The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-11-03

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TWENTY OF HIS FIFTY DOLLARS ALREADY
GONE.
Northwestern was 1858 Che had bought il
at 126ll). Almost 800 of his $50 was al
ready gone A drop of another point or two
would sweep it all away. His heart beat
hard and he felt a mOmentary dizziness
come over him. Steadying himself, he
asked one of the men, who seemed
thoroughly posted, what he made of the
market. The man was evidently a "bear"
Tor he said very promptly and with en-
| phasIs that stocks were bound TO come
down; that they had been too high for
some time, there was nothing to keep them
up, and he had been looking for a grand
tumble in them.
Atthis the place seemed very close and
oppressive to Luddington, and he got out into
the fresh air as fast as he could. He did not
| feel hungry and was able without inconven-
lence to save the ten cents which his bowl
of bread and milk usually cost him. He
walked the lunch time away thinking
my luck!n he faItered. 'Nly luck! l
had no business going into it. | have
preached against it all my life, and my con-
science told me it was wrong deserve
what am getting"
He thought whether he should not go back,
order the stock sold, lose the $50 and save
the other $50 before it should be too late.
No. said he, 81 will not do it, That is
Just my trouble. never have nerve enough.
l giYe up too quick. For once [ will try
what nerve will do. If the thing goes it
can all go" And he thought bitterly that
that the chances We're many to one that it
all would go.
The experience he was going through was
far from pleasant, and he resolved that
whichever way the thing turned out he
would let speculation alone thereafter. 1t
was disquieting to the nerves, kept one in
constant apprehension, made it hard to sleep
at night and disagreeable to wake up in the
morning.
Next day the market was better. North
western had recovered it's loss and had crept
up to 1861. He could close out, make s. and
be out of his worry. He was tempted to do
it. But rising market now elated him as
much as adeclining one had depressed him
the day previous Like all amateur specu-
lators he was a ''bull." He could see no
reason why stocks should not continue to
rise. Perhaps in another day or two they
would go up point or two and then he
would feel like kicking HIMSELF if he sold
now. Again he expressed the conviction
that it was proper time for the exhibition
of ''nerve' by holding on. So he held on.
For some days the market was firm but
inactive" Stocks would neither go up nor
down, and Luddington suffered more anxi-
ETY. and mental strain than several times
fifty dollars would pay for. Then one day
there was a little rise. Northwestern got
up to 1214, the point at which he had or
dered his stock to be sold, and he drew out
twenty dollars of clear profit on less than a
weeks Investment.
Then he shared his secret with his wife.
He could afford to tell her now. And Alice
was in a sense pleased. She was glad of the
clear gain to the small bank account. And
yet her satisfaction was not as lively as
John had expected. She seemed to be a lit
tie troubled about the manner in which this
easlly-gOt money was earned, and asked
some troublesome questions. Her husband
explained the matter in such way as to re-
fleet good deal of credit on his sagacity
and nerve as a stock operator but Alice
somehow seemed disposed to attribute his
success to accident She advised him to be
thankful for his good luck, put the money
in bank and let stock alone thereafter for
she had heard that it was not a safe bust
ness. He half promised that he would do so.
And this promise he kept for awhile. But
he continued to watch the stock market,
noted its fluctuations closely and made
imaginary investments to see how they
would come out. They came out so well
that he came to believe that possibly he was
a great financier in disguise, man who
might be rich if he had u little more nerve,
instead of tifteep-dollar-a- week clerk for
Griggs a. Co. He studied comparative
tables Of stocks and found that less than
year before Northwestern common had been
down to no. To think of that Why, if
he had then bought 800 shares, as he could
have done, and held on to it, his $500 would
have swelled to $500, a sum that he could
never hope to get by keeping books at Sl5
a week. The thought made him fairly dizzy
Having scored one small success in Wall
street it was not likely that this intoxicated
young man would keep out of it. The idea
Of making fortune in few months grew
upon him. He thought of his faithful hard |
working little wife, cooking, washing
drudgiug denying and saving-and he
thought what life he would give her could
he but succeed in the stock market. Then
would come the long-dreamed-of home, its
handsome furniture, its horse and carriage,
servants to do the work, friends and pleas
urea life that would indeed be worth
livingl
But of all these wild dreams he said not
word to patient, loving, hoping Alice. He
had surprised her once. Might he not soon
give her grand surprise! She should yet
acknowledge his abilities which somehow
he felt that she moderated
But he hesitated and waited "What if it
should go the other way!n he asked himself
and lacked the "nerTe" that was to lead
him on to fortune.
Monday there was almost panic in Wall
street. Stocks all went down with tum-
bic, like a row of bricks set on end. Then