well, then, you shall have it. It is simply this: There should be a trolley line between Ponce and the port.” ‘Are you quite decided, then, that that would be a sound investment? ”’ asked Hernandez. “ There,” answered Joe, “ you step beyond the bounds of what 1s written on the page of my mind. I am a stran- ger here,.and not as weil qualified as you gentlemen to estimate the pecunt- ary advantages of the investment. I can see in it a great public utility, but further than that I am not prepared to go without more thought on it.” “ Then,” said Vasquez, “ you would be prepared to advocate it as a public improvement? ” “ Qh, yes, but I should not then care to take a personal interest in it.” “Ina matter of this kind,” said Vila- mil, “ much depends upon the first cost. Doubtless Senor Barber can give us some figures as a basis for discussion.” THE AMERICAN SYNDICATE. 87 Of course Senor Barber could do just that, and it was the opportunity to present such figures gracefully that he had been waiting for. The discussion was thus started in earnest, and itt con- tinued for a long time. The Porto Ricans had a great many questions to ask, and Joe answered them with promptness, rf not always with definiteness. It was not altogether guess work for him. He did know something about the construction and management of trolley lines, and better than that, he knew just what concern in the United States to turn to for de- veloping the business possibility that he foresaw. He had no sooner observed the cry- ing demand for better transportation between the port and the city than the name of this concern had occurred to him, and he was even then half deter- mined to write at once to New York and get a representative of the concern to come to Ponce by the next steamer. That he had not done so was because of his more fixed determination to keep the American end of it in his own hands. You may be very sure that Joe did not confess as much as this to his Porto Rican acquaintances. His talk seemed to them to be of a sternly practical na- ture, and rather that of a man who was reluctantly affording them an oppor- tunity to make a good investment than that of one who was frantically eager to get his grip upon their purses. Some questions were asked relative to the arrangements that could be made by Porto Ricans for sharing in the en- terprise. foe responded with an im- mense assumption of guardedness. It took all his self control to keep from offering them an option tn the proposed company for a small sum, spot cash. Two or three times it did seem as if such an offer would have been accepted, but Joe’s prudence prevailed over his crying need, and at the end of the con- versation the assembled _ capitalists sre Pye knew no more than theta 5.