The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-06-13
THE ADVERTISERS
 DAILY SHORT STORY

home cxhilarated as with wine. That night Mrs. Hubert came to hm to sign it. T show you what it is. but 1 want you to | sign 1t. It is a little surprise, and l VIII tell you all about 1t in few days.
 He signed it good na.uredly oe The isa next ext day following 10000 more at 1.ol 1-2. There the market hung for several days With range of less than point Hubert was doing little else but hang over the l.05 and the next to l.0s and the next to i.1o. Hubert was called on for more margins and put up another large sum. He met Van Duser.
 Well. what about K. C. & Co.," he asked.
 "oh. it's up a trifie.' replied Van Dus 1T. carelessIy. 'I'm selling to beat the band. That's the way play the game Sell cn the bulges and buy on the breaks. Shc'll slump like sin presently CT I'm dead one"
 Hulbert's money was sll in, but he thought he might as we'll save his invest ment now that he was in it, and. oor- rowed to his limit at the bank and sold more K. C. & q. The stock went to l.12 and on up to I.15 There was call for more margins and in desperation Hull bert mortgaged his stock of goods. He was aging years every day. and sleep had become a stranger. He imagined his wife
  Heaven. she knew nothing about it. The day approached when he must meet the bills that he had intended discountins He was in agony of apprehension. It was the day before they matured and K. C. & G. still stuck st 1.15. The end was at hand. He leaned his head on his desk and groaned aloud. He could see in his minds eye the lessons the newspapers would draw from his downfall and the warning he would become to young men not to embark in devious paths of specu- | lation And what then? We was too old to begin over without capital and with credit ruined and the reputation of | gambler and speculator fastened ire | trievably upon him. Merciful heavens. | he would have to seek a position on salary. and even then he knew how coldiy | business men regard one given to spec ulation-he never would employ such a man in his own business, he knew 1t | was not safe to trust them. In agony he dropped on his knees before his chair and prayed-a thing he had not done since childhood-prayed that this stock might take a down turn and that this cup of bitterness might be spared him. A knock aroused him. He arose hastily and admitted a messenger boy with note from his broker. It notified hirl that K. c. & G. had jumped to 1.20. his mar the account closed. He leaned his head on the desk and burst into tears. There was nothing ahead but suicide. Welt thank God. there was the home. That
 
 and was valuable piece of property. He had given It to his wife when they were married. With his life insurance she was comparatively safe. Anyway he would wife into the library where they had spent so many happy moments. he told her gravely:
 Annie, I am ruined. There is not cent left except the home and the ground about it. l have deceived you. I have been speculating. .. "The home. merciful heavens she cried. "I have mortgaged it-you remem- Der the paper I got you to sign without seeing it. That was the mortgage. I thought l would make 1t easier for you and-and I lost all I raised-all l could raise-$20, ,0O0."
 He looked at her with staring. unseeing eves You. you have been playing the stock market?'' he cried.
 Yes she sobbed. '1 was over to Van Duser's the other day after our talk and MT. Van Duser was talking about K. C. X G.. and 1t all looked so sure and simple and he always wins-and l thought I would help you"
 And oh. Godfrey. that isn' t the worst of it." she continued stamping her foot on the carpet. 'I would have won but for my stupidity. I forgot exactly what he said when I got home. but was sure when I thought it over. that it was to buy K, c. & G.. and I gave the whole s2o OOO to MT. Kimball and told him to buy K, c. & G., and the next day he sent word that ne must HdN dNe dhu [ pawned all my iewelry for 5000 and sent it to. him. And just today l found I,i what Mir. Van Duser said. which I had mislad and could not no fin, find when l got And it is all my stupidity and I ought to be killed"
 Hubert leaped to his feet.
 Did you buy K, c. & G.? Let me sec your receipt
 She produced 1t. Sure enough sne hsd bought at .03 1-2. He sat down and made some figures
 My dear he said gravely: you are the smartest speculator in the market. Your mistake was better than Van Dus- CTS wisdom. lost exactly 5000 by fol lowing his advice. You made exactly s4c's54.S by not following it. K... e. c. closed at 20 tonight. You will sell i'm the morning. pay off the mortgage, and yorlr profit will offset my losses and save int business And we will keep out of the market where mistake wins and tudg- ment loses, after this. What do you say?" ,