The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1865-12-07
"It won't suit me. friend SIocum.

IL WOU SulG lIl0uQ OlOCun. l.
should be certain to hear of some duped
and unfortunate loser on the very stock I
sold as a fair article, when I knew it to
be valueless above certain rate If [
were to buy at twenty, / am afraid my
conscience would never permit me to sell
at thirty or forty, when I knew the pur-
chaser would be swindled out of half his
money"
"You're too squeamish, Mr. Cushing
[ call myself an honest man, and chris
tian man, also and, for the life of me, I
can't see any harm in taking advantage
of rising stock, fancy or not tfancy.'''
"Excuse me, Mr.. Slocum," said the
other; "but your remark about being
Christian leads me to say that Pm afraid
Christianity hangs very lightly Oh the
conscience of stock speculator.''
"Did you never speculate in stocks, Mr..
Cushing?"
The interrogation frowned little He
felt the remark as rather personal
eyes"
"What about the Christianity of your
conscience, ha ?"
at hung too lightly, sir too lightly
I've gone in few times, on the rising
market, and won. But, for every dollar
gained, I made a loss in another direc-
ton"
"Ah that was unfortunate p
$50 [ felt it to be-"
"You had one consolation, Mr. Cush-
ing"
"What?'
'The stock speculations saved you"
CHOW so 7"
"Of course, the misfortune you speak
of had no connection with them; so what
you lost by one hand, you made up with
the other"
"On the contrary, Mr.. Slocum, they
were intimately connected, and the losses
were in consequence of the speculations.
'That's little remarkable"
"But no less true, sir"
'There are two kinds of riches, Mr.
Slocum-ear earthly riches and heavenly
riches-gold and good. l gained gold,
but lost good. In securing earthly treas
ure, laid up just so much less Of treasure
in heaven"
II can't understand why, Mr., Cushing
You didn't cheat anybody. Speculation
| is neither robbing nor stealing. The article
is in market, and you buy at current quo
tations. When rise takes place, you
sell. 1t may happen, and often does,
that tie price falls, and then you
lose. You have adverse as we'll as favor
able chances. The thipg is all open to
the day
"Gambling, sir, mere gambling" an
swered Mr.. Cushing. "a strife to gain
what others may lose; not system of
reciprocal benefits, which is the Christian
law of social life. 1t is founded in an in
tense and eager selishness, that Will not
wait the slow return Of useful work. It
helps nobody, and generally hurts every
body whom it may happen to reach
Money, where it does not come as Gift
or benefaction, should always represent
useful equivalent. 1t is sign of value
| But when I would possess my neighbor's
money without fair return, then, am L
| not covetous Do not desire his goods !?
Am I not violating divine command
ment? The agriculturist, the manufac.
turer, the mechanic, the artisan, and all
who are engaged in productive work or
useful employments, serve the common
good, and become sharers, by virtue of
this service, in the commonwealth but
the speculator, like tumor in the body,
draws in the rich blood, and gives back
nothing but fever, unhealthy excitement,
disturbance of the useful functions and
pain. That tumor, sir, is no part of the
true body of society, and it will be extir-
pated in the last time. 1t may grow, as
other evil things grow here, but its life is
opposite to heavenly life, and it will not
be found in heaven"
"You are too serious, altogether" Mr..
| Slocum made answer. "This is an ex:
treme and abstract view-more ethical
than practical
''Than practical! Why, my dear sir,
the evil consequences of what | am con-
demning, all right-thinkiDg men see and
deplore The causes lie, as [ have init
mated, In an intense and eager selfshness,
/ that grasps tor gold as the robber grasps
| for plunder. Neither the speculator nor
the robber cares for others he does not
gain by work, production or benefit of any
kind, and take his money as the reward of
things useful, but by the law of force or
artifce. Is it not SO? Think p
| Mr.. Slocum was silent.
"There is a last time for us all, my
friend" said Mr.. Cushing, speaking even
moro seriously than before; ga last time
| that is sure to come. You and l have
stepped across the line of middle age. I
will be fifty in month, and you have al
ready accomplished the half century,
Five, ten, fifteen. or twenty years at most,
and we shall be missed from our places
among men. Have you made your will 2"
The question, coming so unexpectedly,
gave Mr.. Slocum start.