The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-05-07
SPEAKING OF CHANCE
BY r. H. FERGUSON.

1T is a gamble" said LOOMS, "and
It might seem attractive to others.
Not to me-"
well, isn't everything a gamble.
business or sport?" asked Dewitt.
you can't tell how you are coming
out, no matter how careful you are
about going in. The chance that stocks
will 30 up or down is just the same
as the chance that the ball will fall IN
the red or the black on the roulette
Wheel"
mot the same" rejoined LOOMS.
"for full knowledge Of the market and
the holdings enables the operator to
forecast ordinary fluctuations. There
can be no forecast Of q happening
that is governed only by chance"
MAY l suggest" interposed the pro-
fessor, that the analysis is destructive
of both contentious. Mr.. LOOMS as
sumes that there are happenings gov.
erned' by chance. Perhaps II he will
examine the phrase he will discover
that it Is paradoxical. Is what he calls
chance governed by something's"
LOOMS hesitated. and Dewitt
laughed. II think the professor agrees
with my view"
ION the contrary" said the profes.
sor. II believe there is no such thing
as chance. More, am willing to rest
my belief on your experience. Have
you ever known Of an occurrence that
ultimately proved to be utterly pur.
poseless and out Of time? Don't an.
swer me too quickly. Let me tell you
of a strange series Of what my friend
LOOMS calls chances. The story has
just come to me fairly complete.
mine years ago two children, broth
er and sister, were placed in char
table institution in New York city.
Their mother had died and left them
unprovided for. their father had dis.
appeared some time before. The boy
was ten years old, the girl seven.
After year in the institution the boy
ran away, and, strange to say, left
the city and followed the railroad
westward. 1t was in the summer and
he made his way easily for fruit and
plentiful and sleeping out Of doors was
not a hardship. He had many ad-
ventures along the road. but none
worth mention until late in September,
when he found himself in a little vii
lage in southern Michigan. His cloth.
ing had been worn to rags and he was
beginning to be shy Of town, fearing
arrest and possibly forced return to
New York. But in Mattawan he saw
a kindfaced woman who not only
gave him a meal but O complete suit
of clothes, and who talked to him with
SO much interest that he told her
more Of his story than he had con.
fdcd to any other new acquaintance.
He said that his parents were dead,
that he was going to California, where
tho gold came from, and that he had
made his way alone from Rochester.
The woman tried to induce him to
stay for a time with her, but he was
afraid and got away as quickly as he
could.
"11e arrived in San Francisco Christ.
mas week, by that time we'll Injured to
hardship but still self-reliant. His first
meal In that city was earned the next
morning selling papers, for he found
not only instruction but help among
the newsboys. For a long time he
made no more than bare living, but
by the time Of the fire he had begun
to save. Three years ago, then fifteen
years old, he realized that he needed
an education more than anything else,
and he began to attend night school.
lie kept his place on the street selling
the morning papers, but in the after.
noon gave it up to others while he
went to his studies. Last November
he learned of place with an engineer.
ing firm here that would be o9en for
him If he could prepare for it. To
make 1t he would require at least six
months ct the university, and it seem.
ed out of his reach. He needed 5000
to sustain him, for he would be oblig.
ed to give up his newspaper selling.
Every plan he could think Of present.
ed the same necessity-More money
and he knew Of no way to get it. Two
days later he picked up a purse on the
walk where he had stood so many
mornings, and in the purse was 5000.
1t seemed like direct answer to his
wishes, but he wanted to be honest.
The next morning he turned quickly
but tremblingly to the lost and found
advertisements. What he hoped not
to see was there, and two hours later
he was on his way to the address
given. To his knock the door omen.
ed and there. not recognized for
minute OF curious surprise and strug.
Cling recollection. stood his sister.
whom he had not seen for seven years.
Her story was even more interesting
than his. She had been chosen from
among her many companions in the in.
stitution and adopted by a childless
couple from Michigan, who had visited
New York with this nurpocn IN wind