The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1877-03-17
WALL STREET DID.
A convict's Story.

A convict's Story.
Iheld good position MS clerk with
O firm IN William street, which I shall
call Wilson, Carter & Go. I became a
boarderiin the family Of q relatiye and
continued with him four years, when
some changes in his business determined
him TO remove TO San francisco. I now
took lodgings and commenced, for the
first time, what is called bachelors
life. 1twas somewhat dull Mt first, I ,d-
NIT but by degrees I made acqtnint-
ances, and it offered far greater attrac-
tions. Nay, more, I Ind now secured so
fully the good feeling Of the heads Of
I the firm, that I WIS frequently guest nt
their tables; nnl it is Only Justice to my
seh TO assert that il I dill not gain their
confidencc, it certainly did not arise,
on my pnrt, from amy lack Of zeal in
their service. Ono dny when was din
ing at the house OF the senior partner, 7
meta certain Mr.. Robert Thornton, one
Of the principal clerks in n lnrge insur-
ance office. He appeared very gentle
manly, intelligent man, aud had evident
~ seen 4 great deal Of life. We left tile
lipnse together, aud as I found he re-
sidedlbut short distance from me, and
the night being line, he offered mo n
cigar, and We walked home together. es
Onithe different subjects we conrerscd
on during our walk, tho one in which he
appearerl to take especial interest was
specializing in siocks. Curionsly enough,
while employed for nearly five years
within-a few blocks of the Stock Ex-
change, wherc I knew fortunes wero con-
stantiy changing hands, / Ind never felt
tempted to Fry my luck. My employers,
indeed, were strongly opposed to it, and
l had heard at least one OF them de-
nouncc stock speculation MS gam.
hlingof the worst kind. Butt knew;
too. that other merchants Of equally high
Standing laughed at them for this, and
Thornton, l soon, found, was well stored
witharg1ments to prove it every whit as
Legitimate MS the most humtlrum dealings
IN pork or flour or nails. ss1.F7.
II 30 happened that a sudden and COIL
tfnued rise in Erie hal caused great
hnfry.in the street, antl my companion
named several ucquaintances who had
cleared from 5000 toS15,0O by lucky
inyestments during the last week.
"1fcould make as much as any OF
them, 2 he exclaimed, il I only hid u
thousand OF two to'start with. I know
precisely how to do it, and il I7coulil
find man to put in the money d mike
y small fortune for us both inside OF a
fortnight" ''sl =5s
Itwas impossible to listen to him un-
moyed. especially rs knew from the re-
ports in the newspapers that investors in
Erie were making extraordinary sums.
Consequently. when he asked il I knew
anyone at all likely to go in with him, I
g Perhaps Imight.' & Ia
What ! you!" he crietl; )" Tn de-
lighted Can you raiSc'a tllousandl'
Yes two thousand, il necessary.
Brayo't your fortune is made pow
MBut seelIere," ",said 7; "in tho first
place, we must keep This thing quiet, for
Idm't care to have my employers know
II, and III the second place, you must
post me up, so T shall know exactly what
we're about" - ~.
AN riglit!" sail lie; that's easily
managed. Aud as you put in the funds
Ill be- Satisfied with ono Quarter OF whnt
wa make, and il we SHOULD lose, which il
impossible; however, I'll stand hall, the
IlIM
BY this time wo had reached my loJg-
ings and, going in together, I gave him
o check for 81, 900 on the bank where my
smell spatrimouy was deposited. A mem
orandum Of our agreement rs to the ili.
viaiono Of the certain profits and imposs;.
BILE elosses which We anticipated was tllcn
drawn up, aud my mere acquaintance
gayiy took his leave, saying: ''.' -
Mark my predictionl Thornton &
90. will corner the street yet. 3 5gy
ISnilcil at.tllis, but:E did not realize
it, hbsprtlity so clearly us I lavo since.
Byfetthe most interesting part Of the
tIiewspnpcr the next morning was the
financial article, anl I bought the first
seditipnsof the ErcMlHg Post to SEQ the
lplurkf kfIttOElt4bLlS' L COlLltl IlOt ltHNe ulE
I desk during business hours, but 7 dinel
with Thornton and found him in. high
state of excitement. He urged me toin-
vest Mother thousand but T. refused,
though greatly tempted hy his represen.
tahons! The next night hc made pro-
digioue effort to look cool and rlnconcern-
edRes he lail before me- package Of
greenhacks amounting to 81, 750.
"Iherc," said he, 1T doubled your
thousand in two days, and I could huve
done the same II it had been two thou.
sand or ten thousand. You might have
nalde g 500 as easy as $780,"
I looked grave as reflected that this
9waa Undoubtedly the fact. So '-.E
What have You done with your
$3.50 ri inquired.
y" Fought Erie, otcours9 I'll treble
i czoss.questioned him closely, went
over he newspaper reports once more,
and then took my resolution, Calling
ios per, md ink I tilled up a, blank check
and md, handling him The package OF