The triple alliance

Preface

The purpose of this book is especially designed to prove all true success is promoted through the lofty principles enjoyed by the seeker after its favors, and is measured by the insistent and frequent applica¬ tion of the choice traits of character thoroughly im¬ bued with elements, that make for straightforward action with strict honesty of purpose. Such were the traits of character instilled into the minds of the young people of our story, during their young rural life among the hills of old New England, that it would have been difficult indeed, for them to have accepted other than the righteous way.

The story has actuality for its base, while some names and places are fictitious, the personalities, the environments, the deeds and experiences, the alliance proposition, the matrimonial entanglements and the happy results, all owe their inception to actualities. The object lesson here involved, serves to prove that the prominent traits displayed by these young people in their every approach of the stranger have commanded his respect and endeavor, also proving it were possible, even with human nature as selfishly organized, to successfully culminate a seemingly impossible proposition.

Table Of Contents

Preface

Chapter I—A Rural Inheritance Chapter II—Searching for Babies Chapter III—The Coveted Franchise Chapter IV—The Prohib and the Spook Chapter V—The Searchers Return Chapter VI—Jonas Scores Chapter VII—That Irresistible Yankee Chapter VIII—Basil's Triumph Chapter IX—A Quadruplex Wedding Chapter X—The Women Vote

Chapter I

As the principal river of old New England courses its way down from the hills of Vermont and New Hampshire, from whence it gathers its head among a thousand springs, sparkling forth with dog¬ matic persistency, delivering the first element of sustenance for the well-being of all phases in life, the impression is forced of the gathering momentum, all-sufficient to gain greatly in importance as a fac¬ tor of enchantment and power.

After passing over the line in old Puritan Massa¬ chusetts, it bethinks it discovers amid the countless murmurs of its own ripples, a murmur of appeal, a whimper of distress, which so agitates its sympa¬ thies, that it pauses upon its merry journey to in¬ quire, what hast thou little one in common with me, wherein can I be of service in alleviating thy wrongs, imaginative or otherwise?

Stop, if thou wilt, on your onward happy course, plaintively implores the whimper, and listen to me. I have come all the way down from yonder hilltops, in search of some tangible outlet to the heaven-wide sea, I have among my assets much valuable material that the wide wide world is in need of and quite anxious to obtain. My mission at the moment is, to seek entrance to thine all-powerful roadstead and I implore thee, most gracious parent, to open up thy side line and let me come in.

This is the plaint of an ambitious self-respecting mountain stream, circuiting its way rapidly through the narrow and intricate gorges, from near the sum¬ mit of majestic old Hoosic. It must indeed find an outlet for its gathering force, and the father of New England waters can do no less, than to open its arms and let this self-respecting applicant happily come in, thus forming a conjunction that makes for its own further aggrandizment, as it passes onward en route to the sea.

This stream, small at its inception and not large at its surrender, drains beside the hills of old Hoosic, many small and medium hamlets snugly ensconced, throughout a portion of northwestern Massachu¬ setts, where the native population is largely rural, and yet, much business is transacted other than the cultivation of the soil, with manufacturing supply¬ ing much labor for the people.

Always have the people throughout this region been prolific, no race suicide has been at all likely to concern the people. The bracing air, the opportu¬ nities for romping exercise, the physical freedom there present, always has developed healthy and robust children, a good old age has oftener been no¬ ticed among these environments than a crippling early demise, while such conditions as obtain here are, of late, being appreciated by the people of busy and crowded cities.

The schools of this romantic neighborhood, pre¬ tend not to furnish a complete life education, thus, the boys and girls are generally expected to spend a year or two on tuition elsewhere; most of the par¬ ents desire their offspring to secure better prepara¬ tion for the battle of life than had been given them, thus, money has been freely voted for schools, when at the usually turbulent annual town meeting, they will battle for hours over other matters that call for increased taxes.

Among the prominent citizens of the village we have in mind as we write, are the Kents, the Carters and the Harts, all thoroughly upright and sturdy citizens and termed throughout the neighborhood, as “Farmer Kent,” “Contractor Carter,” and “Stone Hart,” the latter operating a marble quarry, with power accumulated through the force gained by the village stream, as it courses its way rapidly over the rocky bottom, in its haste to reach its complete sur¬ render.

