I HOW JOHN HENRY OVERHOLT SAT ON PANDORA'S BOX
II HOW A MAN AND A BOY FOUNDED THE LITTLE CITY OF HOPE
III HOW THEY MADE BRICKS WITHOUT STRAW
IV HOW THERE WAS A FAMINE IN THE CITY
V HOW THE CITY WAS BESIEGED AND THE LID OF PANDORA'S BOX CAME OFF
VI HOW A SMALL BOY DID A BIG THING AND NAILED DOWN THE LID OF THE BOX
VII HOW A LITTLE WOMAN DID A GREAT DEED TO SAVE THE CITY
VIII HOW THE WHEELS WENT ROUND AT LAST
IX HOW THE KING OF HEARTS MADE A FEAST IN THE CITY OF HOPE
"Hope is very cheap. There's always plenty of it about."
"Fortunately for poor men. Good morning."
With this mild retort and civil salutation John Henry Overholt rose andwent towards the door, quite forgetting to shake hands with Mr.Burnside, though the latter made a motion to do so. Mr. Burnside alwaysgave his hand in a friendly way, even when he had flatly refused to dowhat people had asked of him. It was cheap; so he gave it.
But he was not pleased when they did not take it, for whatever he choseto give seemed [2]of some value to him as soon as it was offered; even hishand. Therefore, when his visitor forgot to take it, out of pure absenceof mind, he was offended, and spoke to him sharply before he had time toleave the private office.
"You need not go away like that, Mr. Overholt, without shaking hands."
The visitor stopped and turned back at once. He was thin and rathershabbily dressed. I know many poor men who are fat, and some who dressvery well; but this was not that kind of poor man.
"Excuse me," he said mildly. "I didn't mean to be rude. I quite forgot."
He came back, and Mr. Burnside shook hands with becoming coldness, ashaving just given a lesson in manners. He was not a bad man, nor amiser, nor a Scrooge, but he was a great stickler for manners,especially with people who had nothing to give him. Besides, he hadalready lent Overholt money; or, to put it nicely, he had invested alittle in his invention, and he did not see any reason why he shouldinvest any more until it succeeded. Overholt called it selling shares,but Mr. Burnside called it borrowing money. Overholt was sure that if hecould raise more [3]funds, not much more, he could make a success of the"Air-Motor"; Mr. Burnside was equally sure that nothing would ever comeof it. They had been explaining their respective points of view to eachother, and in sheer absence of mind Overholt had forgotten to shakehands.
Mr. Burnside had no head for mechanics, but Overholt had already made aninvention which was considered very successful, though he had got littleor nothing for