The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-02-24
WHEN I AIM RICH
by Roy Mason. Copyright, G. W Dillingham; Company, l909)


 called you on the phone the day l moved in here in my shirt. You i the most valuable asset I have.'
 ''Oh, cut it out
 Well, it seems a shame not even l to thank you"
 For a tip on the races?" asked Perry, laughing.
 1 Among the foreign customers of Goldsmith Ss Elkins was thickest Frenchman of the type which is in 1 evitabiy connected in the minds of the American public with the villain in an opera. His chin was as heavy as his beard, and his c1ose-cropped 1 black curls clustered above a convex forehead which overhung two dark looked, as Chester mentally phrased it, as if he ought to wear a greer Austrian uniform and a shako to be | in character. This man sat for the most part with half-closed eyes gaz- | ing at the rapidly changing green tickets on the stock quotation board. ] Then suddenly he would become gal. vanized into action. With feverish intensity he would dash off an order on the little red Buy for my Ac- count or black Sell for my Ac. 1 count pads. The size of his orders never ceased to be shock to Ellsius' | nerves. Goldsmith took it more philosophically, even though eacIi order seemed to involve the mans purchase long, but sat grumbling French paths beneath his breath, if | the market turned against him, and | going into loud transports of costa l found even more obnoxious, if his speculation prospered. Nerve Tsiche- pin was his name, and Richepin had one other characteristic which caused Elkins even more acute mental pain. He was quite willing to bet anyone conceivable amount of money on any 1 conceivable subject. Goldsmith him self had endeavored to stop this prac l t1ce in vain. His trade was too valu- able to entertain 9 thought of ex cluding him from the otherwise Ge- eorous office, and bet he would. In l like his demeanor in regard to spec ulation on the board however, he as- sun1ed an attitude of frozen i1npas sivity when wager was at stake. Chester had reported Perry's de termination with a good deal of sec ret satisfaction. The other friends | whose accounts he had sought were busy, away, not in the market, pledged to do their trading with oth- CT firms. He could not draw his twenty-five dollars at the end of the week with some sense of having earn cd it and moreover there would he asubstantial commission when Perry actually turned in his account. "I observed the first day that you to Chester that afternoon, that you were not deficient in that character istic which is variously known as T.erve, or even brass" You fatter me-" answered Ches- ter laughing. '.It occurs to me that you can re- lieve me of g disagreeable task,'' con tinued Goldsmith. Have you ever seen anyone go broker" 'I paid months rent in advan :e lest Monday" replied Chester, "and I am contemplating hash as steady 1iet on the principle that it is both cheap and filing"
 'I want Richepin to stay here aft CT the other customers leave. If you would be so good to engage in aD argument with him on any subject which may occur to you, I should be much obliged"
 Chester crossed over to where the F'renchman was standing. He had just come in and had not yet scanned the quotation board.
 NAoAi5AS1A -$ASAASPAAA, Hceio CAAOotOA, l "est ce que Ia vie vaut la peine? Is l life worth living?''
 Certainly not,'' said Richepin il- 1 stantly, mot in either language"
 "But maintain that it is,'' assert ed Chester.
 fNot without excitement" answer ed Richepin. "It distresses me at times to so rack the nerves of rly good friend, Monsieur Ell<ins, but what is the use of risking a little? 1 risk all, or nearly all.''
 He laughed tolerantly.
 "fBut life in the main is we'll worth living Chester reassertc d.
 .Not without love, which is the same as excitement answered Riche- ! pin.
 T concur with the first part of that | at any rate" said Chester with con- viction.
 Don't agree with him. muttered Goldsmith.
 ''See," said Richepin suddenly. You say that life is worth living.