These three characters were born and raised complete in this neighborhood, attended the same schools, and played together as boys, moreover, have been especially fond of each other throughout. They all married some girl in the neighborhood and brought forth the same number of children, although not divided alike as to sex.

Farmer Kent has a boy and two girls. The boy he named Jonas, one of the girls is much older than the others and she has been named Charity, the other one is called Janice.

Contractor Carter raised two boys and a girl, one boy being much older than the others and some peculiar, and then some.

The quarryman has been blessed with twin girls, and a boy, whom he christened Wesley, the twins are Betty and Bella. The Carter girl is Sybil, the boys are Cyrus and Basil, Cyrus being considerably the older; these have a bachelor uncle who is an¬ other peculiar character.

The Hart children have a maiden aunt of such proportions, mentally and physically, as to often disturb the equanimity of the household, Miss Eunice Hart, by the neighborhood she is usually termed “Aunt Eunice.” The Bachelor uncle is called Jed, as the short for Jared.

These are the characters that must be woven into this largely realistic story and taken altogether if any are used, because of being so intertwined in their lives throughout, from school days to life's ap¬ proaching end. These character personifications portray almost every type of human trait aside from the criminal and must all be utilized to fully equip this life story, to properly serve the purpose intended.

While in school, both boys and girls have always their chums, generally brought about through some natural affinity; circumstances, however, may pre¬ vent some alliances that might occur otherwise, this being more noticeable during the later years, as class, because of wealth, does not at the time this story is laid, prevail to any great extent in a commu¬ nity of this type, each one and all being seemingly quite as desirable as associates in common, nothing can be doing in the line of caste.

The boys, Basil, Wesley and Jonas, are affinity in very truth and practice, having little at variance and much in common, when at the same time they each have distinctive traits and preferences. That they do not think alike concerning many things, is so much to their credit and advantage in the battle of life, that fate has decreed shall fall to their lot. As this story unfolds, the reader will learn to appre¬ ciate perhaps more fully than before, the advantage to be gained through friendly antagonism, engen¬ dered by opposing minds.

These boys are full of frolic and always have some project afoot, to create sport for themselves, even at the expense of some discomfiture to others, but never put over anything of a malicious or cruel character. Matters of serious import often arise be¬ tween these boys, but always a reasoning together will satisfactorily straighten them out. It has been said that where there are no quarrels there can be no “real boys,” but an assembly of nincompoops will substitute.

Whenever trouble is brewing or about to brew, never is there any doubt in the neighborhood of how these boys will line up. Seldom do others effect a combine antagonistic to either one of the boys, form¬ ing what is known and termed to be “The Triple

Alliance,” upon the principle, perhaps, that “in unity lies strength,” and yet, “The Triple Alliance” is not only respected for its prowess, but all its mem¬ bers are loved as school companions. They each have high regard for justice, they will not stand apace and see any wrong, actually an unjustifiable act, committed by anyone whomsoever, especially upon a weaker or handicapped party, and often have they needlessly gotten into trouble, because of this insatiable desire to see fair play.

These three young hopefuls acquired naturally the affinity that is present between them, it simply is an inheritance, really, it needed not to be acquired, it is simply an effect from parental cause, but per¬ haps is considerably intensified as practiced by these boys.

The natural alliance existing between these boys, is often a subject of conversation between the village people, who find it not difficult to account for. What is not so easily accounted for, however, is the undis¬ guised fact that the girls of these affiliated families, do not appear to possess this trait in any marked de¬ gree; it is believed by some, however, to be there just the same, although not so plainly visible as with the boys. The more naturally brutal nature of the boy is bound to portray a trait of this type in plainer exhibit, while the more refined and defensive tend¬ encies of female nature, ordinarily and naturally disclose much of hesitant friendship, leaving not the same margin of evidence for distinction. Thus, ap¬ parently, the girl members of these three families, associated together and with other girls in no abnor¬ mal way.

We are thus particular in describing these char¬ acters, because of the general mix-up subsequent events in their lives force them into, enabling the reader to better grasp the complicated situation, as page after page unfolds of unusual happenings among these stirring youth.

