Fame And Fortune Weekly (no. 1048) (1925 10 30)
The text was read from the page scans by machine (OCR), so it has mistakes and its columns may run together. See the pages · About this title · At the Internet Archive
Page 1
Pasa D ZS oward the waiting elevator, Peck, who was in advance, reaching out hisarmsto .-— detain him. lost his balance and pitched forward. His head struck the corner : - of the elevator shaft and he rolled over insensible.
Page 2
-
Page 3
6 Issued weekly—Subscription-price, $4.00 West 23d Rtreett Néw York, N. Y. the Post-Office at New York, N. No. 1048 FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY tered as Second- NEW YORK, OCTOBER 30, 1925 iV nN uy Wi Matter, October 4, 1911, at Y¥., under the Act of March 3, 1879. Price 8 Cents. A GRIP ON THE MARKET OR, A HOT TIME IN WALL STREET By A SELF-MADE MAN e CHAPTER I.—Dick Merriton Is Treated to a Startling Surprise, “Hello, Bob, what’s your rush?” asked Dick -Merriton, messenger for John Barker, stock ‘ broker, of No. — Wall Street. “T’m going to work. Got a job at last. Aren’t ag glad?” replied Bob Browning, Dick’s particu- ar friend. ~ . “Sure thing,” replied Dick, keeping pace with Bob. “What kind of a job have you got?” ~ “Running an elevator in the King Building.” “When did you catch on?” “Yesterday.” « “How do you “All right.” “Well, I wish you luck. Here’s where I leave you,” and Dick darted into the office building where he by Naga Leas and took an elevator for the third flodr. ' There were several customers standing around the ticker when Dick entered the office, and others Bis seated around the reception room waiting for = their turn to see Mr. Baker. A vinegary-looking ‘woman entered after Dick. She carried an un- - brella and a reticule, and wore fingerless open > \net-work mitts. She always wanted to see Mr. _ Barker, though Mr. Barker was never in a hurry . to see her, notwithstanding that she was a stead _ customer. Dick had standing orders to sidetrac _- her whenever she presented hersélf—that is, if he could do so without insulting her. She was a hard proposition to handle, and the boy neyer liked to tackle her. She kept a boarding house uptown, and was known to have a good bank account. like it as far as you’ve got?” whose name was Beakes. «__ “Sorry, ma’am, but Mr. Barker is engaged,” replied Dick, in his blandest tone. ae! “Well, I want to see him when he’s disen- * gaged,” she said, compressing her thin lips and _~ glaring at Dick as if he were a boarder who was __ in arrears. ee fete tee. “That will be in about two hours, ma’am, if he goesn’t have to attend a directors’ meeting. Ss “Seems to me weer wy ty attending directors _ meetings,’”’she said, sharply. { : haga “Yes, ma’am. Mr. Barker belongs to a whole lot of companies.” Tas Y “But it’s his business to look after his cus- _ tomers ag well as his ompanies.” x =i 1 ““T want to see Mr. Barker,” said the lady, — “So he does, ma’am,” replied Dick, politely, “Well, I insist on seeing him to-day, do you utiderstand?” “Yes, ma’am. Take a will come by and a “Flow long will I have to wait?” : “Depends on circumstances. All these gentle- men are ahead of you. You see that fat man over there?” “I see him.” ray “He’s good for an hour when he gets inside. You'll follow him, that is; if Mr. Barker isn’t called to attend a directors’ meeting.” “T can’t wait here an hour,” snorted the lady. “Then you'll have to call again. Four o’clock would be a good time—to catch him out,” added Dick, under his breath. - “Will you take my card in to Mr. Barker, and tell him my, business is of the greatest import- ance?” “Certainly, ma’am.”. ° y, She opened her reticule, took out a card with “Hannah Beakes” inscribed on it, and put it in ~ seat, please. Your turn Dick’s hand. He knocked oh the private room- - _door and was told to come in. 2 “Mrs. Beakes is outside, sir. Can’t shake her, Says her business is of the greatest importance. Told her she’d have to wait her turn, but she objected strenuously, and asked me to bring her card in.” : “That woman is an infernal nuisance,” remark- ed the broker to the gentleman with whom he was engaged. “Get rid of her somehow, Dick I can’t see her.” “All right, sir,” and the boy glided outside. . ' “Mr, Barker is very sorry, ma’am,” he said to the lady, “but he’s got to go over to his bank to see about a check. If you wait outside in the corridor you might catch him on the way to the elevaigr.’ She was still walking up and down there ,im- patiently five minutes later when Dick hurried’ out with a note in his hand to a party in the Mills Building. Dick caught the elevator and was soon on the AS street. More than one broker nodded pleasantly to the boy as he hustled along, for those who ~ knew him liked his cheerful face and found him’ . always polite and gentlemanly in his business — dealings with them. Dick lived in Harlem with ‘ his mother, one sister, who was a stenographer
Page 4
2 _ A GRIP ON THE MARKET in a downtown office, and his invalid father. Mr. Merriton was an artist, but hadn’t been able to _earn any money for several years, so the support of the family devolved entirely on the son and daughter, who came to the front like a little man and woman. The note that Dick carried on this trip to the Mills Building was addressed to An old lawyer, named Samuel Littleton, on the twelfth floor. This gentleman’s principal busi- ness was to look after estates of well-to-do peo- le. The lawyer employed a bookkeeper, an office oy and a stenographer. When Dick walked into the outer office the bookkeeper and the office boy were not visible. Miss Adams, the stenographer, smiled at the young messenger and teld him that Mr. Littleton was engaged with a visitor. “Well, you can take this note in to him, can’t you, Miss Adams, and see if there’s an answer?” asked Dick. The ‘stenographer took the, note, opened the door of the inner room and entered. Then she uttered a low scream and fell to the floor in a faint. Dick saw her fall as he glanced after her through the partly open door. “Good gracious! What's happened to her?” he ejaculated. : As no one stepped forward to pick the uncon- - scious girl up, which the boy thought exceedingly strange, the believed the emergency justified him in, entering the room. He did so. As he stooped _to reach Miss Adams his attention was attracted. by a startling scene to the left. A fierce-looking, wild-eyed man had Mr. Liitleton by the throat, and the lawyer appeared to be at his last gasp. CHAPTER Il.