Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-07-10
DAILY SHORT STORY
A Wall Street Story
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Mary Walker came OF age in 1898.
She was heir TO q fortune of $500.
which had been left in trust for her
to Zebulon Walker. her fathers broth
er. Zebulon was skinfint, and the
fact that he was very rich did not
deter him from a disposition to keep
Mary's little fortune. The day she
came of age he said to her:
MARY, the money your father left
you is now due you. But what are you
going to do with it? You can't live
on the interest of SO little, and YOU
know nothing about investments. You
had better leave it in my hands.
will invest it for You AMI may be able
to increase it,
Mary, who had every confidence in
her uncle, acted on his suggestion.
Zebulon did not invite the orphan to
share his home. On the contrary, he
told her that she had better earn her
living by sewing, and Mary consented
10 this also. The willy Zebulon took
her receipt for the 5000, which the law
required him to pay over TO her, and
Mary's future was well laid out for
drudgery.
Mary was doing some sewing in the
house of Il Mrs. Peabody, who took n
fancy to her, and. while talking with
her one day learned that she was the
poSSesSoT of Il fortune of 500 in the
hands of her uncle, for which she had
no receipt. Her criticisms on Mary'S
loose way of doing business frightened
the girl. and she wrote her uncle to let
haY l. how lA inNnCtRI
Zebulon upon receipt of the let
ter looked over the list of railroad
stocks and, noting one of the most
worthless. wrote Mary that her money
was invested in the common stock of
the road. This was very sharp of the
old scoundrel, for if he told her that it
WIS invested in good stock she might
claim the security.
Mary showed his reply to Mrs. Pea
body, and the lady showed it 10 her
husband. His advice was for Mary to
ask her uncle how many shares he had
purchased. This Mary did and received
Il reply that he had purchased ten
shares of a par value of $500. This
reply was also shown to Mary's adj
wiser
MY dear" said Mr. Peabody, "tell
Mary to write him that her money is
sufficient to purchase a large number
of its shares, which are now selling
very low, and request him to buy all
that can be bought 'on u Margin If
Mary makes loss, 1 will make it good
to her
Mary's next letter to her uncle was
a surprise to him. He knew that some
one was advising her and thought he
saw in the advice given way for him
to report his money lost. The stock in
question had made slight advance in
price. In the fluctuations common in
these stocks it would doubtless soon
fall Il few points, which would wipe
out Mary's fortune entirely. He there
fore wrote her that Ire bad bought 1000
shares at 20 on > per cent margin. Ii
the price of the stock should fall one
point, the legacy would be wiped out
Mary showed the letter TO Mr.. Pea
body, who told her to keep it in a safe
place.
The day after its receipt there was
an advance of two points in the stock.
Then it fell off one point, fiuctuating
slightly for a few weeks, when the
matter was forgotten by Mary, and if
ZebulOn Walker had not forgotten it he
thought very little of il, feeling sure
that sooner or later there would be :.
panic on the market and the 5000
would disappear as a claim against
him and be added to his personal bank
account.
Two years passed. Mary had fallen
in love with a young man who, though
was as \poor as she. He
had position which paid him So
week and urged Mary TO marry him.
She consented, provided they could
furnish few rooms. Then she thought
of her $500 and made up her mind to
write her uncle. asking him to send her
the money, or what there was left OF
it, if any. She did SO and by return
mail received check for the $500,
with interest at per cent for two
years, and receipt for her to sign.
Mary was delighted. She signed the
receipt, inclosed it in letter to her
uncle and went out to post it. On the
way she thought of the stock that haG
been purchased with Mr.. Peabody's
advice Then it occurred to her to go
10 Mr.. Peabody, since he had been
kind to her, and tell him what had oc-
Cured. 1t was shortly before dinner.
and she found him at home.
Mr.. Peabody had for a long while
been Il very busy man. He was an at
torney for corporations, and corpora
tons had had great deal for him to
do. When Mary came in, he had for
gotten her. She recalled the transac-
ton in stocks, whereupon n light broke
in on his memory. Mary showed him
her uncle's check and the receipt she
had signed.
Have you the letter notifying you
of the purchase of the stock?" he ask
ed.
yes"
Without reply he tore the receipt in