The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-03-14
GAMBLING WOMEN.
The Fair OPERATOR who Throng the San
Francisco Stock Markets.

ISan Francisco Letter.
The Womans mining bureau aimed at
being somewhat in that way, but from pres
emit indications it is destined to be one more
he president-and, by the way, the aunt of
the prinia donna-tells ME she has net given
it up but intends when stocks are better to
make another effort. But it is looked on
outside as defunct institution. The cause
of this is probably, as Mrs. Kellogg said,
"the apparently inherent inability of women
to trust each other fully" They will
20 to male broker with their money, even
with the certainty ahead of losing every cent
of it. The stock market is the financial bar
ometer. From the purchase of doll to the
buying of an estate that memorable power
rules. Every one is ''in stocks" Catholic
priests evangelical clergyman-acting under
cover of their wives-deacons, doctors. law
yers, shop-girls, servants of every grade, ac-
tresses and society ladies.
A good story is told apropos of Bridget's
speculative proclivities. An eastern lady
had procured, after much difficulty, per
feet treasure of girl, !" a red-haired, freckle-
faced Emerald lsler Having tested her
capacities thoroughly, the mistress ventured
on asking some company to dinner. The
day arrived. Seated in the parlor, entertain
| ing her guests suddenly that odor so appall-
| ing to the housewife-the smell Of burning
| eatables-became more and more percepti-
| BILE. Excusing herself, she rushed to the
| kitchen, to be met at the door by Bridget's
| flushed, triumphant face. A friend had
| dropped in to say that bullion" had gone
| up to a fabulous prlce. Bridget had just
| stepped out to her brOker's-aboutt ten blocks
! off-sold out her shares, and had just re-
| turned with 81 500 gain in her pocket The
| dinner was burned to a crisp, but the COM
pany, being largely ''in stocks" themselves,
| sympathized SO heartily that the lady was
ompelled to swallow her modification and
congratulate the lucky speculator.
Gambling. in one form or another seems
to be the inevitable cOncomitant OF every
civilization: Paris has her Bourse, England
| her Bank of England shares, New York her
railroad interests, Chicago her wheat, while
California plays pitch and toss with fortune
| with the yellow wealth of her inc xhaustible
| bosom. l asked an old Californian lately if
there was not possibility that the power of
the stock market might be broken. Eyes"
he responded promptly, when the mines
are exhausted or the fools all dead" That
last clause destroyed all hopes for saner days
for California.
"You want to know something about the
women who are in stocks" he said. "Well,
| among business men they are not consider
| ed a success as operators. They can seldom
| invest largely enough to make any mark
| They are at once too credulous and too sus-
roped them in-suspicious of every one else
| Some few old stagers have become as well
known in the street as the brokers them
selves, but in the main the women who
| dabble in shares are oftener seen in their
| brokers Office than elsewhere. There is q
| fair type of one class now. She is probably
owner of a ranch which she runs herself
and which she will rose perhaps tomorrow
or the next change of the market" She was a
| fair sample of the middle class California
| woman-coarSe, hard featured, and with that
| eager restless look that one sees on almost
| every face here. A brown linen dress, seal
skin sack, Whit straw bonnet trimmed with
| bright flowers and broad embroidered col
| lar of the style of 1857 made up tout en-
seDlble seen nowhere outside this state.
Every new female face is noted at once. I"
my friend continued, land a newcomer in
the weeds of widowhood is special prize,
| as there is always a possibility of an insur-
ance policy. il nothing more, in the back
| ground. The first woman to deal in stocks
| personally was Mrs. s. Z. Swift, now secre-
tary of the Woman's mining bureau, origi-
nator of the Woman's league, and an active
| member of any number of other enterprises
| OF her many sObriQliets on the street, that
of the Pioneer pleases her best. Mrs. Kel-
logg stands next in experience. Both have
lost and won in their day. Laura Fair does
| a considerable business through her broker,
but is seldom seen. 1t is said she made
5000 while in Jail for the murder of Crit
tenden. OF the small fry, whose name is
legion, no one knows much. They are the
privates in the noble army of ma tyrs."
"Are the sensational stories we hear of
| suicides consequent on heavy losses true?'
"Yes; but it is only men, so far, who have
so signalized their own defeats. It's not a
month since 1 saw little woman lose her
twenty thousand in morning, and that
without culver of the lip or a wink of the
eyelid. She was a widow, too, with three
| children, and 1t was every cent she had.
thought then we must allow your sex the
| palm for fortitude."