—Dick Saves Lawyer: Littleton’s : - Life and Nearly Loses His Own. Dick straightened up, leaving the stenographer to recover oy not from her faint, and sprang to Mr. Littleton’s assistance. The lawyer’s assail- ant released his grip on the old gentleman and turned witha snarl upon the boy. Dick avoided “the talon-like fingers thrust forward to seize him by sdropping on his knees, condery 3 the man around the legs and jerking him off his balance. _. His head struck on the edge of the lawyer’s desk, ',and-he fell to the floor dazed, but still full of _. fight. Dick jumped upon his chest, pressing both his knees upon the man’s arms, and then finding that he could not hope to master him without taking strong measures, he began pummeling him in the face. The fellow proved a hard customer to down, in spite of the slugging he was receiv- ing. By aviolent effort he succeeded in dislodging Diek from his chest, Then he tried to grab the _ boy by the throat. Dick saved himself by eatch- ing the man’s.two wrists and pinning higgarms down. In this way they struggled about on the carpet for several minutes, the fellow appearing to grow stronger and more dangerous every mo- ment. The longer the struggle went on the worse it was for the young messenger. Fortunately the bookkeeper, who had been sent on a special er- ~ rand, returned to the office at that moment. He heard the racket in the private room and saw the stenographer lying unconscious where she had fallen. Seeing that something ae decidedly wrong, smalls he rushed in and beheld h ployer stretched back in re ‘his em- his revolving chair like ‘a dead man, and on‘the floor a‘boy and a desper: ate-looking man struggling for the mastery. “What's the meaning of this?” he exclaimed. Dick caught a glimpse of his face. “Help me, Mr. Melntyre,’”’ he cried out. “This man is crazy and is trying to kill me.” Mr. Intyre lost no time in grabbing the frenzie man just as he succeeded in getting one of his hands on Dick’s neck. The bookkeeper was big and powerful, and he soon tore the fellow away — from the boy, but he had a whole lot of trouble ~ holding him. a “Get his hands behind his back, Mr. McIntyre,” said Dick. Bre Between them they succeeded in doing this, then the boy got the man’s handkerchief out of his poset ene tied his. wrists together while the ookkeeper held him down on his face. After that they let him roll and struggle impotently about on the floor, the froth issuing from between his set lips, and his livid, bloodshot eyes glaring fiercely at them. Rare os “Now, tell me what’s the trouble?” asked the bookkeeper. “What happened to Mr. Littleton? ~ He seems to be in “a bad way. I'll have to tele- phone for an ambulanee, I’m afraid.” ide “T found that man in’ here choking him. We | must try and bring him to his senses. I'll get some water,” a, Dick rushed for the lavatory and fetched a - glass of water. He and Mr. McIntyre worked — over the old lawyer with considerable vigor and at Jast succeeded in bringing him to conscious- ness. Dick then turned his attention to Miss Adams, and soon had her on her feet again. Leading her to-her desk, he did his best to soothe her excited nerves. : = “Oh, dear, oh, dear, I never had such a-shock in my life!” she said, tremulously. “That man seem: ed to be killing Mr, Littleton.” £ radia “Well, he didn’t kill him, Miss Adams. Mr, Littleton is all right, or nearly so, now. Mr, McIntyre and I have got the man fixed'so he. «© can’t do any more harm, Who is he, and how did ~*~ he get to see Mr. Littleton?” _ 3 erat “He came into the office a little while ago and asked for Mr. Littleton. Eddie showed him into the private room just before he went out. . That? all I know about him. He must be adreadful man — to attack poor old Mr. Littleton.” Bee chow “He’s as crazy as a March hare,” replied Dick. “That's what’s the matter with him. Why, h nearly did me up, too, when I followed you into the room and interfered to prevent him from completing his murderous work.” . isi eras “Why, your face is all seratched and bleed- ae ing,” said the girl, = tee eg ae 8 “His nails did that. He gave me the fight of ~ my life, and if Mr. McIntyre hadn't come in when he did I am afraid he would have mastered me. At that moment the bookkeeper app Mr. Lit’ ‘am very glad I app
Page 5
2 “A GRIP ON THE MARKET 3 help you,” replied Dick. “Who is that man, and how came he to call on you?” ¥ _ “His name is Hardy. He’s the heir-at-law of _ a large estate which I am administering through -the probate court. Owing to a mental derange- ment brought about by dissipation I had to have him sent to a sanitarium. Complete separation from his customary haunts and habits brought _about an apparent cure, so that at his urgent ap- | peal I was induced to apply for his discharge last week. He has been out of the sanitarium five days, and as far as I could see he seemed to have fully recovered his normal condition. . When he called a while ago, and sent in his name, I re- _ ceived him in here as I would any one with whom ‘I had business. He shook hands with me in a _» friendly way, and there wasn’t a sign about him to warn me,of what was coming. Our interview had hardly begun, and I was explaining matters connected with his estate, before he began ‘to show some signs of excitement. He demanded to know . if I intended to return him to the sanitarium, I y; A) ‘When Diek returned*to his own office dhe told said ‘no,’ whereupon he said_he had been told that I was having him shadowed by a detective. I de- nied this, for ic is not true. He then began abus- ing me for causing his confinement in the sani- tarium. I told him I had done so for his own good. This answer only seemed to add fuel to his excitement. He cursed me, swore I should never have him confined is sean and then sprang upon me with an insane fury that startled me, In a moment his fingers were about my throat. I strug- gled desperately with him, tried to call out, and finally lost my senses. I knew no more until I found you and Mr. McIntyre rubbing a and bathing my face. I recognize that I had a narrow escape, and that I would have been a dead man but for.you, Merriton.” : “What shall we do about this man now? Send for the police and have him removed to Bellevue?” asked Mr. Mcintyre, pointing to the heir-at-law where he lay upon the floor, with a cunning leer on his handsome countenance. : “T am afraid there ig no other alternative,” re- plied the lawyer. “He is too dangerous to be permitted to remain at large. It is too bad, for z he was a fine man before his brain became af- - fected.” ° The bookkeeper went to the ’phone and commu- - nicated with the nearest police station. While he was thus engaged Dick sa ee envelope he had brought on the floor where it ) _ ped’ by the stenographer. He picked it up and handed it to Mr. Littleton. The lawyer read it and told him to tell Mr. Barker “all right.” ' As soon as Mr. McIntyre returned to the room, Dick said he’d haye to go unless Mr. Littleton wished him to remain. The lawyer said he would not detain him longer,*thanked him once more. _ ‘or what he had done for him, and the young messenger departed. ; ¥ | “CHAPTER I1l.