Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1913-06-12
SPEAKING OF CHANCE
BY p. n. FERoU SON.


business or sportf" 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 go up or down 10 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 Loomis.
"for full knowledge OF the market and
the holdings enables the operator to
forecast ordinary fluctuations. There
can be no forecast OF happening
that is governed only by chance"
MAY suggest" interposed the pro-
lessor, 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 profess
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
Loomis calls chances. The story has
just come to me fairly complete.
mine years ago two children. broth
or and sister, were placed In q 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
WIS ten years old, the girl seven,
After q 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 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 a forced return to
New York. But in Mattawan he saw
kind,faced woman who not only
gave him a meal but a 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
fided to any other new acquaintance.
He said that his parents were dead,
that he was going to California. where
the gold came from, and that he had
made his way alone from Rochester
The woman tried to induce him to
stay for time with her, but he was
afraid and got away as quickly as he
could.
He arrived in San Francisco Christ
mas week, by that time we'll Injured to
hardship but still self-relant. 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 long time he
made no more than a 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 atte.Id night school
He 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 open fol-
him II he could prepare for 1t. TIC
make 1t he would require at least six
months at the university, and 1t seem
ed out Of his reach. He needed $2oO
to sustain him. for he would be oblg
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 1t. Two
DAYS later he picked up purse on the
walk where he had stood 80 many
mornings, and In the purse was 5000
II seemed like direct answer to HE
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 open
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 childless
couple from Michigan, who had visited
New York with this purpose In mind
A long time after she had become
wonted to her new home she told her
foster mother Of her brother, who
had run away three years before
With her description the kind.faced
woman recalled the boy she had fed
and clothed. and told the sister Of the
incident and the boys expressed de-
termination to 60 to California. Then
came from the charitable institution
a message and bequest. The father
OF the children had traced them SO far
but had died before he could join the
daughter. He had left her $500. With
this small fortune the girl could think
Of nothing but joG. aey to California
in search OF her brother. She came
and found him by losing her purse.
Now. gentlemen. viii you cali these
related happenings mere chance? As
Mr.. Loomis said, %ot to me- In
universe governed by law there can be