At quite an early day it was evident among the older people, that a bevy of youth is here present that under and with certain combinations, are bound to furnish amusement and interest for the good peo¬ ple of the neighborhood, and likely many places elsewhere, as hardly can it be correctly presumed that all will settle down in the same section. Neither can it be safely calculated that these boys will do as their fathers did in selecting their best girl; some other than a girl of the same village may attract one or more of these “Allied Triplets,” just who, they cannot tell. Cupid sometimes runs freaky during his cranky race, and before all of these scions of worthy old stock, have become lovingly and legally hitched up for keeps, old Cupid may have exhausted many of his resourceful resources, and yet, be puzzled withal, and mayhap a bit disheartened, at the prospect of satisfactory results.

When opening up the consideration of incidents, marking the milestones of our youthful characters, who are of the younger set along in the teens and are soon to leave the village school for higher grades of learning, we are forced to observe the same rules of favor existing in the school boy or girl of twelve, as may later be evidenced in the swain and maiden of eighteen or twenty; at the latter age, however, considerably more refined and hesitating, this dem¬ onstration of favor never being forgotten upon St. Valentine's day, if upon any other. Often upon this day has worked out a fondness, although but a midway school day choice, that has proven out a happy and permanent selection.

That preferences there are among these young people, we will not attempt to deny, on the contrary, will endeavor to supply much evidence to prove, that our proteges are not to be caught napping in this part of life's game.

Surprise parties are as common and popular among these people as among others elsewhere, the adult people ever standing ready to help push the old custom along. They know all about it for they have been there, most of them having worked out their preferences at the “surprise party shrine,” thus stand ready to give the young people “hearty godspeed.”

Jonas Kent was an especially bright scholar in mathematics, as “spelling bees” were always more or less popular with country folk, so were “problem bees” quite as popular in this neighborhood, and each time one was held, Jonas Kent was the only boy to leave the cypher board absolutely clear and clean.

The procedure was, certain problems were placed upon the board, the several contestants were lined up, the problems were divided into three classes, the first three contestants approach the board, each taking up one of the divisions and work¬ ing out as many of the problems, as possible within the time limit alloted, with time up, must pass on to another division, thereby making room for the next. The person who won the first contest must take the front of the line next time. Should more than one succeed in clearing the board, the footman shall be determined by a drawing of slips from a hat.

Among the girls in this contest, Sybil Carter was more than a match for the others, thus Jonas and Sybil seemed decreed by fate to be paired off, and the situation seemed quite agreeable to both; it had seemed to furnish the suggestion which Jonas ap¬ peared willing to take advantage of, always invit¬ ing Sybil to everything happening along, even at¬ tempting to take her away from her parents at the church door, when the “meetin’ house” was out. Sybil's parents considered matters were getting on too fast, and thus had a word to express now and ll then, that served to dampen the seemingly precipi¬ tate ardor of Jonas, who, however, good-naturedly mused: “I guess I can bide my time, they probably will get off in good time to suit my purpose, guess Sybil will keep a year or two more or less, even with the lid screwed on.”

Basil Carter was especially a “spelling scholar,” and when at a “spelling bee,” was usually the last among the boys to leave the desk, while Betty Hart sent the girls all to their seats, thus forming an af¬ finity between them with the fact, that when at last they were pitted against each other, to spell off the match between the girls and boys, neither could be spelled down, there being no words in the speller that could beat either. So apparently here is an¬ other match.

Wesley Hart was delighted in composition writ¬ ing and was at his best in that art, and having quite an aptness toward the humorous, the school gen¬ erally expected a treat, whenever it came Wesley's turn to entertain them.

