Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-12-10
A Poet. Spectator.
JOAQUIN MILLER RELATES HIS EXPERIENCE
IN THE NEW YORK STOCK MARKET.


IN THE NEW YORK STOCK MARKET.
From the Californian for Soyemhrrl
Last spring | rectiyeda letter from the
editor Of The chief London magazine ask
ing me To- write him nm article to he en-
titled "A Week i'll Wall Street ! knew
nothing whatever Of Wall street then. |
resolved, however, to obliSe my friend
went into Wall street at once to get the
desired information and experience. This
was SIN months aga. | have just got back.
have moi vet written line of that arti-
Gle. Eut have material enough to write
II book bigger than Macauluy's History
of England" | know all want 10 know
about Wall street And, if You will par
don the aggression, mny add that am
getting bald headed
Finding but little interest III this grent
mutlsirum of excitement without taking
part, ! under the advice of my broker,
bought Il little Wabash because it wns the
first stock on the list which | could dis
tiueush from the mass Of two hundred
names. And came to remember 1t be
cause had been born on its banks, ~ it
were Indeed, on the very banks Ut the
Wabash river | have seen my iuthcr fur
row the field for corn in the spring. while
my mother followed after, tdroppIng the
corn in the furrow while three little boys
toddlcd after, myself of the number, and
covered the grain that lay i'll the little
squares Of the mellow earth. And sn 1t
was with touch Of tenderness that
bought Wabash. md become one of the
eager party holding on tothe tape, watch
ing, Whiting the turn of fortune Il wheel.
She did not hetray me. My stock he
| gan To move upward from the first. 1t
WIS not so dull now. How interesting 1t
all was called the click of the tick
err the pulse and heartbeat Of the na-
ton. II the land WAS healthy and pros
porous the pulse beat high aui buoyant.
| Ii the land was threatened with death,
short crops, or misfortune Of any KIND,
| the pulse WAS low, fevcrish and dull. II
was like Il poem.
| | had now M interest in the prosperity
| of the land beyond IL sentiment ! WIS II
part owner in the one hundred Thousand
miles Of railways i'll America. From thai
div forth | studied the geography OF my
country as never before. My little up
town room in the fourth story was lined
with maps Of American railways. In less
than week | could quote the opening ~
closing prices of half the stocks On TIL,
list
How patiently ! held on to the tape
nlons with the other ilmid AMI hopeful
little Lambs We would exchange opln
ions, encourage each other, and lny great
plans for the future. We became worry
confidential, our little knot nr"hnd that
| "nrker'' and When one of our sot lost
money he had our honest sympathy.
They were pleasant days, these first, f"l
stocks went up steadily, and 1t seemed al
la-t, when and where had least expect
eel IT. WAS Ia make II fortune without
either care or toll. am perfectly Ger
tam that IN those few weeks grew I" he
II better man.
At hst | closed out had in my ham
more than SlO.OuU hnd not Inro-le,
80 many hundreds. What scribe la.
ever been 81 fortunate : Stocks still al
ynnc,d. II seemed IN If they would ncy
cr stop GONG up.
1 sat dawn AMI tried for days To- decidt
what IT, do. Co"ily. deliberately, an'
after n4 much and ~ mature thought IA
nm capable "f, | went back Ia Wall stree
with my money. Ind No Use for Sl0
900 | had great use f"r 500 hus
myself III satisfaction now To rcmcmhcl
that Thought not 81 much Of myself IL
ii my friends ut tins time. ! could &c
on with that sum we'll But away out I'll
tho great gold shore oi the vast west sci
wanted to build home acity. woul,
gather about me the dear spirits If old
In some sweet spot where there were
woods and Good waters. II warm sun ant
4, Inn .