The Osceola times., 1882-11-04

That final ''R" was mystery to me. i
had 10 one to ask about IL. The boy had
gone, and | didn't want to tell my private
business to the rich men about me. | be-
gan to think what "R" could mean. The
tape gave the next sale of U. p. at 90t,
and as knew | had 10 pay s25 commits
30 for buying and Sl2 30 for
selling-the depreciation of my holdings
at that moment showed a loss Of $50. The
"R" seemed to say, run" and save my
self from further loss. The tape showed
that ON the next sale my loss was Sl2 80
more, and the "R' seemed to predict
Ruin"
| dropped into a chair and began to
wonder whether some trick had not been
played on me in buying my stock at the
highest price of the day. The vision OF
carrying that stock for years, as learned
l might do by paying 6 per cent. interest
on the money invested by the broker,
and keeping my margin good, seemed
comforting until thought the stock might
sell down to 75, as predicted. Then | was
convinced that ! would never see my
pretty little bond again.
But that ar" still bothered me, and
catching the man with fish eye, mdnch-
ing sandwich, | asked him what il
meant. He said it indicated that the stock
had been bought in the regular way. |
pretended that this made it clear, but il
didn't. wondered whether, if a stock
bought in the regular way commanded
the highest price of the day, and then be-
gan TO grow weak and slid OIL within two
hours, so as to make the purchaser loser
of nearly 800, what would stock do
that was purchased in an irregular way
] began to grow suspicious. Perhaps |
had come into the wrong Office, and had
better pocie the loss and 20 away, 10
come again some other day. But | con-
cluded | would dissemble and try to be
gay, like the young men who were COM
ing into the office, now that the Trinity
chimes had sounded the close of the fiscal
day soon learned that they were all
brokers, and my place was with the sad
company who seemed to be thinking of
funerals. My feelings oyercame me in
spite of the forced attempt to be gay, and
went into the hall, where the taciturn
speculator stood trying to read his future
in a dingy skylight which the window
overlooked. He hoped had been max
ing money. ] confided to him the truth.
He gave me look that made me think
of the story of the man with eyes like a
gazelle. Then he resumed the study of
the skylight. | venturcd to predict that
he had had better luck.
81 have been twenty years at this bus
iness," he said, snappishly, "and I'll give
you piece of advice that has cost me
100000. If you are making living at
any thing 60 back to it, save your pennies
and you will be rich. Stay here, and
you'll want to borrow quarter some day
for a nights lodging. ! used to NOW with
a big scythe. ! am cutting now with a
knife with one blade, and that broken.
| was once prince in the street. want
ed to be a king. bulled a certain stock
until it mounted to the sky. 1t came
down. went up. | haven't got done
falling yet. When | see a young man
coming here feel like taking him by the
button-hole and telling him to 90 away
as fast as his legs will carry him"
Isn't there any rule for the guidance
of spectators here?" | asked.
"Yes; everything that goes up must
come down, except when You are on the
short side. What have you bought" ?"
''U. p. at o."
"Humphw
"What do YOU think of ito"
81 stopped thinking in 1873"
He bolted off, and took his place to
read my future in the skylight.
A tall, lank, mild-eyed youth came out
He was sad, but. .he smiled, and stopped
to ask how | had made out. I confided
in him. He said that he came to Wall
street with S25,00O-an inheritance-met
a friend who knew all of Jay Gould's se-
crets, and he supposed that Gould now
had the money, for he didn't have it. He
expected to get it back some day, sure {;
but just now he was short of stock that
was going up rapidly, and as it might
never stop going up, he wasn't sleeping
any these nights, but was walking the
streets. | thought of story of man who
never slept. "But," he said, 81 ought to
have known better for my father used to
say that Daniel Drew once remarked:
The man who sells what isn't his'n,
Gets in debt and goes to prison.
A fat man from Chicago passed with
out looking up, and got no advice from
him. ] learned that he was once worth
S250,000, but now couldn't pay his debts,
because of Wall street.
The sandy-haired man at the tape told
me he had been in Wall street twelve
years trying TO get even.
Three merry brokers went by talking
about white diamonds and champagne
supper by the sea.
The head of the firm started for his
drive in the park. The janitor and his
wife came down to begin to clean out the
offices. The clerks went home, and
walked TO the Battery and looked at the
water.
Two days of exciting novel reading and
strong cigars helped to keep me away
from Wall street, but no amount of reso-
luton could keep me away from the stock
reports in the newspapers. U. p. was
getting up slowly, and | grew cheerful
Early the next week was on the road to
wealth. My holdings showed profit of
S75. Now | must be spy and get 5000
more. Ii came two days later and sold
out. The taciturn speculator took me by
the sleeve and said "Did you ever hear
the story Of the man who knew when to
quit Wall street,"
"No."
"Well, it was when he had to pay $40
to pay his expenses"
l called fol my account, got long strip
| couldn't understand, received a check
for S275, and concluded to sell my gov
ernment bond and buy few shares of
stock that paid 7 per cent. | called the
next day and got the stock. felt good,
was well dressed, and was smoking ci-
gar that cost 80 cents. There was a furry
at the tape. ! was about to leave when |
learned that cerain stock had broken.
The current opinion was the stock was
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