The present teacher decreed that the writer should not read his own composition, but might ex¬ change with whomever he would and it seemed more convenient, in Wesley’s way of looking at it, to ex¬ change with Janice Kent, as her seat was located just opposite to his, thus, they had something in com¬ mon by being such near neighbors, and then, their homes were adjacent and they could and did prac¬ tice the reading of each other’s compositions, when alone by themselves and thus, could coach each other and obtain the true expression intended by the writ¬ er. This method was probably a great factor in plac¬ ing their production ahead of all others in the first two contests. But here this arrangement ended, for it had occurred to Wesley one night as he suddenly awoke from a troubled sleep, that the convenient hitch up with Janice was really unfair. Indeed, he reasoned, “it is downright mean,” yes, it is a dirty trick and I wonder Janice has not discovered the rottenness of it, but I dislike to call her attention to it, evidently she has overlooked the unfairness of the proceeding and will feel much ashamed at having engaged in it at all, when discovering its real char¬ acter. I must find some way of dropping the ar¬ rangement without disclosing my real motive, but here again, that will be unfair to her. Now that is always the way, whenever one tells a lie, he will need to tell another to conceal the first one. Should I attempt to beat around the bush to the right in avoiding her, she will certainly come around in the opposite direction, with questions that cannot be evaded, so I am going to tell her straight out and both share the blame.

It has become an almost settled conviction among the other scholars, that one or the other of the effu¬ sions produced by these two contestants are to be de¬ cided as superior to the others. Here again appears an efficient element for the pairing off of another couple. These happenings have all come about in a most natural way, thus what, pray, can otherwise be expected to result?

Matters of school life drift quite ordinarily along, parties and all kinds of social functions hap¬ pen along also, that bring all these young people frequently together. Whenever convenient and pos¬ sible, however, they will be found nicely and exclu¬ sively paired off, visiting together as though in imi¬ tation of Adam and Eve in the old-time Garden of Eden. Apparently, such felicity might, and per¬ haps should, continue, but human nature has been known to possess traits of unreliability, causing it to depart even from its own will and wish to work out its own traditions, to beguile its own intentions, in short, to become fickle, absurd and ridiculous, thus, who can tell, and who will endeavor to guess, what the future will work out as a permanent line-up for these three pairs of schoolmates? Much surprise may meet the reader at what the fates shall finally decree.

The last term of school at home has commenced, much talk and planning have been engaged in as the term progresses, concerning their coming experi¬ ence. It has been decided by the parents of the triplets to have them all attend the same school; always have they been so fond of each other, it is considered cruel to part them, inasmuch, as they de¬ sire to be not parted. The parents in one case pre¬ fer a different school from the one chosen by the others, however, majority rule decides the case for all. The question is argued by the neighbors, “after school days, what then?” they cannot always be to¬ gether after going out into the world.

The day following the closing of home school days of our heroes, they meet under the old oak tree in the home pasture lot of Farmer Kent, holding a long and serious conference, for the most part re¬ garding their future. Each one exhibiting a special preference in occupation after graduation, previ¬ ously having mentally outlined the general charac¬ ter of the selection, they each in turn duly proceed to disclose their plans to the others.

Basil Carter, being practically the one possess¬ ing the stronger individuality, naturally and logic¬ ally becomes the leader, if really a leader be pres¬ ent among them, being generally looked to first for an expression of opinion, voluntarily proceeds to name his choice of a business line to enter.

The boys are all greatly serious upon this occa¬ sion, fully realizing the solemnity due the event of selecting their life employment. Perhaps the read¬ er may surmise that they are somewhat premature, as many things can happen before the day of oppor¬ tunity arrives, to completely change their boyish plans. But “we shall see, just what we shall see,” regarding this feature of this case, it may turn out that these boys are not of the ordinary, frivolous, hap¬ hazard, go-as-you-can type.

Basil opens his remarks in a firm frank way: “I have many times canvassed the various legitimate and lucrative vocations in life and have to discover, anything better to my mind than “transportation.” I believe it occupies first place in importance, the pub¬ lic cannot do without it, thus, it is bound to be a lucrative occupation, for the public is willing to pay for what it wants and must have. No particular class is called upon to support transportation, every class is bound to contribute, everybody will ride when opportunity comes along.”

“But,” interrupts Jonas, “that requires large cap¬ ital and what do you know about that?”

