Connecticut western news., 1883-07-04
A WALL STREET STORY.
What n Man Could Not Live Upon, and
 What he Has to Live Upon.

What a Man Could Not Live Upon, and
 What he Has to Live Upon.
 "I am convinced that there is no more dangerous play in the world than stock gambling" says the New York corespond- ent of the Detroit F1'ee Press. "Its fas- clnation when it once takes hold is ire sistible, and the final ruin is almost cer- tain. have known many cases, but single one will do for illustration. Among tue thousands of outsiders who dabbled ln Wall street ten years ago was one-I don't want to give his real name, but will call him Richards. He operated through our house, that is, the house ill which was employed as bookkeeper, and as he soon became daily visitor, I got to know him so we'll that we often had familiar chat. At first his luck in the street was pretty good, and, one day when he had made thousand or so in an hour, he asked me to dine with him that evening at Delmonico's. Most of our talk was about the street, and when 8 bottle of wine had made it pretty free l ventured to suggest that as he had done pretty well he should begin to think about getting out.
 Well, he said, I have thought about it, but don't see my way just yet. I must have $1O,OOO year for my family, and how else can I get it?' "I asked if his family was large and he said it consisted of his wife, two daughters, and son.
 And you need $1O, ,oOo year to live on isn't that pretty high?'
 "'Well, he said, high or low, I can't get on with less. The girls are always asking for money. In the summer they must go to the watering places with their mother, and in winter there is a ball or party every week. It costs a good deal of money, and the money must be had in some way
 "'May I ask how much money you have as capital-that is, money you can really call your own? ?
 "'Well, altogether, suppose I could rake up $SO,0OO. Now, what want to | know is how can use that so as to make $10,OOO 8 year? I don't really fancy this Wall street business, but what am to do? I must have $1O,OOO year and though have looked around good deal I cannot find any other business that will produce it.
 "'Why not reduce your expenses ; You say you can't do with less thar BIO, ,OOO year. I think you are mis- taken. Many families live we'll or $5, ,O0O, and some OF $3,OOO. Does you family know how much money you have?'
 "'l have tried over and over to make them understand, but 1t is no use When they want anything there is nc peace till they get it, and when I tel them I cannot afford it they tell me they know have plenty of money. really can't make them understand or believe that my means are limited and tn. amount of the matter is that I mus have $1O,O year
 "l lost sight of Richards soon after bv going to another house where had . better offer, but I heard from time tt time that his luck was not so good. I must have been five years before I me him again. He looked like anothe man; his face was careworn and hi clothing barely escaped shabbiness. Ali I kav rlo r L still in the street.
 '' 'No,' he says, that's all over.'
 Well, I hope you came out al right
 "'All right Yes, if you call coming out without a dollar all right
 ''I was sorry, of course, to hear of hi i'll luck, and asked him if he had gon into any business. Mo- he said, i was not easy for man who had nothin, to go into business; but his friends wer trying to do something for him and ther was some hope that they would succeed They were working to get him plac in the Custom House. I asked hin what the salary was and he said he un derstood it was $1, ,5OO, with a chanc of something better after while. I would have been cruel to remind him o what he had said five years ago abou not being able to live on less thal $10, ,O0O, but while we were lunching to gether he gave me to understand tha he was living with his wife and daugh ters in small house on the outskirts o Brooklyn. and that his son had obtaine, 8 clerkship at $15 8 week, which wa the chief support of the family"