Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1889-11-22

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 markell There
was not an industry in the world in the
least degree dependent upon iron which
they did not also watch closely and
dedace apparent probabilities which they
exchanged with one another. The pro
eeedings 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 atonce; the opening Of q long
closed mill to execute a small order, even .
longer interval than usual between the clos
ings Of mills, was enough to lift up their col
lective hearts for q while Then all would
become faint hearted again when they real
lied that they, like Hosea Biglow's chanti-
cleer, had been
Mistakin' moonrise for tho break O. day.
But suddenly, through causes that no one
bad foreseen, or which all had discounted %
often that they had feared to consider them
again. iron began to look up; some small or
ders, Of long absent kind, began to creep
into the market, prices improved . little a.
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
turea
Good news flies fast; the upward tendency
Of iron was soon talked Of In New York's
outside observer, talk seems the principal In
dustry. Men In other businesses that were
depressed began to consult iron men who had
weathsred the storms and endured tho still
more destructive calms Of the long period Of
depression Bankers began to greet iron
men with more cordially 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 indicators throughout the
city.
Il naturally followed that Mr.. MarRe, 10
whom the Aforesaid ''tape" seemed the breath
Of LIE, began to wonder whether, In the Ian
guage Of Wall street, be had not 'speivt
lege" upon which he might s'rsali,as II the
upward movement Of iron was to continue
and become general, Tramlay would UNI
doubtedly be among those who would benefit
BY It Would the result be immediate, or
would Tramlay first have to 60 into hquida-
ton, after the manner Of many merchants
~ thur l>~~
appearance Of business which u destroyed by
the flrst opportunity for actual transactionsi
Iarge had long before, for businea purposes,
made some acquaintance in The bank with
which Tramlay did busines, but be did not
dare to inquire too pointedly about his
friends balance and discountA Besides,
Marge had learned, through the published
schedules Of liabilities Of numerous insolvents,
that some buGnes men have q way Of Dor.
rowing privately and largely from relatives
and frienda
BE would risk nothing, at any rate, BY .
gentle and graceful increase Of attention to
Lucia He nattered himself that be va
quite competent to avoid direct proposal UNI
til such time - might entirely suit him. Al
for Lucia, she was too fond Of the pleasures
Of the season just about to open to hold him
to account were he to offer her some of them.
The suggestion that his plans bad . mercer
nary aspect did not escape him, for even q
dave Of the stock tape may have condderar
bic conscience and self respect Unexplained
to himself that he did not esteem Lucia solely
fer her possible expectations; she was good,
pretty, vivacious, ornamental, quite intelli-
gent-for q girl, and he had an honest ten
dernes for her as the daughter Of q woman
be had really loved many years before, and
might have won had no not been too DELHI
crate But his income was not large enough
to support the establishment he would want
a. . married man, % he would have to de
pend to q certain extent upon his wife. or
upon her father.
It was solely with this view, he explained
to himself, that be had made careful recon
noizances in other directions; II some ladies
who would have been Gcceptable-Miss Agnes
Dinon, for instance-had not been able 70
estimate him rightly as a matrimonial candt
date, be was sure that they Is well a. 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 ad
vance his suit was Guickened, within q very
few days, 10y the announcement ON the tape
that rolling mill In which he knew Tramlay
was largely interested had received a 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. like many another
hard headed business man, lived solely for
his family, had delighted his wife and daugh
tiers by announcing that they might have .
long run on the continent the next year. And
one morning at breakfast he exclaimed:
"Do any Of you know where that young
Hayn is stoppingi want HIM"
why EdgarT said Mrs Tramlay
'Wha. are ycu going to do to him, papar
as,led Marsie. seeing that Lucia wanted to
know, L'.t did not seem able to ask
81 want another clerk" was the reply, "and
believe llayn is just my man can teach
him quickly all lie nees.s to know, and want
nc who am sire hasn't speculation on