“Well,” retorts Basil, “there is a point right there, but one must watch out for a fresh opportu¬ nity and strike quickly, wherever one can get in at the bottom. First, acquire something attractive and of value, that can command the loan of another’s capital, then work out of it something that is at¬ tractive on its face, when other capital will seek a housing therein. I believe there are yet good loca¬ tions in this broad land, where a railroad of some sort is yet awhile needed, where it can serve the pub¬ lic exclusively, and where, if the proposition be rightly handled, a man so handling it, can with lim¬ ited capital acquire control, if not a majority owner¬ ship, while I consider the one who shall propose and execute such a proposition, will contribute as much toward the benefit and progress of the world, as an¬ other who may employ his endeavor in other voca¬ tions that may present themselves, to the young man out after employment for his genius, tact and mus¬ cular effort. Thus, my hearties, transportation is my hobby and I believe it to be the best hobby possible, with which to make the world go, and about the best one to nurse, personally speaking. Now, Wesley, my boy, what art thou in mind to tackle, when once thou hast fully spurned from thy shoul¬ ders, the swaddling clothes of old school days?”

“Basil, I have to tell you of a wild thing to do, but perhaps the taste is more inherited than acquired, and yet, I have many times attempted to thresh out another something, but none else will seem to fill the bill. My father is a quarryman, but that is not suffi¬ cient to satisfy his young scion, something better craves he, yet further in the same line. Now, Basil, I must consider that we, as God's own creatures, are in duty and honor bound to use the best there is in us, to develop and make available for the benefit of the world he has created, the wealth he has so kindly and graciously placed within our reach. True, we cannot all follow the same calling and we should not utterly disregard any one calling, because it seems to carry greater hardships than another, if that calling be compatible with our taste. My choice, Basil, is mining, extracting from the bowels of the earth, that which the Creator of the Universe has placed there for man to extract. The wealth gathered from mines, immortalized ‘King Solomon', mining, made ‘Rome' the mistress of the world, min¬ ing, has made ‘Great Britain' the world's commercial dictator, mining, is making the ‘United States' the richest country in the world. Show me a country that has no mines and I will show you a people sunk in degradation of poverty, and poverty makes cow¬ ards of nations as well as of men. You must remem¬ ber that a deposit of mineral is simply a crop already raised, harvested, and in the bin of Old Earth, where you may check it out at your pleasure.

God made the deposit, he gave the prospector knowl¬ edge and insight, guiding him on his way to well-filled vaults. Without the miner, you would not have a frying pan, a spoon, or even a hatpin, eliminate the miner and you will soon wipe out civilization, a nation’s pros¬ perity depends largely upon the extent, -variety and development of its mineral resources, mark that down plainly, my hearties. Mining has transformed more financially broken men into millionaires, and placed them in positions of honor and trust, than has any other business among men. Statistics are available to show, that more money has been lost during the last decade in banking, than has been lost among those engaged in mining. Therefore, my good lads, I must ask you to respect the occupation of my choice. While I admit the importance of transportation, I cannot concede it first place in importance to the world. The people of bygone generations had transportation, and even though crude it was, they made it do. Years before public transportation came into being, they had been supplied with whatever their needs demanded, from the strong vaults God had builded below the sur¬ face, without which their efforts upon the earth’s sur¬ face, would have but locally met the requirements of the world. Transportation is necessary, but material to make it available must come first.

“While admitting present methods of transporta¬ tion are essential to the present pace of the world, these methods and the investment therein, would prove worthless to the owners with little or nothing to transport, therefore, Basil, old boy, I cannot conscien¬ tiously allow transportation first place. Production of commercial commodities must of necessity come before the carriers thereof, to supply the roadbed and vehicle equipment.”

“Now, Jonas, staid and irreproachable old Jonas, what may have arrested your attention as a business calling?” inquires Basil.

“Well, Basil,” replies Jonas, “humble though my choice may be, it is in comparison with yours a more fitting one for me. You have always been, throughout our school days, a character of greater brilliance and of a more restless type, evincing a stronger desire for notoriety, with a greater appreciation of public notice and comment, thus your selection is quite in keeping with many traits of your make-up, and I think mine is quite as much in accordance and sympathy with the prominent traits within my composition.