— What a Banana Peel Brought Dick Merriton. Mr. Barker that Lawyer Littleton said “all : Tight” rm abaet to the note. Then he told the broker ‘about the exciting experience he had had hands . had been drop- . in the lawyer’s office, and how Mr. Littleton had nearly been choked to death by the crazy helr-at- law of an estate he was putting through the pro- bate court. “You had a narrow escape, Dick,” said Mr. Barker. “You may thank your stars that you have only a few scratches to show for your des- perate encounter. An insane man is always a particularly dangerous antagonist when his mania takes a homicidal turn. Mr. Littleton will doubtless be grateful to you as long as he lives.” Dick walked outside and sat down. -He picked up a copy of a Wall Street daily and began to read the latest financial intelligence. “If I had $100 I’d slap it into C. & O. on mar- gin,” he said to himself. “That stock is going up before long just as sure as the sun shines. It’s lower now than I ever remember seeing it before. I'll bet there are a lot of people loading up with it at its present figure. It’s too bad that I hayen’t got a little spare cash. I have missed a lot of good things, not to speak of tips, because I was unable to back them. I wonder when I'll see $100 that I can say is my own?” The buzz of the bell behind his chair told Dick that Mr. Barker wanted to see him, so he rushed into the private room. “Take this note over to Mr. Jenkins at the Exchange,” said the broker. “All right, sir,” replied Dick. | He got his hat and was off like a shot. When he reached the railing in the Exchange that kept the messengers from intruding on the floor he asked an attache to find Mr. Jenkins for him. While waiting for the broker to show up, Dick. watched the animated scene presented before his eyes. He saw quite a crowd around the C. & O. standard, and noticed that a prominent broker was occasionally buying good-sized blocks of the! “I knew it was bound to go up soon,” said Dick to himself. “It’s hard that I can’t get in on a od thing like that. Who knows but Broker andelbaum is acting for some syndicate, and. that there may soon a regular boom in that stock? Such things are cropping up in various stocks every month in the year. If I could only get a start I believe I could make money out of e market. I’ve noticed that my judgment is prett of, : can generally tell when they’re going to rise, and when they’re going in the other direc- tion. That is as good as having a grip on the market. But it doesn’t do me any good, just the . Same.” Just then Mr. Jenkins came up to the railing, took the note from hig hands, read it and nodd a “all right.” a . That was Dick’s dismissal, and he left. * As he started to cross Broad Street he stepped on a banana peel. This particular banana peel had evidently been lying in wait for the first unsus- pecting shoe that sapped in its direction. That shoe belonged to Dick, treacherous peel had performed its diabolical mis- sion and landed the boy in the gutter, an object of ridicule to all the boys in the immediate vicin- ity. Dick alighted on his left elbow with force | enough to make him understand that there are softer things in the world than Belgian blocks. Fe hee oa bootblack ran up and helped him on his feet, while several newsboys ee about him with grinning countenances. 7 \ good about those stocks I have kept track ~ and the next moment the - ae he bootblack, =
Page 6
rtiP ; rd A noticing a rather dirty blue. envelope near the curb, and thinking Dick had dropped it, picked it “up and shoved it into his hand. Then he pro- ceeded to brush the young messenger off. “Thanks, Micky,” said Dick, recognizing the urchin. “When I get rich I’ll give you a steady job shining my shoes.” Then he hurried away with the envelope in his hand. He was half-way back to the office when the envelope attracted his notice. “How the deuce did I get that?” he said, look- ing at it curiously. From the feel there was something in it bulkier than a mere note, and the boy saw that it was sealed, but no writing on the outside. : ‘ _ Wondering what was in it he was about to tear it open when a messenger named Tom Hurley, who had witnessed his mishap, came up and slap- ped him on the back. “Hello, Merriton,” he grinned. “‘I see you are givin’ free acrobatic exhibitions on the street now.’ Dick didn’t like Tom Hurley, and the latter’s remark didn’t make him feel particularly happy. “-. “What’s the matter with you?” growled Dick. < “Nothin’; but it was enough to make a hoss ne laugh to see you tryin’ to stand on your head without holdin’ on to anythin’.” 5 “Don’t get too gay, Tom Hurley, or you may find yourself trying to stand on your ear without holding on to anything, either.” “Who'll make me stand on my ear?” asked Hurley, aggressively. : “T think I-could make you if I took a notion to,” replied Dick, dropping the envelope in his -~. pocket. “You’re the chap who fired a rotten ap- ple at me the other day.” = “Me fire an apple at you? -’ “J saw you sneak into the’ doorway of the “Smith Building after you did it. I suppose you - thought nobody had spotted you. Now, I advise “you not to do it again or there’s liable to be aceite. Understand?” hee ‘ Dick’s resolute demeanor evidently intimidated ’ Hurley, who, though burlier than Merriton, lacked E real pluck. . Se “Aw! You make me sick!” sneered Hurley. - -*T stpose you think you can lick mes?» _ Ze “Y’m not thinking about the matter at all. I’m only just advising you to leave me alone in the future. That’s all I’ve got to say to you.” Thus speaking Dick walked off, leaving Hurley jn no amiable frame of mind. When the young ‘messenger took his seat in the waiting room he thought about the blue envelope again. He took, $¢ out of his pocket and tore one end open. Then: “he inserted two fingers, felt a wad of paper and drew it forth. He gave a gasp of astonishment when he saw that he held a bunch of money in his fingers. 2? You’re dreamiin CHAPTER IV.