Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1896-09-22
LESSON IN VACATIONS.
HOW A FORTUNE OF NEARLY sl00, 900
WAS LOST ny NOT FOLLOWING TIE
RULE ''PLAY WHILE yoU PLAY"

"When take vacation nowadays /
take it," remarked prominent New
Yorker as he refiectively let the tape run
through his fingers and into the ticker
basket. III don't read the newspapers,
hold myself completely aloof from the
world, and take particular care to know
nothing about what il going on.
II keep out of the reach OF the tele-
graph, too, and let no demands of busi-
ness sort call me back to the city before
the time | set when went away. Com
ing back once, right In the middle OF my
planned vacation, cost me nearly $780,
900.
"This Is the story OF 1t. An old chum
and myself had mapped out 10 days
fishing trip up north, and made up our
minds TO leave civilization completely
behind.
"As We sailed up the Hudson on the
night boat | felt peculiarly contented,
for | had picked up "A little bargain on
the street that afternoon block OF
stock that had cost me s32, and that |
was certain would advance sufficiently
to give me on my return a profit Of $500,
or even trille more. The stock was al
ready at rock bottom, and | felt no anx-
iety about IL.
I'VE found an excellent place TO put
up-a little inn far in the bsckwo GODS,
where the cooking was capital, aud
| within easy walking distance of the best
| fishing In the district. The fish bit
splendidly, and for three days all went
well.
"Then my friend had touch OF some
ailment or other, and nothing would do
but he must go into the county town, a
dozen miles away, and get some medi-
cine.
"Rather than be left alone volunteer
ed TO accompany him.
"Aftor the solitude Of the woods the
life OF the town was pleasant, and when
we had bought the medicine and paid
for IL. we decided to take q look into
some OF the Other shops. We argued
that We needed some writing paper. any
way.
at was late In the afternoon when We
strolled into the one stationery and BOOK
store the town possessed. BY some evil
luck there lay displayed on the counter
a pile of New York newspapers.
I'VE had forsworn the world, but Tn,
temptation was too strong for me.
picked up one of them.
lit was that days paper, and through
force Of habit | turned 10 the Wall Street
page at once. BY all the god', what was
IL saw there, The stock had bought
had closed the folloNing afternoon II
points above my purchasing price, giving
me clean profit OF over s9Oo. lh'
market Was excited, the paper said
everybody had been jumping for 1t, and
Their. we're indications that the top had
been reached, and that a heavy reaction
would set in within day or SO.
II never thought OF telegrAphing; i
seemed to me that the only thing TO do
was To get 20 New York aud pocket M
profit at once.
II turned 10 my friend. Bob | said
I've got 10 take the evening train down
can't go back 10 the inn with you.
And showed him the paper.
Ali; eyes grew as big as saucers, ant
he answered back that rather than sta
by himself he would travel to the cit!
with me. SO We sent boy back Will
the wagon. hastily scribbling a note 4
the landlord TO send on our traps, ant
that We would remit him the amount o
his bill.
AT the hour Of the opening of tn
stock exchange the next mornlnl
II found the stock rather YEA
and trine lower than il had been
Nevertheless readily sold at 80 even
and pocketed very close to $1,000
Neither OF us-my friend or myself-ha
the slightest fishing interest left, and "
called of the rest of the trip.
Fortunate to come out with such
handsome profit. you say: Not at all
hut unfortunate, The very next da
those shares commenced rising. In
combine that WAS manipulating ther
got their full grip, and the stock neve
broke until six days later IL touche
something like 273.
. ut went up by leaps and bounds
, reaching its highest point on the yer
!, dav that | was To come home. IL IA
never looked at newspaper while va
away should have been very nesrl
, 500, 900 10 the good clean cash profits.
, New York Tribune.