The Columbus journal., 1908-06-24

You hat EXPLAINED to Misder Epp
ner?" he inquired. Den all Is done
Here is card to der Board Room. Il
orders you hat to git. Eppner will dakt
dem on der floor. Zhust gif him de,
check for margin. and all Is vell.'
At the end of this harangue found
myself outside the ONCE. with Book
STEMS bacS waddling toward the
private room where the partners were
to have their last consultation before
going to the Board.
My check had been honored, then
and Bockstein had assured himself OF
my sOlvency. In the rebound from
anxiety. swelled with the pride of a
capitalist-on Doddridge Knapp's
| money.
In the Board Room of the big Elk
change the uproar had given me a
suggestion that the business of buy
ing and selling stocks was carried OF
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 a little I was able to discover
that the shouts and yells and screams.
the shaking Of fists, and the waving
of arms were merely 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 beargarden from the high
C
that another stock was being called:
and that the brazen- voiced reading of
roll was merely the official an
nouncement of the record Of bargain
and sale that had been going on be-
fore me.
1t was my good fortune to make out
so much before the purchase of the
stocks on my order list was COM
rleted. The crisis was ct hand in
which l must have my wits about me,
and be ready TO act fer myself.
Eppner rushed up and reported the
bargains made, handing me slip with
the figures he had paid for the stocks.
Amy more Crders?" he gasped. He
was trembling with excitement and
suppressed eagerness for the fray.
Yes" l shouted above the roar
about me. Il want to buy Omega"
He gave a lock that might have
been a warning. if could have read
it: but it was gone with 4 shrug as
though he would say. Well, it's no
business of mine"
How much?" he asked. Wait"
He started away at scream from
the front, but returned in moment.
He had bought or sold something, but
l had not the least idea what it was,
or which he had done.
Its cCming!" 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-five." shouted
Eppner.
bid SIXTY" | shouted in reply, "but
get all you can, even if you have to
pay sixty-five.'
Eppner gave below, and skated
into a group of fat men, gesticulatins
violently. The roar increased. if such
a thing We're possible.
In minute Eppner was back. pers-
piring. and fancied trifie worried.
They're dropping it on me-" he
gasped in my ear. Five hundred at
siyty-two and one thousand at Sixty.
Small lots coming fast and big ones
on the way.
Good. Bid fifty-fiye. and then fifty,
but get them"
With a roar he rushed into the
midst of whir!ing thrCng. | 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
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
rush to sell. Observation-Disclosures
fifty. came the price-then by leaps
to forty-five and forty. 1t was 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 a bold face
on it, gave check for the figure that
Eppner named, and rose.
ANY more Orders?" he asked.
Not till afternoon
As passed into the street / was as
tOnished at the swift transformation
that had come over it. The block
about the Exchange was crowded with
a tossing throng. 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.
ITO BE CONTINUED
~ !