—The Mechanical Mouse. : Dick gazed at the money like one in a dream. _. He opened it out and counted the bills—there “+ -were seven $100 notes. "Gee! What a find! Seven hundred dollars. ~ J wonder who lost such a bunch of money?” He looked the envelope all over, inside and out, put not a scrap of writing was there about it. The pills were new ones that had apparently never See ae A GRIP ON THE MARKET _did, and looked as natural as life. been in circulation. Dick returned the money to the dirty blue envelope and put the envelope carefully away in his pocket. In a few minutes he was sent out on another errand. Later on he was sent to the Exchange again and there he saw another broker buying C. & O. shares when he could get them. : 2 “I wish that $700 I found were mine, I’ll bet I'd soak it or C. & O. I consider that stock a safe risk, and a winner at that,” said Dick to — himself, wee _ When. he got home that afternoon he surprised his father and mother with a sight of the contents of the blue envelope. rae “T got hold of that through slipping up ona banana peel,” he said, with a grin. A area _ Then he explained how the envelope came into — his possession, through the agency, as he believed, of Micky Dooley, a bootblack. te “Tf Micky ever heard that*he handed me over $700 that he might have kept himself he’d havea fit,” laughed Dick. “‘I’m going to watch the lost and found columns of the papers in the morning to see if it’s advertised for. If it isn’t_I’ll figure that the owner has given it up as gone for good. © In which case it’ll be as good as mine.” 4 Next morning Dick looked the: lost and found ~ advertisements over, but there was no mention of a lost blue envelope with $700 in new bills in it. “T guess this money is mine, all right,” he said. “But I mustn’t be too quick jumping at conclu sions. It may be advertised to-morrow, or the day aftet. However, I think I can afford to take risk on it. I'll put it up on 150 shares of C. & . If I win out, as I feel it in my bones that ~ I will, I'll get a good stake out of the money, anyway. I’m entitled to something for restoring that $700 if I ever find the owner, and I don’t ask anything more than a chance to. use it just now to my advantage.” : Se oer So at the first chance Dick got that morning he went around to a little bank in Nassau Street, that did a brokerage business for small investors, — and planked the $700 down as margin for 150— shares of C. & O. at the ruling price, 46. On his way back to the office he say a street fakir selling a mechanical mouse toy.. The man wa winding up one of his mice while he talked gli to the spectators. When the winding-up proces was completed he placed the toy on his cuff and immediately the mouse ran up his coat sleeve,.and he caught it as it was going over his shoulder. Then he placed it on the sidewalk and it ran be- tween his legs and fell over the curb. Dick thought — what a fine joke it would be to play one of them- off on his sister’s pet Maltese cat. The price of — the ingenious toy was ten cents, and while Dick was looking on several people bought them. Dick — followed their example. When he reached the corridor on which his office was he took the mouse out of its box, wound it up and set it down on the marble floor to see if it worked all right. TI He had hardly taken his seat before the doo opened and Mrs: Beakes came in. She looked like a woman bent on business, apt “Ts “Mr. Barker in?” she said sharply, glar at Dick.. po Bim Say ais “T think he went to a directors’ 3 ma’am,” he plied the boy, politely, ae | “I don’t believe it,” she snapped. “Aver two men waitin’ to see him?”
Page 7
A GRIP ON THE MARKET 5 _.. “I don’t know, ma’am. I just came in and 1 didn’t ask them,” Just then the door of the private room opened and a visitor came out. “There, I knew he was in. © Directors’ meetin’, indeed!” she sniffed. “Take my name inside at once. I want to see Mr. Barker on particular business.” : “Certainly, ma’am,” and Dick walked into the private room to notify the broker that Mrs. Beakes bei outside again, and that she looked full of fight. : “Tell her I’m busy,” said Mr. Barker. “T reckon you ain’t too busy to see me,” piped a voice at the door. Dick and the trader turned to see Mrs. Beakes’ yinegary countenance thrust in at the opening. “Well,” replied Mr. Barker, visibly annoyed, “I can’t give you over five minutes, madam.” “Are you goin’ to a directors’ meetin’? she said, walking to the chair beside his desk. - Her tone was sarcastic and Dick could have sworn that he heard her chuckle in a dry way, though there wasn’t the ghost of a smile on her ~ countenance. The boy retired outside. ‘When the five minutes were up by the clock he took the mechanical mouse out of his pocket and knocked on the private room door. “Did you ring, Mr. Barker?” he asked, stepping into the room. — ; _ “No, Dick. Will you tell Mr. Hollis I'll. see him in a moment?” replied the trader. _ “Yes, sir.” . Dick dropped his handkerchief on the floor. _ Stooping to recover it he placed the mouse on the rug and released it. It made straight for Mrs. - Beakes. Her sharp eyes discovered it at once, and with a shriek she jumped from the chair and dashed through the door into the waiting room. - he cashier of the establishment happened to ‘be approaching the door at that moment with his thands full of papers. The boarding house mistress struck ‘him full tilt and both went down together — on the floor. The lady scrambled on her feet and began to express her opinion of the cashier in a very loud key. All the customers in the room looked on and felt highly amused. Most of them knew the lady by sight and also by reputation. _ he cashier recovered his papers and apologized, - though he did not consider himself to blame. Dick, in the meantime, had picked up the mouse. - Mr. Barker had been astonished at the lady’s out- ery and the remarkable agility she displayed in ~ Jeaving the room. Dick was about to explain when the racket in the outside room attracted their attention: The boy ran to the door to see what the trouble was about and found the lady ~ going for the cashier with her tongue. When he saw what excitement he had caused with the toy he concluded to say nothing about his agency in the matter, though he was sure the broker would not call him down for getting rid of his undesir- able customer. mouse into his pocket, went d told him that Mr. Barker Soon after the door closed as heard Ete, ; for the door opening on the corridor and disappeared through it. CHAPTER V.