Morning journal and courier., 1884-07-12

LnSs
 So I held on like grim death to a de. ceased colored person. was <on duty by the ticker five hours a day, watching fol the combination of figures that was to land me high and dry. Sometimes they seemed to be coming, and then they would melt like frostwork in the sunshine. The long stock would convalesce and then relapse while the short stock seemed to be the healthiest thing on the list. By and by the skies cleared and I seemed to be on the hemes'retch. In the crucible of Wall street speculation I had lost all appetite for gains, and my ruling passion was to get even The long stock braoed up, the short stock weakened, and if these happy conditions could be charmed into continuance I would be victor. The odds were against me. Nothing lasts in Wall street like misfor- tune. It was 8 race for me, with peace of mind, contentment, philosophy and experi- ence as the stakes; but it was difficult riding long and e short stock at the same time on g booming market. happy thought struck me. It was to change my stesds and mount afresh. Overheard went the long stock at 2o-overboard went the short stock at 1O3. I mounted Erie and U. F. and on November 14, 1880, dashed under the wire. I was exactly even. In- stantly closed my account, and, with a certified check for nay margin and my statement of account in hand, I called to- S0OACE Gu0 hluu 1ElonO5 WnO66 well uSalG AQ- vice I had rejected when it involved ruin, and addressed them as follows:
 Fellow Spectators :-I am about to say farewell to this street forever. You have been my constant companions for six months. have told you all of my business, and have lost much sleep on account of the points you have given me. If had been 8 Jay Gould, your theories of speculation would have sent me to the poorhouse. I owe my success to going against your judgment. For your un- form consideration iu advising me against my best interest, thank you from the bot tom of my heart I shall always endeavor to act against your advice, and as I detect by your glances your disapproval of my deter imitation to cease pulling that tape. I wish to inform you that hereafter you will miss me from my usual haunts If you will become my guests for fsw moments we will drink to the weary visionaries who continue to dip in the golden sea. Applause.
 An asthmatic lawyer, whose face had shrunk with his losses until it seemed to be dried parchment stretched over bones. asked if the speaker meant to say that he was even, and when he learned that that was the idea which the speaker sought as delicatsly as possible to express. he sighed and wished to heaven that he was even but he added fu- rionsly that he intended to remain on guard until he was even, and more, too.
 The ex-Methodist minister, who had seen $10,O0O grow to $3O, 900, and that amount shriveI to $9, 900, turned to see the closing quotations, and said that he didn't believe 8 man could miss it on the current market
 The old-time speculator, whose feats of twenty years ago filled the newspapers, al- though he was now apparently no better equipped than novice at the game, said that no man ever got rid of the fascination of Wall street speculation, and that for one he believed no man ever would
 ''The hour has come,'' said, ''and here is the man."
 With & gIeam of humor in his eye, he took my statement of account and folded it into crowp. Then he pinned the certified check upon it, so that it danced like white plume, and, placing the paper coronet on my brow, he said ''I crown thee king of Wall street
 Just then the broker came out with his hand full of slips containing memoranda of sales and purchases. Whats the fun ?" he asked.
 ''Here is a man who is evon," said the old time speculator, ''and we have crowned him king of Wall street."
 ''Now's good time for him to make some money" said the broker, passing on.
 Don't hurt his feelings by telling him that I am going away" said. I had found that I had paid him in commissions enough for all of his summer expenses in the country.
 Four years have passed and solvency reigns in my business. The other day went down to look at my hunting ground in the last presidential campaign, where 1 wore certl- fled check as the white plume of victory. l could scarcely believe my eyes. There were several of my old acquaintances about the tape, but m old acquaintances on the tape were stranger in their haggard and worn ap- pearance Everything and every body-all except the chirpy broker-seemed to have been through the wars. My old short stock showed profit of over $5, ,OO0 on the figures at which had sold it, but the old long stock was still sick member of the family and that railroad physicisn-the receiver-whose ad- vent gave me sucha wrench four years before had been called in gain. Stocks which will always seem dear to me, because they made me even with the game, were down, one forty points and the other nearly 100 points They told me that there had been shrinkage on the entire list of over $l 400, GOO. 900. There was & new crop of spectators evidently after Jay Gould's scalp. They danced about as though they had slaughtered Keene, Willard, and S.ney. Already had caught glimpses of their air castles I had ruins of much structures, which fain would have donated to them, but had not been introduced.
 My old acquaintances barely remembered me- Most of them could not call my name, although they had crowned me king of Wall street" I recalled the incident. Then one by one confided to me that it would have been money in pocket if they had gone with me That was beautiful market, that mar ket of 1880. They never expected to see its like again. They got nearly even-one of them was quite even-but they hold on, ex- pecting stocks to go higher, and now just look at them So-and So gave out last fall, and it was feared he had lost his mind. The asthmatic lawyer had a mere shred of his fortune left and the ex-Methodist minister had gone out West to preach on small sala- ry. Several who had come and gone since I got even were referred to. They had blos- somed, had withered, and had disappeared The old speculator who had crowned me was still at it. He evidently had no expectations living by work which is harder than that of any mechanic in New York. The biggest spsculator of them all, who had worked the tent and gone away with about one-half of was not SO luxurious as it was. The broker reconized his old costumer, and evidently expected 8 new account. sIt's the time now to lay in your stock" he said in cheerful, money-making tone.
 Just then the deep-toned yell of the news boys was waited up from the street as they hurried down with an extra. The spectators surmised that there was another failure. As the broker passed out some one asked him If there was any new failure. He mentioned the house that had gone under, and getting no new orders, went on. Stocks grew weaker and the speoulators grew sad. The king of Wall street concluded to go