“A ranch, a western ranch, my dear fellows, comes nearest to my ideal. I have heard you tell of the im¬ portance of transportation, I have listened to the nicely depicted desire of the Creator, for the extraction from its stronghold of deposit, the boundless wealth thus placed for the world’s benefit, and now claim for my humble calling a greater importance than either. George Washington was a farmer and he was a good farmer, he liked it and endorsed it as an engaging and fascinating occupation for others. There was a time in the history of the world when nearly everybody was a farmer. Deep down in the heart of many there is a secret love for the soil and a longing to engage in its cultivation. There is nothing more mysteriously enchanting in life, than the sprouting of a seed and the growth of a plant to maturity, moreover, farming is a game that one can play and feel emphatically, that he is making his life fully worth while, in being a producer instead of a mere consumer. In this age of cities, a large portion know nothing of this instinct for the soil, most farmers know something about the cities, but the average city man has not the remotest idea of the primeval longing for the soil, that should come to man as naturally endowed.

“The first thing man was ever known to do when placed in the garden of Eden, was to ‘eat’. Man cares not to ride when nursing an empty belly. Gold and silver he cannot eat, and with nothing to purchase, it is always but dross. What, then, do thy callings count, with none to till the soil and raise the beef and fat, man must consume before he can toil at any calling whatever ?

“I claim as first among the commercial callings of man, ‘agriculture’, with ‘mining’ as the second, and both are considered by millions as beneath them. Vehicles of transportation are not available, or the steel roadways upon which they are to run, until some poor menial has descended to the depths to provide the material therefor. So now, my hearties, whoever has the best claim to importance, it is for us to make good in that which we have chosen. Let us one and all, here and now, make between us a compact, seriously and solemnly, to strive and make each his own part an unqualified success and be satisfied with nothing short.”

Basil and Wesley concede the points so comprehen¬ sively made by Jonas and willingly subscribe to his suggestions, that all use their best endeavor “to make good” in their several chosen lines and Basil adds, “never be a quitter.”

Wesley maintains a dogged silence for some time, while the others exchange several pleasantries and until chafed by Jonas with, “A penny for your thoughts, Wesley.”

“Well, old chums,” retorts Wesley, “I have been debating with myself the wisdom of propounding to you a proposition, which I confess has struck me hard, I believe it is entirely original with me, and yet, I may lose your respect for my good sense in unfolding it to you.

“Oh, no, old boy, let’s have it,” cries Basil.

“Yes, yes,” says Jonas, “let’s have nothing mys¬ terious between us, always so far, have we been open and frank, let’s solemnly agree to continue thus.”

“Well,” says Wesley, “that spirit of union in mind and purpose between us, is what suggested to me the possibility of such a proposition as I am about to startle you with. We have each chosen our lines for the future and they are so widely different, that it is hardly pos¬ sible to concentrate them as one joint enterprise and will necessarily drift us far apart, a situation that I for one very much deplore, while such a proceeding will make of us practically strangers. We have been almost as one and certainly as brothers, since our school days first began. Soon we are to drift out into the mazes of the world's business life, in vastly different voca¬ tions. Shall we, when graduation is passed, shake hands and say goodbye, immediately and permanently passing out of each other’s lives, forget all the joys each has contributed to the other’s happiness, lose altogether the influence and support we have learned to lean upon, in our intercourse and youthful aspira¬ tions, our confidences in each other so firmly estab¬ lished, to be handed over to the bygones of life, thus be¬ coming entirely useless in a practical sense? Now then, my hearties, need this transformation come to pass? Listen then to the voice of thy babbling chum, Whose wild deductions may so effect thine ears, That grave doubts of sanity to them may come To prove mistaken thou hast been, all these years. “Basil and Jonas, what say you, graduation passed, shall we each saunter forth in quest of clues, leading up to our several cherished vocations, as a unit in purpose, as a unit in interest therefrom, but only unify¬ ing our efforts and talents in the combination of results attained, each in his best judgment making best pos¬ sible strides, each ambitious to excel in results, each equally honest and upright in all dealings with fellowmen, each equally anxious and happy to contribute from his end to the joint accumulation, realizing alway that either may meet handicap in a greater degree than either of the others, realizing also, that many years may pass before all three shall have gained a secure position ?”