—How Dick Came Out On C. & O. | The cashier, who felt that he had not figured to any great advantage before the customers of the house, entered the private office with a very red face, while Dick picked up a mewspaper and hid his grinning face behind it. * “T hope that will keep Mrs. Beakes away from here for some time to come,” he said to himself. “She made a show of herself that time, and I should think she’d be ashamed to show her nose in here again. But you can’t tell anything about people of her make-up. She’s just as likely to come in here to-morrow as not.” Under the cover of the paper he replaced the mechanical toy in its box and returned it to his pocket just as Eddie Gray, Lawyer Littleton’s messenger, entered the room with a letter and package in his hand. : “Yello, Eddie,” said Dick. “I s’pose you want to see Mr. Barker? He’s engaged at present, but will be at liberty in a few minutes.” “T don’t come to see him, but to see you,” — said the boy. Z “To see me, eh? What about?” “Mr. Littleton told me to give you this letter and this box.” Dick looked at the letter in some surprise and say that it was addressed to him. The box also . had his name on it in the lawyer’s handwriting. “What did he send me these for?” asked Dick, much puzzled. “How should I know? you'll find out, I guess.” Dick tore open the envelope and glanced over the enclosure, which ran as follows: “My dear young friend: I send you herewith a small token of my appreciation of the valuable service you did for me yesterday. I trust you will be pleased with it, and that you will find it as “useful as it is ornamental. “Your sincere friend, Samuel Littleton.” Dick opened the package and found a flat, ob- long, pasteboard box. Removing the cover he beheld a silver-mounted alligator wallet, with the Read the letter and - monogram “R. M.” engraved on a small silver — plate near the catch. “That’s a fine pocketbook, all right,” said Dick. “Bet your life it is,” replied Eddie. “That’s what you get for doing my boss a favor. He says you’re the finest boy in Wall Street.” “You heard about what happened at your place yesterday, did you?” : “Sure, I did. Why wouldn’t 1? Nellie told me _ all about it. Say, Dick, I think she’s kind of mashed on you,” grinned the boy. “Get out! .What are you giving me?” said Dick, flushing up for to tell the truth he rather admired Mr. Littleton’s pretty stenographer. “Well, she’s always talking to me about you. She says. youre awfully good-looking and the © - politest boy she’s ever met. She told me yester- day afternoon that you brought her out of her = fainting spell, and was real nice to her.” Fy fas:
Page 8
— action in aa 6 A GRIP ON THE MARKET Dick then opened the wallet and in one of the compartments he found a brand-new $100 bill. “One hundred dollars!” exclaimed Hddie. “You’re rich!” 4 Dick knew that it was customary for anybody presenting a pocketbook to pat at least a bright penny in it for luck. “Luck seems to be coming my way at last,” he said to himself after Eddie had gone. “If C. &.0.- turns up trumps, too, I'll be right in it.” When it was time for him to go home he took a look at the tape to see how his stock was get- ting on, and was delighted to find that it had already gone up a whole\point since he bought it. Next day C. & O. began'to attract attention at the Exchange, and quite a number of transactiong were recorded, the price going to 49. Dick car- ried a message to Withers & Co. that afternoon, and he went up in Bob Browning’s elevator. After delivering his message he waited for Bob’s elevator as it came up, went to the roof with him, and ‘finally finished his story about the crazy man on the trip down. Next morning when he was sent to the Ex- change about eleven o’clock he found a lot of excitement on the floor. He soon discovered that Cc. & O. was booming and had already gone up to 52. While he was detained at the rail he saw 54 posted on the big blackboard, and he felt tickled to death. “IT guess I'd better sell out now that I’m about $1,200 ahead of the game,” he thought, “for it might go the other way as suddenly as it has advanced. I didn’t calculate that it would go much above 50.” t He had a message to take backto the office and couldn’t gio to the bank. When he got back Mr. _. Barker rushed him off with three messages that were important. In one of the offices he visited he_ heard two brokers talking about C. & O. One of them said that it looked as if there was a syndicate behind it, in which case it wasi likely to go as high as 65, or over. The ¢onversation encouraged Dick to hold on to his stock a while longer. In any case, he found no chance to go to the little bank on Nassau street until after the Exchange had closed for the day. The last trans- C. & O, recorded was 600 shares at 62. For fear that he wouldn’t find an opportunity next _.day to get rid of his shares he visited the bank on his way home and left word with the paren clerk to sell his holdings in the morning. is 160 shares went at the opening price of 62 3-8, and on the following morning he got a statement - anda check for about $3,150. With the $100 he had received from Mr. Little-. ton that made him worth all together $3,250, which was a considerable sum for a-messenger boy. ; _. He was prepared to hand ove? to the owner the -“ “Will you explain how it happens to be mine? Did you find the owner of the $700, and is this what he gave you for returning him the money?” - “No, mother. I haven’t found the owner of the $700, and I don’t believe I ever will now.” “Then this is part of that money?” ‘ “Not exactly, though the $700 helped me to make it.” “I'm sure I don’t understand you, Dick,” she said, in a puzzled tone. * “Well, mother, I took a chance in the stock market with the $700, and I made—how much do you think?” “How could I tell?” “T made $2,450.” It can’t be possible!” exclaimed his astonished mother. , _ “Here’s thé proof of it—a certificate of deposit in the Nassau street Bank for $3,000. You see it’s peas ee in my name.” Af Oo you mean to sa ou are wi $3,000?” a Rad es. “That certificate says so, doesn’t it?” : “Go in and tell your father, right away. Maybe - he’ll understand it. It seems incredible to me.” When Dick told his father all the particulars of his C. & O. deal, and showed him the certi- ficate, he understood the situation and congratu- - lated his son on his good luck. — “What are you going to do with that money, ~ Dick?” ae “Make more with it.” “CHAPTER VI.—Dick Buys Some Mining _ Shares. é After supper Dick put on his hat and coat and went around to Prof. Gannon’s gymnasium to exercise and take a lesson in boxing from the “ professor’s assistant, Patsy Hogan. He expected - his friend Bob Browning to drop in and have a zo with him with the gloves,. and as Bob was a good one, their set-tos were generally lively affiairs. Dick had just finished his lesson when Bob appeared. Pilea Ses “Come here, Dick, I want to tell you some- thing,” he said, leading Merriton over to a seat. where they could be by themselves. “Well, what is it, Bob?” asked Dick, with some interest, oy oa i - “Can you use'a pointer on the market if I give _ it to you?” - RES eer = “A pointer!” exclaimed Dick. Bob nodded. ; _ “Tt’s a good one,” he said, “How do you know it’s good?” Curt a “T'll tell you. J suppose you know Billings, — $700 he had found in the blue envelope, provided the broker. His firm has their office in our build-— ms he could discover that person, but there seemed ing.” - ‘ is eae Se small chance that he ever would, for he had failed “I know of him. He's one of the solid men of __ to find any advertisement relating to it, though the Street.” ’ Ae he looked at the pep every day. When he went home that night he handed his mother $250. \. “Why, what is this, Dick?” asked Mrs. Merri- ton, looking at the money. (koe man “That’s yours, to do with as you wish.” “Mine!” ejaculated the surprised little woman. : “Yes, mi ther.” 67> ; +e they talked together in a
