AdolfScherermightbesaidtorepresentatransitionaltype.Forhewasnotonlyaniron-masterwhokneweverydetailofhisbusiness,whokeptitaheadofthetimes;hewasalsoastrategist,wiseinhisgeneration,makingfriendswiththeRailroadwhiletherehadyetbeentime,atlengthsecuringrebatesandfavours.AndwhenthatRailroadwhichhadbeenconstructedthroughtheenterpriseandcourageofsuchmenasNathanielDurretthadpassedunderthecontrolofthebanker-personalitytowhomI
havereferred,andhadbecomepartofasystem,AdolfSchererremainedinalliance,andcontinuedtoreceivefavoursIcanwellrememberthetimewhentheultimateauthorityofourRailroadwastransferred,quietly,toWallStreet.AlexanderBarbour,itspresident,hadbeenagreatman,butafterthathebowed,incertainmatters,toagreaterone.
IhavedigressedMr.Schererunfoldedhisscheme,talkingabout\"units\"ascalmlyasthoughtheywerecheckersonaboardinsteadofhuge,fiery,reverberatingmillswherethousandsandthousandsofhumanbeingstoileddayandnight——beingswithfamilies,andhopesandfears,whosedestiniesweretobedominatedbythewillofthemanwhosatoppositeme.But——didnotheinhisownpersonrepresentthetriumphofthatAmericancreedofopportunity?He,too,hadbeenthroughthefire,hadsweatedbesidetheblasts,hadhandledtheingotsofsteel.Hewasoneofthe\"fittest\"whohadsurvived,andlookedit.Hadhenomemoriesoftheterrorsofthatstruggle?AdolfSchererhadgrowntobeagiant.Andyetwithoutme,withoutmyprofessionhewasahelplessgiant,atthemercyofthosealertandvindictivelawmakerswhosoughttorestrainandhamperhim,tocheckhisgrowthwiththeirwebs.Howstimulatingtheideaofhisdependence!Howexhilaratingtoo,thethoughtthatthatvisionwhichhadfirstpossessedmeasanundergraduate——onmyvisittoJerryKyme——wasatlasttoberealized!I
hadnowbecometheindispensableassociateofthefewwhodividedthespoils,Iwastohaveashareinthesemyself.
\"You\'reyoung,Paret,\"Mr.Schererconcluded.\"ButWatlinghasconfidenceinyou,andyouwillconsulthimfrequently.Ibelieveintheyoungmen,andIhavealreadyseensomethingofyou——so?\"