Charlevoix county herald., 1908-05-16
Excellent idea," said /. "for those

WHO hHOW tOo HiuCH VI toO litlic.
Eppner failed to smile, and could
think OF nothing to say. l was little
abashed. notwithstanding the tone OF
naughty indifference took. began
to feel very young before this ma
chine.like impersonation OF the mar
ket.
Bockstein relieved the embarrass.
ment Of the situation by coming in out
of breath, with a brave pretense of
having been merely consulting a Gus
toner IN the next room.
You hat explained TO Misder Epp
ncr?' he inquired. Den all is done
Here is a card to der Board Room II
orders You hat To gif. Eppner viii dake
dem on der floor Xhust gif him der
check for margin. and all is veil"
At the end OF This haranguc found
myself outside the Office. with Book
stems back waddling toward the
private room where the partners were
going to the Board.
My check had been honored. then.
and Bockstein had assured himself of
my solvcncy In the rebound from
anxiety. | swclled with the pride of a
capitalIst-on Doddrldge Kuapps
money.
In the Board Room of the big tx.
change tho uproar had given nc a
suggestion that the business Of buy
ing and selling stocks was carried on
III a somewhat less conventional man.
ner than the trade in groceries But
1t had not quite prepared me Tor the
scene in the Exchange
After Il little | 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 biz mau who smiled
on the bcar.garden from the high
desk were merely the audible signs
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.
II was my good fortune to make out
SO much before the purchase Of the
stocks Oh my order list was COM
pleted. The crisis was at hand in
which | must have my wits about me,
and be ready to act for myself.
Eppner rushed mp and reported the
bargains made. handing me slip with
the figures he had paid for the stocks.
ANY more orders?' he gasped. He
was trembling with excitement and
suppressed cagerness for the fray.
Yes" ! shouted above the roar
about me. Il want to buy Omega"
He gave a look that might have
it: but it was gone with Il shrug as
though he would say, We'll, it's no
business of mine
How much?" he asked. "Wait!"
He started away at n scream from
the front. but returned in moment.
ic had bought or sold something. but
I had not the least idea what it was.
or which he had done.
ITS coming" he yelled in my ear.
The gong rang There was con-
fused cry from the man at the big
desk And pandemouium let loose.
Omega opens at siXty-fve," shouted
Eppner.
Bid sixty" I shouted in reply, but
get all you can. even if you have to
pay siXtyfive.'
Eppner gave a below, and skated
into Il group of fat men. gesticulating
violently. The roar Increased. if such
n thing were possible.
In minute Eppner was back. pers-
piring. and | fancicd trifle worried.
They're dropping it on me- he
gasped in my ear. Five hundred at
sixty.two and one thousand at sixty.
Small lots coming fast and big ones
on the way"
Good, bid ffty.five. and then fifty.
but get them
With a roar he rushed into the
midst of a whirling throng | saw
twenty brokers about him. shouting
and threatening. One in his eagerness
Jumped upon the shoulders of fat
man in front of him, and shook
paper under his nose.
could make out nothing or 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. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
fifty, came the price-then by leaps
TO forty.five and forty. IL 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
Lon IA &c nj