The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1876-11-23

How the Brokers Clerks DesiS na'e
the Female Stock-OPerators-

How the Brokers' Clerks Designate
the Female stock-OPerators-
Isan Francisco Post
"Mudhens" is the euphonious and rather
peculiar epithet applied by the brokers
clerks to that class of females that engage
in the fascinating but uncertain game OF
stock speculations. The average mudheh
ia middIe-aged, rather stout In person, as
voluble In conversation as a stump-speak-
q, and pos.essed Of an inordinate desire TO
become "stock-sharp." She has won
derful amount Of gossip and "dead-sure
points" TO communicate, and is by no
means unwilling 10 reveal all she knows to
any one who is supposed TO have informa-
ton relative 10 anv stock. and In return can
give her point. The gentle creatures are
continually on the scent for this kind OF
knowledge. and haunt the Offices Of the big
operators or their brokers with persistency
that is anything but agreeable. They
usual "hun, in couples" and divide the
information obtained at the end of the day.
Occasionally, when points" are hard to
get, they prospect the brokers' Office on
California street TO meet the different
operators whose acquaintance they have
scraped in some way or other. They do
not always stand upon the cool convention
ality Of society that considers an intro
duciion preparatory step 10 the opening
of a conversation, b It with the flost ch arm
ing frankness stop the lucky operator in
the midst Of crowd and "bone" hiIi as to
what is 'good buy" 1t requires con-
siderable ingenuity on the part of the
operator TO escape The interviewing grasp
Of the 'mudhen," and plead ignorance Of
The movements of this or that stock. The
moment a grain Of information is secured
it is Immediately divided with her bosom
friend, under the pledge of the utmos,
secrecy, and that friend usually has four or
i've particular friends, who within an
hour know the whole story. These fair
creatures are the especial dread Of the
brokers' clerks, for they intrude upon their
lime and patience with an utter disregard
OF the fact thai in business hours the
clerks time is the property OF his en-
ployer.
The other day one of this class entered
the Office Of prominent broker on Califor-
ria street and came TO anchor at the coun-
Ter. The following conversation ensued
Mudhen (after reading the morning
stock list for ten minu 3 very intep W.
We'll, what is the market doing this
morning"
Cterk-'There is the list; you can see
for yourself"
Mudhen-"Why don't Ophir go to sixty"
Clerk-"I give 1t up. The conundrum
is too hard ask me something easy"
Mudhen-"Now my information from
the mine is first rate, and still the stock
declines. What is the reason of this de-
cline?"
Clerk-"More feller sell'n az there is
buy'n."
Mudhen-"Why don't Sharon keen
Ophir up? Now he ought to, for it's a
mine sure. Here she grew very confiden-
tial, and. leaning over the counter, said in
sort OF a confidential whisper:l Now,
don't mention this TO any one, for this is
very low down information You know
Mrs. -, that lives at the--hoteI. Well,
che is very intimate with Mr,. that
knows Sharon very well, and che told me
she got 1t straight from headquarters that
one of the slopes on the ,500-foot level run
into a Wine full Of ore last week, and thew
covered it up and kept the men down in
the mine all night. Now this is strictly
confidential; and still the stock went down
to $50 since then. Amt that strange?
The clerk, with his hand to his head. az
though suffering with an acute headache,
admitted his entire ignorance OF this very
important information.
Mudhen with the utmost earnestness,
and entirely Designating the clerks move.
ment) -"Now, l will give YOU another
point, 1 see you clerks are too busy to get
the latest news. A lady friend of mine
that is well posted in mines, because she
lived in Virginia three years, and only
came down here 10 testify in this breach OF
promise suit against KeatiDg-you now
Bob Heating, don't you? He is from
Gold Fill. Well, she told Mrs.-that
Ophir was going to have the control taken
from it, and then the stock would 90 to
high figures. You bet she knows what she
is doing all the time, for / see her doing
business in the brokers' Office that operates
for the bank ring
The clerk, with a melancholy smile,
opens his ledger and commences 10 figure
up how much of 4 margin he must called
for on some unfortunate customers stock.
Mudhen-"Would you advise me to
buy ten shares of Ophir?"
Clerk lin a sad tone of voice)-"Don't
ask me. You are on the inside and | am
not"
Mudhen latter studying the list for q
few minutes, gets the diamond drill in a
new position and returns TO the attack with
the drill whirling at the rate of 5000
revolutions a minute )-"What is the
matter with jacket 81
Clerk with pencil adding up long
column of fgures)-"Nineteen and eight
are tWenty-seven, and seven are thirty
four, and
Mudhen-"I have lady friend that
keeps man in the mine all the time, and
she writes that jacket is all right, and
when they so down three levels more il
viii ne bonanza! Now, amt that strange ?"
Clerk--"Fiffy-six and eight are sixty
four, end
hiudhen-"Do you know il Jim Keene
has got the water out of Savage yet? |
heard he sold the control TO old Suiro, os
be could run the tunnel in. Now, il YOU
think it will 60 up any, buy me ten shares
on the margin. You bet am not going to
be out of Savage when the deal comes, for
when Jim keene got the control away from
Flood & OBrien i bought ten shares at "A
and now | am playing TO average it down.
Amt right? Is it low enough to aver
age?'
Clerk with an agonized look Really,
msdam, You must excuse me if l ask you
TO give all these points of valuable in
formation TO some one who has more time
than L have just at this moment Your
points are very valuable, and would Ger
tainly make the fortune of any one who
follow them but my exchequer is low, and
the boss will fire me out il / do not have
al these statements made up by three
o'clock"
Just a. this point another "mudhen"
hove in sight, and, with hurried 81 mus:
go and find out what Bob Morrow told
her about Overman," she hurried off to
join her friend.
Clerk with look of relief)-0That old
pelican gives me mere trouble than any
three customers, and after she goes my
head swims for an hour. / guess will
have to get tin ear for her special &C
commodatiop"
The Pursuit of Happiness lnterfered