The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1890-01-10

property. AS lufgo noluer u II q We
his position would be different; for were not
the heads of these various families operating
In K. IL w. themselvesf
Little by little he lessened his attentions to
Lucia, and his visits to the house became
fewer. To Phil, who did not know the cause,
the result was quickly visible, and delight
full as well The only disquieting effect was
that Mrs. pramhy's manner perceptibly
changed to an undesirable degree. That pru-
dent lady continued to inform her husband
that there seemed to be no movementin Hayn-
ton Bay villa plots, and that the persistency
of the young man from the country seemed
to have the effect of discorraging Mr.. Marge,
who really had some financial standing.
The change in Marge's manner was per-
ceptible throughout the Tramlay family.
Even Margie experienced a sense Of relief,
and she said one evening to Lucia;
"Isn't it lovely that your old beau Is so
busy in Wall street nowadaysa He doesn't
come here half as much as he used to, and
don't have to be bored by him while you're
talking TO Phil You ought to fit up room
especially for me In your new house, Lu, for
I've endured a dreadful lot for your sake"
You silly child" Lucia replied; "you
might catch Mr.. Marge yourself IL yen liked.
Mamma seems to want to have him IN the
family"
THANK you for the it," Margie retorted,
"but don't care for a husband almost old
enough to be my grandfather. after being
accustomed to seeing real nice, handsome
young man about the house."
HE has money" said Lucia, land that Is
what most girls are dying to marry. Papa
says he is making fortune II he Is as deep
in the market as some folks say"
~ hope he is" said Margie. HE ought to
have something besides a wooden face, and q
bald hend, and the same set of speeches and
manners for all occasions What aRlendid
sphinx he would make, or an old mon fnentl
May be he isn't quite antique enough, but for
vivacity he isn't any more remarkable than
stone statue Just think of what Phil has
saved us FRONT"
And stil E. 81 w. went up The discovery
Of valuable mineral deposits ON the line Of
one Of its branches sent the stock flying up
several points in a single day, and soon after
ward diversion of some large grain ship
ments from a parallel line helped it still fur
Their. That the grain was carried at loss
did not trouble any one-probably because
only the directors knew it, and it was not
their business to make such facts public. And
with each rise of tho stock Marge sold out, SO
as to have a larger margin with which to
operate.
At the first Of the year E. g. W. declared
dividend so large, for a security that had
been far below par, that even prudent in
vestors began to crowd to the street and buy
the stock to put into their safes. The effect
OF this was to send shares up SO rapidly and
steadily that Marge had difficulty in repur-
chasing at the price at which he sold; but he
did so well that more than six thousand
shares now stood in his name on the books Of
his broker.
Six thousand shares represented about half
a million dollars at the price which h. & W..
commanded. Marge admitted to himself that
1t did not mean so much to him, for he had
not single certificate in his pocket or any
where else. But what were stock certificates
to a man who operated on a margini They
were good enough for widows and orphans
and other people incapable or unwilling to
watch the market, and who were satisfied to
draw annually whatever dividends might
chance to be declared To Marge the stock
asst appeared on his brokers books signified
that he had cleared nearly fifty thousand
dollars on it within two months, and all this
money was renvested-on margin-in the
same stock, with the probability OF doubling
itself every month, wtltil +. d. w. should
go quite way beyond par. Were it to
creep up only 5 per cent. a month"; had
been doing more than twice as well-he could
figure up cool million OF gain before the
summer dullness should strike the market.
Then he would sell out, run over to Europe
and take rest; he felt that he would have
earned it by that time
OF course there was no danger that e. g. w.
lance of the street, was taking care Of it, y
had publicly said, again and again, that L.
g. w. would reach $50 before summer end,
although Smart was one of the younger men
in the street, he had engineered two or three
other things in manner which had made
older operators open their eyes and check
books. Smart's very name seemed TO breed
luck, his prophecies about other movements
had been fulfilled, he evidently had his own
fortune largely invested in Z. 81 W., sc
what more could any operator asks Even
now the stock was hard to get; investors who
wanted small quantities had generally to bid
above tho market quotations.; and even when
large block changed hands it depressed quo.
tations only fraction, which would be more
than recovered within twenty-four hours
Marge's margin was large enough to protect
him against loss, even should a temporary
panic strike the market and depress every.
thing by sympathy; indeed, some conserva
tive brokers told Marge that he could safely
carry the stock on much smaller margin.
Better men have had their heads turned by
less success, and forgotten not only tender
sentiments but tender vows; SO it is no won.
der that, as his financial standing improved
daily, Marge's interest in Lucia weakened.
The countryman might have her; there was
as good fish in the seq as that he had hoped
to catch-not only as good, but great deal
better. He would not break old friendships
he really esteemed the Tramlays, but-friend
ship was a near enough relationship
CHAPTER XIV.
IRON LOOKS STILL HIGHER.