Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-10-30

now; but what shall it be? These are
lawful times for us all, my boy"
| Paul Berrian knew he was not dream
| ing, for at that moment the train drew up
with bigger bump than usual at the Jer
sey ferry stopping place; but if it had not
been for that he would have tried to turn
over in bed and see if the baby were all
| right. Still, as he caught up his overcoat
and umbrella, he managed to find words
for the first idea that came to his confused
| brains.
81 don't know, just at this moment I'M
less you will buy me thousand shares OF
| Harlem at these panic prices, and hold it
| for the rise that is dead certain to come"
''Tip top! A right down good business
| operation!" jerked out the old gentleman
'I'll do it for you, first thing, when | get
on the street. Come around In an hour
or so and see me about it."
mo margins, you KNOW" replied his
halfdazed son-in-law, as they hurried to-
ward the ferry.
"Of course not; but NUNS the word,
understand" said the banker, and in
another moment a half-dOzen of his
| brother-financiers had seized upon him,
and Paul Berrian was left to his own
devices.
Deeper and damper settled the rainy
| gloom of the panic Friday, and the faces
Paul met on arriving at the office of his
employers were all in keeping with the
weather, while crowds of gloomy men
hurried to and fro through the muddy
streets, hunted hither and thither by the
omnipresent specter of bankruptcy. Paul
had duties to attend to, plenty of them,
manage to get away for even the moment
oftime required for a run to his father-in-
| laws spacious and elegant establishment.
Near as it was, however, it was the first
time he had crossed that threshold for
many a long day. A feeling of doubt and
| hesitation came over him, even now, but
he thought of Madeline and his boy, and
pushed bravely on into the bankers
private door.
The old gentleman was seated in close
conference with his partners, and he look
ed up for d moment with weary, worn,
troubled look on his face, that changed
into flush and a sickly smile as he rec
ognized Paul
us that you, my boy?" he said ats
all right Can't stop to talk to you now,
but got it at ninety. Just the very bot
t m Of the market. It's above that now.
You're lucky dog, after ALL
And, as the banker turned to his part
|
the door, bat a sudden impulse moved
him to say, with his hands on the knob
"Well, under the circumstances, you
know, think I'd rather not hold on.
Suppose you sell out for me the first thing
to morrow morning, hit or MISS
"Right againt' exclaimed the banker.
81 can make that safe for you. Your
firms failed hasn't it? Of course Well,
never mind; only don't bother ne now.
| Look in tomorrow"
And Paul returned to the gloomy coun-
tenances in the gloomy Office of his ruined
employers, half inclined to subject him
self to some trial test of human sanity.
The day wore slowly away, and Paul was
busy enough, but he made out, now and
then, to take hurried look at the stock
list. 1t was an eminently satisfactory sort
Of look TO him, il not to many others, If
he could have only assured himself that
the whole thing was not an halluclnation.
Somehow or other his thoughts never
once reverted to the crumpled bit Of pa
per he had picked up in the car, that
morn ing. and when he saw Madeline that
evening he only told her how unusually
kind her father had been to him, without
saying anything about so strange a myth
as the thousand shares of Harlem stock
The next morning Paul Bcrrian started
for Wall street at his customary hour,
though there was likely to be but dull
days business at the office of the bank
rupt firm. Dull as was the look of mat
ters there, however, it was good deal
after eleven O'Clock before he could mus
ter courage to 90 over and make inquiries
about his wonderful purchase.
Heard the news?" exclaimed his father
in-law, as he entered. "The Union Trust
Company: The bottoms out-now, sure
enough. Oh, that Harlem. Well, my
dear boy, took care of you Closed it
out for you the first thing. Got hundred
and ten. Twenty thousand net profit.
There's a certified check for it; you see |
looked out for you in the event of-you
, know what; but NUNS the word yet, for
, there's no telling. Well | will say you're
lucky dog, and | never saw a quicker
turn. Can't stop to talk with you now
my boy; but you can't say didn't do the
fair thing by you"
Paul took his check, and was standing
IN sort OF grey stupor, looking at it
f when the old banker arose and went for a
{ look at the recording telegraph instru
ment that was clicking fiercely in the cor
, ner.
"Hurrar' he suddenly shouted with
|
have given him credit for. "Hurra. The
Stock Exchange has closed! It's all right
now, Paul, my boy. All needed was
time, and this will give me all want
/ You understand me, though-mum's the
| word, even now III trust your honor
? though; | know / can do that, and Pm
right down glad you've made so good a
: turn. Go home, and tell Madeline Pm
l coming up to see her and the boy. It's
4 all right"
, Paul was ready to believe him, for he
had fingered his check until he was sure
} it was real. He did go home and tell
Madeline, and he Rugged his boy to a
| wonderful extent that night, but it was
f not until several days afterward, as he sat
f in the cars bound cityward, studying what
, use he had best make of his suddenly &C.
quired capital, that the thought came
burning into his mind,
, What could there have been in that
paper! The old gentleman must have
thought l read it! Well, didn't, but Pm
glad he made that turn in Harlem for
me."-N. Y. Eoening Mas1
Detroit Whimsicalities.