The Press., 1894-08-02

years, roamed meditatively along the bustling sidewalk of South Street, gliding with the instinct of the experienced New Yorker through knots, tangles, eddies, whirlpools of hurrying men that would have swamped a countryman, with half unconscious feet turned up Burling Slip, and by Liberty and Nassau streets ram- bled into Wall Street, having no particu- lar business before his appointment at II, when he was to meet his friend; intend ed to hold sweet converse with him, if he could and at any rate to have good delib- crate lunch with him at noon, within the gastronomic retreat of the William Street Delmonico. This friend was one Jaggles a man of considerable culture, immense business energy and shrewdness, and much good-nature too; friend of Toms for some time, and already managing Toms small means to the joint profit of both. His business, in which Tom was to join, was General Speculating' you know what that is. The general speculator must have all his money ready at any moment, and some credit; must be ready to say Yes instantaneously, and No ten times quicker; must be ready to buy and sell any thing in the world except his wife and children; and is equally like ly, on any given day, to be the exulting owner of cargo of bananas and oranges, a monkey and barrel-organ, a ''job lot" of gilt-edge Bibles, pile of calicoes "war- ranted fast colOrS," 8 new patent, or of the ordianary commodities of real estate, stock, bonds, scrip, or "good business paper"
 As Tom, having turned eastward again, passed deliberately by that curious silent .,.J <In as Jauncey Court, he was met by one in extreme haste, who seized him unceremon- iously, and whispered, in an eager voice,
 I'.Step in here a moment!''
 "Ah! MT. Wickwire," said Tom, "how goes it?"
 But Wickwire-an old fellow in the broking line, a frequent coadiuter of Mir. Grigg in speculations-wa in too much haste to be polite. He hauled Tom vio- lently within the quiet precinct of the Court, and hurriedly whispered in his ear the words,
 ''New Orleans is open! They're past the forts!"
 Tom stared "How do you know?"
 Private dispatch through Pebbles at Richmond, 0id Baltimore" replied Wick wire. "Fully reliable! City taken yester- day! Be all over town to-morrow--per- haps this afternoon! We've just got to- day! See ?"
 Thomas Elliott thought he did. This dry old broker, with his score of nasty words, set up great golden image in the young mans brain; whose glow, how ever, to do justice to him, did by no means obscure the rosy and more celestial light of that other lovelier figure hard by the yellow one! And no matter whether or not it would have been more chivalrous to run straightway back and tell Pig Grigg, as old Wickwire expected. Business is business. Every man for himself! Be- sides, Master Tom mady have thought, 'If I make it for Lily-' In fact, he un- doubtedly did.
 But all this flashed through his mind in one instant.
 II do see!" he cried. "Big thing, MT. Wickwire!"
 And he staid not upon the order of his going, but jumped forth out of Jauncey Court as if he had been shot out, and sped furiously eastward toward the Exchange, leaving old Wickwire to find out for him self why MT. Grigg should fail to com- municate with him. Past the Exchange flew Thomas, short around into Hanover Street, and headlong down into a small dim, dingy, comfortless little cellar of an office, where wrote like lightning at a dirty desk a high dried, hungry faced man all steel and whalebone.
 "Howdo ?" he snapped, as Elliott plunged in.
 "All right ?''replied Tom, as quickly "Jaggles, must have every cent! And there's an immense chance! Honor bright now; if you like it go in! Shall it be all on the square between us?" Jaggles looked at him a moment, and seemed infected with the young mans en- thusiasm. His level bushy eyebrows moved little above his keen steel-gray eyes. He smiled, jumped up, struck his hand into Elliot's, and with the same in- tense swift utterance said, "Allonthesquare! honor bright how'll. youhaveit? Whatis't?"
 "ln bank-check it all outa again. What's the figure?"
 The speculator looked into his pocket memorandum, and answered, twentythreenaught." That is, $S52S-all Elliot was worth You'll go $15 ,OO0 or $20, ,OOO, if worth while, won't you, besides credits ?" asked Tom.
 Jaggles nodded, and Tom continued,
 Private news, and sure-Ne,o OrIeGns $ open /"
 JdSSIOS SGtiFou at 1OIn put HIS stare quickly spread into 8 smile of intense sat- isfaction.
 "Pm your man, Elliot! The Superior is not chartered. I'll secure her instantly Flour and provisions. She'll carry-nevel mind; all we want to send. We must work like beavers, though. That cargo must be going in there all night Grigg-?'
 Left him this morning." said Tom "Got the news half an hour after.'
 He'll be after us in short order," said Jaggles.
 Let him." said Tom.
 They briefly conferred upon the charter and nature of their respective purchases That done,
 Jump now, you beggar :" cried Jaggles 'Ill see to the steamer. Come hele al