Page 9
tone, but I heard enough to know that Billings is getting up a syndicate to boom D. & L.”. . “Sure of that, are you?” asked Dick, eagerly. “Positive. He told the lawyer to buy as many shares of D. & L. right away as he could afford, and that he’d make a good thing out of it inside of two weeks. Now, if you can raise some money I’d advise you to do the same. Billings said the stoek would rise about 20 points as soon as they had cornered the available supply.” : Dick asked Bob a number of questions, some of which he was able to answer, while some he couldn’t throw any light on. However, Dick léarned enough to satisfy him that Bob had actu- ally got hold of a valuable tip, and he determined -s to use it right away. Next morning he looked up D. & L. in the market report and found that it was going at 58. ‘He found a chance during the morning to slip up to the little bank and order _ 800 shares to be bought for his account. He was _ tempted to put up all his money on 500 shares, but decided that would be taking too big a risk. ¢ Two days after Dick bought D. & L. it was ~ down to 56; representing a loss to him of $600. -- On the third day the price fluctuated a good bit, finally closing at a half of a point lower still. ’ Next day, however, it picked up and went back to 58. As Dick went almost every day to the _ King Building he kept Bob informed as to what _. was doing in D. & L.” Bob asked him several times how many shares of the stock he had been able to buy, but Dick wouldn’t tell him. : . Three days later D. & L. was going at 60. It was about this time that a seedy-looking man came - into the office, just as Dick was going home for ' ‘the day, and asked for Mr. Barker. - » ~ “e’s gone to Lakewood, where his family is ree stopping this winter, and he won’t be at the office till ten to-morrow,” said Dick, not taking much stock in the visitor. « -- “He buys mining stock, doesn’t he?” asked the Man, - “Have you got some for sale?” “Ves ” _ - “What is it? I don’t believe Mr. Barker will - touch it unless it’s one of the standard mines. It wouldn’t pay him to do so.” - “Tt?s the Mohawk Central.” ; “Ts it listed on the Goldfield Exchange?” aX Ons : : “All right. Vl look up the recent market re- ports and see how it’s ruling.” . 4 : ick went into his employer’s private room where he knew Mr. Barker kept the reports of the - Western exchanges on file. _ He had to look back six days before he found a - quotation of Mohawk Central. It was quoted at aye cunts. He looked back further and found that the stock had sold at 18 cents. Further back still there were quotations of 25 and 35 cents. The - stock had evidently been io ing steadily in price. Dick. came back and told the caller that there wasn’t one chance in fifty that Mr. Barker ‘would bother with it. . é LAP ere ‘ , o” ane many shares have you for sale ? ore ve) Past 9 A GRIP ON THE MARKET . Ke - us be quoted to-morrow at 10 cents it’s hardly likely you'll be able to sell it at that price. Better see some Curb broker. ‘ He might be able to sell it*for you.” “But all the city exchanges are closed,” said the caller. .““Business is over for the day. | I want to raise some money: to-night.” *“T’ll loan you $50 on your shares if they’re all right,” said Dick. “Tl agree to hold them a week to give you a chance to redeem them.” “Maybe you’d like to buy the stock outright? It ought to be worth $500. But, as I’m in urgent ; need of ready money, I'll let it go for. $300 cash. é If you haven’t the money perhaps you and the clerks would. make a pool and buy the shares. ~ You could sell the stock to-morrow at a profit of twenty-five per cent.” “You have the stock with you?” “Of course,” replied the caller, drawing from his pocket an ebling envelope, out of which he took five certificates for 1,000 shares each in the Mohawk Central Gold Mining Co., of Paradise, Nevada, made out in the name of Alexander Bad- lam. Dick glanced them over. “Is your-name Alexander Badlam?” he inquired of the visitor. ad Gretna ; “How long have you had this stock?” meee “Fever since the mine was put on the market. It is treasury stock, as you can see. Each of the certificates cost me $100. At one time the shares almost reached their par value of $1. I could easily have sold them for 90 cents. I didn’t need- money then, and held on to them, expecting they . would go to $3 or $4 a share.” “When the price slumped why didn’t you sell the stock? It was quoted at 35 cents in the market report of six weeks ago.” ; seins “For several reasons. I had confidence in the. - mine and believed ‘that the value of the stock. 2 would go up again in time. In fact, I still believe that any one who will buy and hold these shares will make a good thing out of them eventually.” “Why don’t you wait till to-morrow and offer them to some Curb broker? to get $500.” as “Because $300 now would be as good as $600 ~~ to-morrow.” “Well, take a seat, Mr. Badlam. I’ll show the certificates to our cashier and see what he thinks of them.”. 53 : Dick went into the counting room. “Will you look at these certificates, Mr. Shel- don, and let me know if, m your opinion, they are . genuine?” said Dick to the cashier. “A man who’ says he is Alexander Badlam, the owner of them, is outside. _He wants to sell them at a price below the presumed market value. I looked up the Gold- field market reports and find that the stock has been steadily dropping in price. Mr. Bedlam, if that is really his name, told me that he could have = sold them at one time for 90 cents a share. The latest quotation I could find is 15 cents, and that’s a week old. I guess the shares are not worth 10 cents to-day, if they are worth that.” . Sat te “What does he want for the stock?” asked the cashier. $3 “He offered it'to me for 6 cents a share.” 7 tae “Humph! The certificates seem to be genuind. Go to the phone and call up the Mining Exchange. If the secretary hasn’t gone home ask him if ha « can give you any particulars about the Mohawk - : 24 = RE, eis fer era =o: ratte You might be able Pa ttsak bath Mle
Page 10
