The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1902-1905, 1904-07-29
OVER THE TICKER


She was a splendid girl, but | knew
she should marry money. This was
my thinking, not hers, of which knew
nothing A long time l worshiped her.
Then when the great Wall street boom
came on l invested few thousand
dollars and gained fortune. l was
worth 100000. This result was not
fully attained till the summer of 1902.
Hearing that Marguerite was at thG
seashOre, | went there. | pretended to
be much surprised to meet her, but
this was all assumed. | had gone
there to WOO and win her if | could.
| didn't have much trouble inducing
her 10 accept my attentions indeed
she would decline to make engage
ments with very rich men to be with
me, though she knew nothing about
my circumstances. September came
on, and many people left the coast.
Enough remained to keep up the daily
attendance on the beach and at the
hops One morning Marguerite and
were sitting on the shining sands look
ing at the bathers. | had got pretty
near to proposal the night before and
was just about to close the matter up
so far as my part was concerned when
l heard CHEEKY voice behind me, and
Billy Allen clapped hand on my
guerite, and we all three chatted to,
gether. Billy said there was a furry
in Wall street and suggested that we
go to the hotel and look at the ticker
too, 80 we rose, sauntered together
up the beach and were soon bending
over the tape. explained matters to
Marguerite
Those letters NJ. O. p, said, stand
for Missouri Pacific common stock. II
Is great faVorite at present and is
usually referred to as Mop"
"a good name for poodle" inter.
posed Marguerite.
"Now, a holder" said, "of 100
shares of Mop makes or loses 800 for
every point 1t goes up OF down. On
1000 shares the change is 81 900, on
10000 shares $4,000, and 50 on. Sup
posing we have, say, 10000 shares, let
us see what one makes or loses as the
quotations vary"
held the tape and read the quota.
tons on the stock.
"a quarter, half, threequarters
rise, We're ahead $4,000. Back
she goes quarter, half, seven
eighths, one point We've lost our
$4,000 and $1,000 besides. Still she
goes down. A half. threequarters, a
point, point and a quarter a half,
three-quarters. Great heavens, is she
never going to stopf Two points, a
half. .three-quarters, three points, We've
made big loss. We're out 100000"
ut quite takes my breath away" j"
said Marguerite, with a gasp.
"Oh, you would soon get used to II, y
replied.
am not much of an admlrer of my.
self and didn't think | was doing any.
thing remarkable but Billy, who knew
l was long" of exactly 10000 shares
Of Mop" looked at me in amazement
There was some reaction (Which, as
explained, regained some of our hypo.
thetical losses) and then down went
the quotations, 80 that when we left
the ticker l was out $4,000. Mar.
guerite went upstairs for a short nap
before lunch, aud Billy and | went out
on to the piazza to talk it over, made
up my mind that l would SRke advan-
tage of the first reaction and sell out.
The next morning | met Marguerite
on the piazza. ! excused myself for
not having seen her in the evening by
saying | had Billy on my hands and
proposed that before we went to the
beach we should take a look at the
ticker. We did so, and saw that sev
eral stocks of which had few thou
sand shares each followed "MOp's" ex
ample and slid down to a point that
left me barely $4,000 If all my shares
were sold at the prices quoted. re
solved to save that bagatelle for fu
ture operations and, eXCusing myself
from Marguerite for a few minutes
went to the telegraph Office and sent 6
message to my broker to sell all l haG
"at the market" Then l rejoined Mar
guerite and we went to the beach.
That evening while we were sitting
together on the piazza looking at the
ocean slowly tapping the shore as d
lion may lick his chops after devouring
somebody said tony companion:
Marguerite, you are the only woman
ever saw whom l wanted to marry
and resolved three years ago that Il
l ever made enough money to take
proper care of you would ask you t.
be my wife. Yesterday morning wher
Billy Allen came up was worth 500,
| 900 and was on the eve of putting thu
question to you. We went to the tickel
and saw $4,000 pass away In less thar
half an hour. The rest, except S12,00t
which I have saved from the wreck
went yesterday afternoon and today
I tell you this because 1t is due TO yoI
and myself that you should know why
after all have said to you, l do no
complete what have begun"
She sat looking at me with eyet
opening wider and wider till had fin
ished.
do you mean TO tell me that tina
supposititious case was your own"
IL do"
"Then all I. have to say is that II
rather marry man with such splen
did nerve than one with a million"
! With simultaneous impulse W