The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1907-11-11

change the uproar had given me a
suggestion that the business of buy
ing and selling stocks was carried on
In a somewhat less conventional man
ner than the trade in groceries But
It had not quite prepared me for the
scene IN the Exchange.
After little was able TO discover
that the shouts and yells and screams.
the shaking of fists, and the waving
of arms were merely a more or less
energetic method OF bidding for
stocks; that the ringing of gongs and
the below of the big man who smiled
on the bear-garden from the high
desk were. merely the audible signs
that another stock was being called;
ard that the brazen-voiced reading Of
Is roll was merely the official an
nouncement of the record OF bargain
and sale that had been going on be
fore me.
IL was my good fortune TO make OUT
so much before the purchase of the
stocks on my order list was com
pleted. The crisis was at hand 10
which | must have my wits about me,
and be ready to act for myself
Eppner rushed up and reported the
bargains made. handing me a slip with
the figures he had paid for the stocks.
ANY more orders?" he gasped. lie
was trembling with excitement and
suppressed eagerness for the fray.
4 81 Ia. roar
about me. Il want to buy Omega
He gave a look that might have
been a warning. If could have read
il; but il was gone with a shrug as
though he would say, well, it's no
business of mine"
How much?" he asked. Watt"
He started away at a scream from
the front. but returned in a moment.
He had bought or sold something. but
| had not the least idea what 1t was.
or which he had zone.
"It's coming," he yelled in my ear.
The gong rang. There was a con-
fused cry from the man at the big
desk. And pandemonium let loose.
Omega opens at sixty-hye." shouted
Eppner.
bid sixty" I shouted in reply, but
get all you can. even II you have to
pay sixty-hve."
Eppner gave below. and skated
into a group of fat men. gesticulating
violently. The roar increased, If such
thing were possible.
In a minute Eppner was back. pers-
piring. and fancied trifie worried.
They're dropping 1t on me-" he
gasped in my ear Five hundred at
sixty-two and one thousand az sixty.
Small lots coming fast and big ones
on the way
Good Bid ffty-fye. and then City,
but get them"
With a roar he rushed into the
midst OF a whirling throng. I saw
twenty brokers about him, shouting
and threatening. One in his eagerness
Jumped upon the shoulders OF a fat
man in front OF him. and shook a
paper under his nose.
| could make out nothing Of what
was going on, except that the excite
ment was tremendous.
Twice Eppner reported TO me. The
stock was being hammered down
down stroke by stroke. There. was
a rush to sell. Fitty-fve-fiftythree
fifty. came the price-then by leaps
to forty-fve and forty. II was a panic.
At last the gong sounded, and the
scene was over.
Eppner reported at the end OF the
call He had bought for me twelve
thousand five hundred shares, over
ten thousand Of them below fifty. The
total was frightful. There was half
a million dollars TO pay when the time
for settlement came. 1t was folly TO
suppose that my credit at the Nevada
was Of this size. But put bold face
on II. gave a check for the figure that
Eppner named, and rose.
ANY more orders?" he asked.
mot till afternoon"
As passed into the street I was as
tonished at the swift transformation
that had come over It. The block
about the Exchange was crowded with
a tossing throDg. hundreds upon hun
dreds pushing toward its fateful doors.
But where cheerfulness and hope had
ruled. fear and gloom now vibrated In
electric waves before me. The faces
turned to the pitiless, polished granite
front Of the great gambling-hall were
white and drawn, and on them sat
Ruin and Despair.