z i , 8 A GRIP ON Central. Give him the numbers and_ Mr. Badlam’s name. The certificates may have been stolen.” So Dick went to the phone, got connected with the Mining Exchange, but found that all the of- ficials had gone away., He could learn nothing from that source. He then called up the office of a big curb broker, t the broker on the wire and asked him about the stock. : « “T’}] give 7% cents for a small quantity of the stock, but I’m not particularly anxious to buy it. There is no call for it of late, and it would have to be offered considerably below its market value,” he said. . : Dick reported what he had learned to the cashier. : “Tell the man to come in to-morrow morning and see Mr. Barker,” said Mr. Sheldon. \ “He wants to raise $300. this afternoon on that stock.” : “He can’t. raise it here. Send him over to Mr. Hayden. He seems hbo ti cents. That’ll give him $37 more. I doubt, how- ever, if Hayden will buy the certificates from a stranger.” ‘ Dick returned to the visitor. — : “Pm afraid I can’t do anything for you, Mr. Badlam,” said the boy. “I have communicated with a big curb broker, and the most he would give for the certificates is 6% cents a share. We don’t know you, and it isn’t customary to pur- chase such certifiéates from strangers. I’m will- ing, however, to let you have $100 on them, the balance to be paid you to-morrow if everything is all right. I am making this offer on my own re- sponsibility.” | 10% : Pe yet sel! “Are you thinking of holding on to the stock?” asked the broker. a ie : arene SE ee Cee Te ¥, thing out of the stock by and > He: Who bought ae
Page 11
= A GRIP ON THE MARKET 9 “Yes, sir,” replied Dick. : The trader shrugged his shoulders and turned to his desk. That day Dick, while out on an er- _ and, heard three brokers talking about D. & L. » From the substance of their conversation the boy judged that they entertained a strong sus- picion that there would be something doing in the stock soon. At any rate, D. & L. advanced to 615-8 that day. Dick’s last efrand that day was to carry a package of bonds to Mr. Littleton’s office. The lawyer received him very graciously and talked quite a little while with him. On his “return to the outer office, Dick stopped at Mr. Mc- © Intyre’s desk to exchange a few words with him Ba then he went over to the stenographer’s tabel. “Good-afternoon, Miss Grant,” gaid Dick, “Good-afternoon, Mr. Merriton,” said Nellie. “Why don’t you call me Dick? Nobody calls me Mr. Merriton. It sounds awfully odd to me.” “JT suppose I could call you Dick, but in that case you mustn’t call me Miss Grant. That’s just as formal as calling you Mr. Merriton.” “J’d just as soon call you Nellie, if you didn’t 7 object.’ ; Oh, I don’t opiate she replied, with a coquet- tish glance in his face. é a raaapose you didn’t see the wallet that Mr. Littleton sent me for saving him from that crazy heir-at-law?” / “>> “No, I did not.” “Well, it’s a beaut. Here it is. I found a $100- pill in it, too.’ “TIsn’t it a handsome one!” “Almost too handsome for a messenger boy to earry around. That was my lucky day, for I found $700 in envelope on the street about an hour after I left here.” ; ; “Ts it possible!” she exclaimed, opening her pretty eyes. “Did you find out who the money be- at fonead to?” “No, There wasn’t a bit of writing or any other clue about it. Nor it wasn’t advertised, _. either.” ” , : “Then the money belong to you,” she said. Apparently it does. At any rate I took the liberty of using it as a margin on a stock deal I put through, and I made $2,450.” “You did!” she exclaimed “You made as much as that?” : “I did. Now I’ve used part of that money in another deal, and if my coleulations don’t go . -‘wrong® I’ll make $4,000 or $5,000 more.” _ _ “¥ hope you ‘will be very ‘successful.” “Thank you. I think I ought to send you a box _ of candy on the strength of my first deal, if you , ‘will permit me to. May I?” in astonishment. to do so I won’t refuse to accept it.” _ “All right. Are violets your favorite flower? ‘I see you are wearing a bunch of them. Is that a present from your best fellow?” i “No, indeed,” she replied, with a blush. “I have no best fellow.” _“Wouldn’t you like to have one?” _ : “Why, what a question!” she said, looking somewhat confused. he Nellie flushed to her hair, but said nothing. , aes " ds, anyway, aren’t we, Nel- - that the transfer had been made. “You are very kind ‘to suggest it: If you wish “T hope so,” she replied. “Well, I’ve got to get a move on. I'll send you the candy at the first chance I got. Good-by,” he said, holding out his hand. __ “Good-by,” she said, giving him hers, and flash- ing a look in his face that made his blood flow quicker. “I hope to see ‘you soon again.” “You will if I can find a chance to get up here,” he replied. Next day he sent her a box of the best choco- lates and a big bunch of violets by an A. D. T. messenger. Two days later the Exchange was thrown into great excitement by the sudden rise in D. & L. shares. The stock appeared to be so scarce that there seemed to be no doubt in the minds of the brokers that it had been cornered, A concerted bear attack on the stock failed to ac- complish anything and D. & L. soared triumph- antly to 75, at which figure Dick sold out his shares, clearing $5,000. CHAPTER VIII—A Trick that Worked Two ; Ways. Dick wrote to the office of the Mohawk Central Gold Mining Co., in Denver, giving a memoran- dum of his certificates and asking to have the stock entered in the company’s books in his name. He also asked for some information about the mine. In due course he received a reply stating The secretary also spoke encouragingly about the prospects of the mine, assuring Dick that the slump in the price of the shares would only be temporary. Dick showed the letter to his employer. |, “Sounds encouraging,” said Mr. Barker, “but you must accept such statements with a grain of salt. At present Mohawk Central has a very black eye. There are few sales on the Western exchanges, and none that I’ve heard of East. It was last quoted at 12 cents, but I doubt if you could get 6 for it on the curb.” Stes “TJ don’t care,” replied Dick. “I can afford to keep it indefinitely.” “T am glad to hear that your finances are in so flourishing a condition,” replied the broker, with a tinge of sarcasm in his tone. It sounded strange to him to hear a messenger boy speak so lightly about a $300 investment that had so doubtful a future. But then he didn’t. know that Dick was worth $7,700 independent of the Mohawk Central stock. Had some one assured him of that fact it would have been a great sur- prise to him. : Dick sent Nellie Grant a note telling her he had made $5,000 out of his latest deal, and requested her to keep the fact strictly to herself. He did not fail to send a two-pound box of candy and an- other bunch of violets with the note, He also surprised Bob Browning by presenting him with a $100 bill. “Why, how can you afford to give me so much?” asked Bob, regarding the bill with a doubtful sense of proprietorship. “That’s my business, Bob. Just put the money “a in your pocket and say nothing.” “You must haye got hold of enough money to buy fifty shares at least of D. & L.” eet “If it will do you any good to know, I will tell - you that I had more than fifty shares.” > ¥ ne * , a r= ry ee < ‘“
