The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-10-06


aN3E$IEA time been learning
to their sorrow.
h8NSN} Few of them were
III making any mon
ey; most of them
were losing on interest account, closed mills
or stock on hand that could not find purchas-
ers. To know this was uncomfortable; to
know that the remainder of the business
world knew it also was worse; there is sense
Of humiliation in merely holding ones own
for long period which is Infinitely more
provoking and depressing to business man
than an absolute failure or assignment.
How closely every one in Tramlay's bust
ness circle watched the iron market! There
was not an industry in the world in the
least degree dependent upon iron which
they did not also watch closely and
deduce apparent probabilities which they
exchanged with one another. The pro-
oeedings of congress, the results of cleo
tions, the political movements abroad that
tended to either peace or war, became inter
esting solely through their possible influence
upon the iron trade. Again and again they
were sure that the active and upward move
ment was begin tonce; the opening of n long
closed mill TO execute a small order, even a
longer interval than usual between the clos
ings of mills, was enough to lift up their col
lective hearts for a while. Then all would
become faint hearted again when they real
lied that they, like Hosea Biglow's chanti-
cleer, had been
Mistakn' moonrise for the break o. day.
But suddenly, through causes that no one
had foreseen, or which all had discounted so
often that they had feared to consider them
again, iron began to lool; up; some small Or
ders, of long absent kind, began to creep
into the market, prices improved a little as
stock depleted, several mills made haste to
open, and prudent dealers, who had been
keeping down expenses for months and years,
now began to talk hopefully of what they
expected to do in the line of private expendi-
lures.
Good news flies fast; the upward tendency
of iron was soon talked of in New York's
thousands of down town offices, where, to an
outside observer, talk seems the principal in
dustry Men in other businesses that were
depressed began to consult iron men who had
weathered the storms and endured the still
more destructive Gains of the long period of
depression. Bankers began to greet iron
men with more cordiality than of late. An
nouncements of large orders for iron given
by certain railroads and accepted by certain
mills began to appear on the tapes of the
thousands of stock il dicators throughout the
city.
It naturally followed that Mr.. Marge, to
whom the aforesaid tape" seemed the breath
of life began to wonder whether, in the Ian
guage of Wall street, he had not a 'privi-
lege" upon which be might realize" If the
upward movement of iron was to continue
and become general, Tramlay would I'M
doubtedlv lie among those who would benefit
by it. Would the result be immediate, or
would Tramlay first have to go into liquida-
ton, after the manner of many merchants
who through a long depression keep up an
appearance of business which is destroyed by
che first opportunity for actual transactions
Marge had long before, for business purposes,
made some acquaintance in the bank with
which Tramlay did business, but he did not
dare TO inquire too pointedly about his
friends balance and discounts. Besides,
Marge had learned, through the published
schedules Of liabilities of numerous insolvents,
that some business men have a way of Dor
rowing privately and largely from relatives
and friends.
He would risk nothing, at any rate, by a
gentle and graceful increase of attention to
Lucia. He flattered himself that he was
quite competent to avoid direct proposal I'M
til such time as might entirely suit him. As
for Lucia, she was too fond of the pleasures
of the season just about to open to hold him
20 account were he to offer her some of them.
The suggestion that his plans had a merce-
nary aspect did not escape him, for even a
slave of the stock tape may have considera-
bic conscience and self respect. He explained
to himself that he did not esteem Lucia solely
for her possible expectations; she was good,
pretty, vivacions, ornamental, quite intelli-
gent,-for girl, and he had an honest ten
derness for her as the daughter of a woman
he had really loved many years before, and
might nave won had he not been too delib-
crate But his income was not large enough
80 support the establishment he would want
as a married man, SO he would have to de-
pend to q certain extent upon his wife, or
upon her father.
Il was solely with this view, he explained
to himself, that he had made careful recon-
noissances in other directions; if some ladies
who would have been ptable-Miss Agnes
Dinon, for instance-had not been able to
estimate him rightly as matrimonial candi-
date, he was sure that they as well as he had
been losers Through their lack Of perception.
As matters now stood, Lucia was his only ap.
parent chance in the circle where he belonged
and preferred to remain. His purpose to adj
vance his suit was quickened within very
few days, by the announcement on the tape
that rolling mill in which he knew Tramlay
was largely interested had received very
large order for railroad iron and would open
at once.
But indications that iron was looking up
were not restricted to the business portion of
the city Tramlay, who, ike many another
hard headed business man, lived solely for
his family, had delighted his wife and daugh-
tiers by announcing that they might have a
long run on the continent the next year. And
one morning at breakfast be exclaimed:
"Do any Of you know where that young
Eayn is stoppingl | want him"
''Why, EdgarI" said Mrs Tramlay.
"What are you going to do to him, papaG"
asked Margie, seeing that Lucia wanted to
know, but did not seem able to ask.
al want another clerk, was the reply, "and
believe Hayn is just my man. can teach
him quickly all he needs to know, and want
some one who am sure hasn't speculation on
the brain, nor any other bad habits That
young Hayn commands respect-from me, at
any rate. used to find down Ia the country