Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1905-12-25
CHATTER Y.


His attitude is changed somehow"
she thought to herself. And then she
remembered that "a man who wins
girl after an ardent suit IS often like
one who runs after a street car and /
then sits down to read bis paper"
In truth. after the first few days /
Monty seemed to have forgotten his |
competitors and was resting in the
CONSCIOUSNESS Of his assured position.
Each day he sent her flowers and con-
sidered that he had more than done /
his duty. He used no small part of
his income on the flowers, but in this I
case his mission was almost forgotten
in his love for Barbara.
Monty's attitude was not due to any !
waning of his affection, but to the /
very unromantic business in which he !
was engaged. 1t seemed to him that, /
plan as he might, he could not devise |
fresh ways and means to earn $4,000 |
a day. He was still comfortably ahead !
in the race, but famine in opportu- /
mites was not far remote. Ten big
dinner parties and a string of elaborate
after the play suppers maintained a
fair but insufficient average, and he
could see that the time was ripe for
radical measures. He could not go on
forever with his dinners. People were
already beginning to refer to the fact
that he was warming his toes on the
social register, and he had no desire to
become the Iaughingstock of the town.
! The few sighting sarcastic remarks
| about his business ability, chiefly by
women and therefore reflected from
! the men, hurt him. Miss Drew's APP
| parently harmless taunt and Mrs.
| Dams open criticism told plainly
| enough how the wind was blowing, but
it was Peggy's gentle questions that
cut the deepest. There was such hon
est concern in her voice that he could
see how his profigacy was troubling
her and Mrs. Gray. In their eyes more
than in the others he felt ashamed and
Inundated. Finally, goaded by the re-
| mark of a bank director which he over
heard, edwin P Brewster is turning
handsprings in his grave over the way
he is going it, Monty resolved to re-
deem himself in the eyes of his critics.
He would show them that his brain
was not wholly given over to frivolity.
With this project in mind he decided
to cause a little excitement in Wall
street For some days he stealthlly
watched the stock market and piled his
friends with questions about values.
Constant reading and observation
finally convinced him that Lumber and
Fuel Common was the one stock in
which he could safely plunge. Cast
ing aside all apprehension, SO far as
Swearengen Jones was concerned, he
prepared for what was to be his one
and only venture on the Stock Ex-
change before the 23d of the following
September With all the cunning and
craftiness Of a general he laid his plans
for the attack. Gardeners face was the
picture of despair when Brewster ask
ed him to buy heavily in Lumber and
Fuel.
Good heavens, Monty" cried the
broker. you're joking. Lumber is
away up now. 1t can't possibly go a
' fraction Of a point higher. Take my
advice and don't touch it. 1t opened
t today at 111% and closed at 100. Why
, man, you're crazy to think about it fol
, | an Instant"
, 81 know my business, Gardner .
said Brewster quietly, and his con
, science smote him when he saw the
r flush of modification creep into the
face of his friend The rebuke had Gu
y Gardner to the quick.
I Bus, Monty, know what I'm talk
b ing. about. At least let me tell yo1
something about this stock" PLEADED
e Elon Loyalty despite the wound.
u "Gardy, I've gone into this thini
I carefully, and if ever a man felt sur
7 about anything 1 do about this" sail
b Monty decidedly, but affectionately.
''Take my word for it, Lumber can
go any higher. Think of the situation
l. The lumbermen in the north and Yves
!. are overstocked, and there is strik
t ready to go into effect. When tina
If comes, the stock will go for song
e The slump is liable to begin any day.
my mind is made up" said the othe
4. firmly, and Gardner was in despair
,e Twill you or will you not execute
n order for me at the opening tomorrow
III I'll start with 10000 shares. Whs
,e will it cost me to margin it for tie
d. points?'
m "At least hundred thousand, excll
le sive of commission, which would 3
IL | twelve and a half hundred shares
y Despite the most strenuous opposite
It, from Gardner, Brewster adhered to d
it design, and the broker executed the Q
er der the next morning. He knew tn;
no Brewster had but one chance to WI
and that was to buy the stock in
ou lump instead of distributing it anon
> several brokers and throughout tt
session. This was a point that Mont
had overlooked.
1T There had been little to excite Il
ed Stock Exchange for some weeks; not
nd ing was active and the slightest fur
he i was hailed as an event. Every OF
on knew that the calm would be diSturbe