The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1891-03-25
CHAPTER I.
A TASTE OF RICHES.


II is wonderful how little benefit some
men derive from good morality and q
sound philosophy. Defective observa-
ton leads tho best philosophy astray,
and allows virtue to gropc in vain for its
reward. The good man who avoids evil
only because he doessot SEQ its allure
ments, will also miss a great deal which
is both desirable and permissible in this
world.
With so much by way OF preface 1t
may be safe to say that the young man
who will now be introduced had led an
exemplary life without finding any sat
isfaction in 1t. He had taken for his
guiding rule the advice OF Schiller that
happiness is to be found in the daily per-
formance Of task OF routine. 1t will
be remembered that the same eminent
gentleman advised writing with ones
feet in tub OF ice water, but most Of us
do not like 1t. There is, however, q
great deal OF value In the routine idea,
, but tho trouble with 1t in practice is
that many people do not know what to
OCCUPY themselves with after the daily
task is done.
William Russell was one Of these. He
had held a clerkship for eight years, on
slowly-increasing salary, and had been
temperate, frugal, and Industrious. He
had as much interest in his work as II
he had been car-horse but he would
rather have been employed than idle.
Thinking he regarded as an unsafe oc-
cupation for man who knew how TO
analyze the facts OF existence, as he did.
That was the trouble he knew how TO
analyze them but he didn't know the
facts. He had long ago given up ambi-
ton, friendship, love, and many other
sweet and profitable things because he
regarded them as delusions!
Then came day when he began to
regard the consultations Of his daily task
Of routine as delusions also. He was as
good a sample OF the discouraged young
man as could have been found In New
York. IIe had hitherto maintained q
certain contentment bolstered up by
prejudice In favor Of his own philosophy;
and when this thin support gave way
there was no mending 1t. About this
time Russell lost his clerkship natu-
ally enough, perhaps, for man in that
condition OF mind Is not valuable en-
ploye. He did not regard the loss Of
the position as calamity, and he made
no attempt to get another. He simply
lived on his small savings without any
plan whatever for the day when they
should be gone. II any suggestion Of a
life worth striving for should come to
him, he would awaken his energies II
not, they should sleep.
lie occupied tho time in strolling
about tho city studying life in various
forms. In reality he knew but littlo OF
what was going on in tho world. He had
given most OF his leisure 10 books, and
had continued studies OF philosophi-
cal nature which he had begun at
college. He cultivated tho acquaintance
OF few men and no women. There was
not single household in tho great city
where he was ever guest II there had
been doubtless he would have obtained
now and better ideas OF many common
comforts and pleasures. But his early
life had been so unfortunate thatho had
no recollections with which to stimulate
desire for domestic scenes. Indeed II
was his special infiction that he had no
desire for any thing.
The impression made upon such man
by first sight Of the interior OF the New
York stock exchange was wonder that
the game OF stocks was played with 80
great an exercise Of physical activity.
Ire had expected 70 sec calm, cool
headed assembly Of gamblers, and this
is not what tho stock exchange looks
like from the gallery, on lively day.
It bears more resemblance 10 a football
match where the crowd has broken upon
the field with the intention Of killing
the referee. Russell was surprised "a
find himself much interested in the ath.
letic side OF brokers' business. He
was muscular young man, and the
sight appealed to him strongly For
more than an hour he watched the busy
scene, and played the game OF stocks in
his mind "a method much to be preferred
10 any other.
He had q five-dollar gold piece In his
pocket, and not another penny In the
world. 1t did not occur TO him to seek