The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-12-17
kaf&Es ''s's's 2 v . THE ADVERTISERS
 DAILY SHORT STORY

v
 The Wall Street broker returned to his rooms tired man It had been an ex- citing day in the market, but he had come out of 1t several thousand dollars
 to the good. In fact he had been extra
 ordinarily fortunate in his speculations for more than a month. His Great Cen
 tral stock had risen steadily from the
 time he had put his S2O0.0OO in It; ms sugar and iron interests had corresponae ro
 ingly increased until now ne was more than a millionaire.
 As the bold and shrewd operator sat in
 his lonesome bachelor apartments ms mind rapidly went over the incidents or
 the day Before his eyes was the form
 of an old acquaintance whom he had
 noticed walking down the steps or tne great building wherein fortunes are maue
 and lost almost every hour Tn the man
 eyes were streaks of red; below them the flesh hung in puffy layers that were dark. . Tobacco juice Despattered ms shirt frone. and the wrinkles Tn ms -coa. indicated that he had been sleeping in chair the night before. His face mir rored heart overfiowing with despair his hands were clenched as If he were go- chain which dangled from his waistcoat did not belong to him. He had lost all everything. All that he had won rom | the world. after years of struggling ne had just given back to 1t. The sight of the aged and fractureo | figure as 1t disappeared among the cease I less and restless vortex of speculators | touched William Vernon deeply, sian 1s | of recognition and Vernon knew the req l son. He started after him but before ne | could lay a friendly hand upon. the re | treating shoulder pistol shot halted the | footsteps of those near, and the man | fell reeling. his body lifeless to the siae- , l walk. Already Vernon was due upon l the floor of Change, but he stopped lons 1 enough to give some directions to the the | police officer. Then he retraced ms | steps to the greatest of exciting gam | bling houses and his thoughts were soon
 absorbed in matters toucning da ms of ltiidh hIs l friend affected him strangely. lie Wouio | buy the same stocks that had moulded | the bullet which was fired an hour Detore.
 began rising rapidly, Vernon doubled ms l investments; he trebled them; he quad l rupled them. Men were flying abouI l like crazy persons. Their shouts deaf- | ened all other noises; the whirr or trat- | fc; the shrill voices of newsboys did not | penetrate that immense room as vas | usual, for more than two hours. Ter
 minutes before closing tune vernon n- n,, l auired that day, thousands of dollars l eicher than when he had entered upor | the threshold of the building al noon | Friends crowded around him in the el- | fort to congratulate him upon his suc-
 cessful deals. but he had no ear TOT | them. .,.-...
 Reaching the street he hailed the first passing cab and was soon driving 10 Fourteenth Street and Fifth Avenue, the home of the man who had taken ms life. He did not try to gild the widow iently extended his hand, expressed some simple words of coincidence and plunged
 '' Madame" said he. T know ,,a that ySudE 4 ud
 leaving you penniless and with a cheer less and unsympathizing world to pattie
 with When I first came to New 1orh
 Mir. Howard, than whom there was none l kindlter or gentler, gave me my nrst les'
 Son in speculating. Since then we have been more than friends-we have peer
 comrades Had I known the desperate
 straits that he was was Tn ,re rhis snd mS SaVe as
 sisted him. But that it too late Sto taif sis
 check--it Is for $25.OOO-no. you must no no
 the door. When that is gone and l an an
 living. call on me" and before the dis tracted widow could say word. yer
 was lowing himself out ef tae and aOSf S , valet set the stage for the masters e en trance in the evening. bright nr' r
 shons from the hearth: on the center "a
 ble vas huge boqgust or nIssS rosss bsttIe .o or the marble mantlepiece; his slippers ant 1 smoking jacket, pipe and tobacco wer' | BTeBenIlY ne SSN | shall not be ready for dinner for som |, time" he said When I wish 1t served { I will let you know While you are her open one of the windows. The room
 OyRH yRs the butler withdrew. Vernon relapse' into gloomy silence. The liquor on tn , mantlepiece remained untouched. Deel |, down into the glowing coals his eye were fixed, as if trying to penetrate th
 secrets of their life. For half hour n
 sat thus. The room now had sroWl chilly. He arose and kicked the dMylni M enabers with his heavy shoes ana tne e
 walked to the window to close IL. n
 moon was sending long shvery beam IF. , through the unleafed branches or tn frees. The street below was covered wtt sleighs. the bells tinklirB musicauy ,upo
 the crisp air. Far away came the heen
 swift ringing of skates upon the win ter's ice. A negro at the corner wa wa , playing on iewsharp. The wln3oW I from a hundred taller buildings twlnhle
 and shone and spoke of gladness' 0
 warmth. of happiness within 1,o.
 A tinid knock on the door caused yer
 non to turn and command the lnqulre
 to enter. "A letter for you SIT; sal sal
 the servant, T did not know it wa l here until I saw it at vour plate in tn
 dining room. John evidently put