Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1903-04-04

sent Tor those WHO had 10 run. Inc
faces Of the passers-hy We're firmly set.
They had the air of men whose DIES
tiny ii Is ever to tramp UP an untiilAG
trcadmill. They seemed to feel that
they must keep their footing on the
dizzy wheel or be thrown violently
down among the wrcckagc below. AZ
times they appeared To he debating
whether it would not be the lesser evil
to he thrown.
Important bank clerks scurricd along
with large bill books chained To their
waists. Office boys dashed about rs
though millions depended upon their
GREATNESS haste. Exchange brokers
rushed from their Offices to their tenn
pornry quarters in the Produce Tx.
change. Even the policemen seemed
to have caught the infection of restless
activity. They pounccd around with
impacablc speed and prodded all the
pushcart peddlcrs into Il very frenzy Of
motion.
Above, the sky was blue and the sun
shonc brightly. Below, Bucknnll, the
great market manipulation. stood on the
steps Of the Mills building and impas-
sionately cursed the directors of the !.
and NJ. II. Il. co. in general and Samuel
Ripley in particular. AT times Buck
nall talked ont loud 10 himself, hut no
one had time to notice it. Every one
on Wall street worth mentioning
talked out loud to himself. and it was
therefore nobody's business.
The directors Of the l.. and NJ. were
large holders of its stock. They gcnrr-
ously desired to have the stock more
widely held. At the same time they
naturally wanted to make II profit. Tn.
. fortunately for them the quotations OF
the stock had been very errntic. For
this reason the banks stunned it aS
collateral. AS showing the lack of in
dependent thought in the human race
it is Il sad fact that when Il bank turns
up its nose at Il stock the public III
large turns up all its features in SYM
pathetic unison.
Taking these things into consdr"a-
;ion, the directors of the l.. and NJ. he'd
engaged Bucknalrs services to see thnt
the price Of the stock never fell below
srvcnty-iivc. Bucknal had discovered
that the Chairman of the Board of lli-
rectors WAS privately unloading his
holdings. Bucknall made II few burn
ing remarks, shook his fist Il number
of times with Il certain graceful mo-
tion. and retired with dignity. The di-
rcctors then called in the services of
Samuel Ripley, another manipulation.
to continue Buckncli's work. Ripley
was BucknalIs pet aversion. There
fore Bucknall stood on the steps Of the
Mills building and relieved his mind OF
a few passing thoughts.
Ripley keep l.. and NJ above seven
ty-tve?" he concluded. HE? Rip
ley? Why. I'll knock that stock down
to ten in less than Il week. and they'll
never know who did it. Ripley:
Rats"
Bucknall smiled at the beauty of his
cXtemporizpd ALTERATION. He felt that
in this subtle manner fate was already
playing into his uanipuativr hands.
Jim Hardy was n young chap who
pinned for things to do. His glance was
keen. His chin WAS pointed Ills nos"
was set slightly aSkpW. This gave him
Hh inquring cast of couutcnnncr and
encouraged strangers to open their
minds to him. He delighted in wcnl
ing his hat II little bit ON one side He
regarded hesitation as Il vice. II? took
things for granted. lie was always on
the spot. and from his indOlntailc fac
uty Of rapid action he WAS generally
coincident with tie spot incidentally
he was II crrbstone broker
Hardy snapped open the door of
Bucknalrs office. He nodded pertly to
n clerk who came for his card and
smilingly pushed past him into Buck
nails private office.
"Oh, yes" said Bucknali, looking up.
81 asked you to call" lie picked MP Il
letter opener and twiddled it thought
fully as he sat back in his chair. "Oh,
yes" he repeated. He gazcd ut Hardy
inquringly. How'd you like II seat on
the Stock EXchangc:" he asked.
Going to get one as soon as my I'M
cle's will becomes operative replied
Hardy. Bucknall raised his eyebrows.
MY uncle is Jacob Hardy" responded
Hardy. Hes in Europe now. YOU
know for his health. we aren't very
friendly. but he's told me that III come
in for everything"
"Wcll. now, Hardy said Bucknall
after another thoughtful pause. look
here. I'm gcitin" old ana want some
one to break into my business. | make
II pretty GOOD thin" out of it, you know
that. suppose bought you Il seat and
started you along. Don't you think the
experience would be Il mighty big help
to yo,:'
"Therc's scat to he sold tomorrow"
said Hardy promptly. You can buy
that. Then | can start in Monday
morning. What's the first thing on the
program;"
Bucknall smiled approvingly. "You
get along pretty fast he remarked.
He picked up his letter opener AGAIN.
We'll start in with big raid on l..
aud VI. stock" he said gently. Il wan,
that stock hammered down below ten.
And ! don't want amy one to know
that I'm Interested in il. Inu'll do the
work I'll give the advice and phil the
wires. When the stock touches ten the
seat is yours. But mind. you're not tn
speculate n cent. or every lrg's off.
Agree? Good. Then that's settled"
said Bucknall comfortably.
II might he remarked that Hardy
dreamed that night that his Stock En-
change venture turned out disas,ruuS,y.
When he awoke lie mu.muIcd to him.