The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-07-20
A POST DATED PAPER


Ruin! The word stared me in the
face, sang in my ears. Ruin, utter
and complete. The prospects with
which my hopes had been ,buoyed
up during the last three years faded
away like a phantom of the night,
for in two days the once prosperous
firm of John Farmer & Co., of which
I was the sole partner, would be
posted up as unable to meet its en-
gagements.
Borrowl Bah! Who would lend?
III news travels fast, and the mar
ket knew / had been badly hit for
firm of my pretensions.
No; there was nothing for it but
to face the matter out quietly. For
myself, it would not mean much,
but for her-ah!
We had been engaged for IS
months, and with business looking
so prosperous we had decided that
the time was propitious to consum-
mate our happiness, but this rash
speculation-what has it not done9
dashed all my hopes to the ground
and blighted all prospects of our
happy future.
And of this she knows nothing.
With heart of lead and cold
drops of agony on my brow, rose
from my Office chair. The evening
was cold, and as I passed out in
to the street neighboring clock
chimed z. For an hour or more
wandered aimlessly about the
streets, until at last, feeling sick
and i'll, I entered a little hostelry
off the Strand and called fora glass
of brandy.
At first was under the impres
sion that was the only occupant of
the room, but an indescribable feel
ing that some one was staring at me
made me look up.
Seated in the farthest corner I
deserted an object with two piercing
eyes that seemed to burn into my
brain. could not call him a man.
He looked to me to be about feet
high, with a face as pale as death.
His head was bald save for single
lock that stood up straight as an ar
row in line with his nose. His
mouth was thin and delicate, with
a long, black mustache dropping
down on either side. AS I looked at
him he left his seat and came to-
ward me.
Pardon me-" he said, "but you
appear to be in trouble.
"Who is there that is not in trou-
BILE at some time of his life9" I an
swered, with a laugh.
"What is it9" he asked. 'Loves"
shook my head.
"Then it must be money!" he
concluded.
"Why9" I asked.
1.-THE only things that trouble q
man in this world are love and
money. Am I not rights''
1.-THE value of your axiom 1 am
not inclined to dispute, answered; (;
"but, since you seem to take an in
terest in me, I don't mind saying
that, as regards myself, the trouble
is money"
"Ah! thought so-money-
money-nothing but money. Mar
ket's up-money made; markets
down-money lost. Rich today
tomorrow ruini''
"You speak truly I answered.
s'If we only could tell
"Tell whatf" I asked.
"What the morrow will bring
forth"
.sIf we only could!"
1--WE would be millionaires, s." he
continued.
"Multimillionaires, l assented.
"And yeti
eyes
"If were to tell you that at this
moment have in my pocket a copy
of tomorrow evenings Moon, you
would not believe me.
1T would not, l answered.
CT thought not, continued my
strange companion. 1.-The world IS
full of skeptics. -
do you ask me to believe that
you are in possession of informa.
ton concerning events which have
not yet taken placer" asked.
ST ask you to believe nothing
merely state facts.
"And what does your supernatu
raj paper contain, " I asked.-"the
state of the markets.
"The exact state of the markets
as they will be at closing time to-
morrow and the actual results of
tomorrow's racing
"You must be a wonderful wiz
ord And what is the price of this