Page 12
10 “How in thunder. ” began Bob, but Dick choked him off. “That will do now. Change the topic, please.” “But I’d like to know 2 “There are lots of things people would like to know that they’ never learn about. You’ve got your $100, so choke off.” E About a week later Dick heard two brokers talking about M, & N. stock. : “You won’t make any mistake in buying 1,000 - shares, Abe,” said one. “On what ground?” asked- his friend, “T have it on the best authority that the com- pany has secured control of the D., B. & A. That means a monopoly of the business between Mem- phis and Nashville. As soon as the-fact gets out on the Street there will be a rush to buy the shares before they get too high. If you want to make a good haul get busy right -away—a few -hours may. make a heap of difference in the price of M. & N.” Dick didn’t hear any more, but he was inter- ested enough in what he heard to look M. & N. up when he got back to the office. It was ruling around 65, That afternoon on his way home he ‘stopped in at the little bank and left an order for the purchase of 1,000 shares of the stock. He had to put up $6,500 margin. “You're getting to be quite an operator, Mer- - riton,” said the margin clerk. ‘Does your boss know that you speculate?” “That’s a question I must decline to answer,” replied Dick. — j The clerk laughed and handed him his mem- orandum. y The next morning as Dick was walking down New street with a message to a broker on Ex- - ehange Place he saw Tom Hurley and two com- --panions come out of an office building. Tom no- ticed Dick hurrying toward them and he said something to his associates ina low tone. Taking a stout cord from his pocket he handed one end to one of his friends, who immediately stooped down near the wall of one of the buildings, while Tom and the other chap*sat down on the curb. The cord was allowed to lie across the pavement. Dick thought the actions of the three decidedly suspicious, particularly as he had reason to know if ~ that Hurley bore him no good will. “T wonder what game they’re up so?” Dick - -sasked himself as he rapidly drew near the three lads. “If Tom Hurley tries any larks on me I'll make him look two ways for Sunday before I let ‘up on him.”* me He didn’t notice the cord, but he kept his eyes skinned for trouble. They made no move of that kind as he passed between them, but Hurley and ae ~ the poy against the wall suddenly raised their Hands about a foot. In a moment Dick felt him- ‘self tripped up and flying through the air. ; He was:as active asa cat, however, and came down on his hands and knees. Hurley and his friends uttered a shout of de- risive laughter and started to run. The former, in his eagerness to escape the possible conse- As gueree of an encounter with Dick, forgot that t ere was a stairway close at hand leading down to an A. D. T. messenger’s office. - ea \ ‘The result was that he plunged head first down into the opening. All that saved Hurley from a \ broken neck was the fact that the manager of the lace, a-man weighing about 200, pounds, ¥ PP Lanois x ‘, a ie A GRIP*ON THE MARKET - stand what had happened, but the fact that his enemy was in trouble was balm to his ruffled “feelings. ‘tive glare in his eyes. ; - out of you. 65 5-8 to 72. It was going around 73 when Dick selling orders. — Dick, a ish coming up the stairs at the moment. Tom hit him squarely in the stomach, and both of them went rolling to the foot of the steps in a heap, Hur- ley’s neck was wrenehed and his shins badly barked, while the manager had sprained one of — his arms. ce By that time Dick was om his feet and full of — fight. Tom’s two eompanions had already placed a safe distance between themselves and the scene of trouble and had quit running. They hadn’t — seen Hurley’s header, and were wondering where ~ he had got to. Neither had Dick witnessed Tom’s- dive, but he was attractéd to the head of the steps by the racket he heard down there. Then he saw the young ras¢al’s plight, and his anger changed to a grin of satisfaction when he saw Hurley nursing his injured jaw and at the same time try- ing to escape from the grasp of the manager of the messenger office, who was about asmad as any man could well be. Dick couldn’t quite under- — The manager didn’t dally long with — Hurley. He cuffed him two or three times, and finally gave him a kick that sent him flying back . — up the stairs, on which he landed, sprawling on _ all fours. y _ “Hello, Tom Hurley,” he chuckled, “been hav- ing a scrap with an automobile? You look all age broke up.” ; 1 Ee Hurley dodged as though he thought Dick was — ~ going to hit him. eg Ps sR ee “What did you dodge for?” grinned Dick. “Did you think a safe was falling on you?” “Go to blazes!” snarled Hurley, with 3 vindie- “It doesn’t seem to pay you to get gay with me,” said Dick. “If you hadn’t got into trouble’ — on your own hook I’d have knocked the daylights I wouldn’t advise you to work any more gags like that on me, for if you do you’re liable to. go to a hospital for a month.” ye With these parting words the young messeng walked off, quite satisfied that, for the present at least, Hurley had been punished enough. _ Two days later the news came out on the Ex change about the M. & N. road having secured control of the D.,'B..& A.-lme, 25 40. a That. started a kind of high jinks on the floor, the brokers piling over one another in their pee en ness to get hold of M. & N. shares. Those who ~ knew in advance what was going to happen had secured so much of the stock at the prevailin; figures before the announcement that there was very little left for outsiders to fatten on. In an hour the price of M. .& N. went fis D ordered his 1,000 shares sold, and they were snapped up in a twinkling. After going half a point higher the price dropped back to 70 took no further interest in 5 a bes however,
Page 13
A GRIP ON THE MARKET fate of the stock after he was out of the Tunaing, _and he waited for his statement to confirm his own estimate of a profit of $8,000. ; %, CHAPTER IX.—Dick Refuses A Flattering * Offer For His Mohawk Central Mining Shares. When Dick got his check from the little bank ' he found he was worth $15,000. During the day he turned the check in to the bank, got $600 cash and a certificate of deposit for the balance. The $600 he took home and handed over to his mother, telling her that he had made some money in the stock market. Of course she was delighted to hear that he had been lucky apiain, and the - $600 looked like a small fortune to her. A month passed away and Dick, while attend- ing faithfully to his duties as messenger in Mr. