The Portland daily press., 1892-04-30
A SPECULATION.

GancEOn unless by the lSt OF next month
you can show me balance at your
bankers of $4,000 or securities in your
own name to that value"
"But, Mr.. Seymour, where do you
think I am to get $4,000 from in less
than a month? Nellie and I are both
young and can afford to wait for better
times. am confidential clerk to one of
the best fryns of stockholders, and have
every reason to believe I shall one day
become a partner. My salary from
them is $3.50, and my old uncle allows
me e100 year and looks upon me as his
heir. What more can you want?'
sit is of no use prolonging the dis
cussion, Mr.. BARLEY. 1t is for your own
sakes do this. When my daughter mar
ries shall settle e10, 900 upon her, and
I think her husband ought to have at
least $4,000. If, as I said before, you
have that sum by the LIST of April next,
will sanction your engagement If
not, | shall use every means in my power
to bring about her marriage with Cap
tain Tredegar, and in the meantime
shall send her off to my sister in Scot
land out OF your way"
With these words he touched the bell,
thus intimating that the interview was
at an end.
Mr. Seymour was chief partner in the
firm of Seymour, Giveless & Co., stock
brokers, and was reported IT, be worth q
million, but there were city men who
whispered that he was in rather a shaky
state just now owing to heavy specula-
tons on his own account, and that he
would probably be in want of few
thousands before the next settling day.
When left Mr.. Saymour's Office in
Victoria street I wandered about for
two hours, hardly knowing where I was
going. was unable to concentrate my
thoughts upon anything definite. All /
could think about was G5 900. Every
thing around me seemed to say the same
thing. The very sound of the wheels Of
the omnibuses and cabs seemed to sug-
gest, "e5 900, or Nellie is lost" I felt
that I must have the money if commit
ted crime to obtain it.
At last called a cab and drove to my
chsmbers. When was seated in an
easy chair by the side of bright fire,
with my pipe in full swing, tried to
think the matter over calmly. The only
hope I could think Of was my Uncle
John, but it was Like depending on a
broken reed, indeed. He had always
cautioned me against getting married at
all, and pointed to himself with pride as
one who had had next to nothing to do
with women all his life; but before
went to bed had made up my mind to
run down to Ethan on the morrow and
see him.
Iwrote a note to the Office saying that
felt rather indisposed that evening
(which was q11ite true) and should prob
ably not be in the city in the morning.
i II II "
Next morning, after restless night,
the chance OF my uncle acceding to my
request seemed smaller than ever, but
there was no other hope, and must face
him and make the best of it. At break
fast took up the paper as was my
wont, and glanced down the money arti-
Gle. Suddenly an idea flashed across my
mind. Being on the Stock exchange |
knew that fortunes were made and lost
every month; why shouldn't I try and
make $4,000 by specializing in some
stock? The more thought of it the bet
ter I liked it.
OF course / knew it was risky; I
couldn't do it in my own name without
it coming to the knowledge of my firm,
and they wouldn't tolerate that sort of
thing for moment. and whatever plan
I adopted knew il things didn't go as
wished | should be ruined. But life
without Nellie wasn't worth living, and
Unjust have her at any cost.
The first thing to decide was the best
stock in which to speculate. The mar
kets were very quiet just now, with the
exception of the South African Mining
market, in which there had been lately
quite O. "boon."
One company in particular had caused
great sensation. This was the Great
Cumberland Diamond mines, whose ten
pound shares were quoted at twenty five
pounds. The company was supposed TO
have most valuable property in south
Africa, and although only started SIX
months previously had already paid
dividend of 20 per cent, and the future
dividends were expected to be as high as
80 or 35 per cent. That they had paid
the 20 per cent. dividend was quite true,
as had received that on the few shares
held myself; but whether it was paid
out of the profits or otherwise did not
know
What I did know was that if any ad-
verse report oe the mine came over the
price Of the shares would inevitably
drop quicker than it had risen. I there
fore determined to confine my opera
tons to Great Cumberland. Of course
it would be sheer speculation, and there
are people VITO say this is no better than
robbery, and although can't say quite
agree with them, don't in any degree
uphold the practice. 1t is one of the
greatest evils of the age, but in my case
7 felt the end would justify the means
L-- 49, .~.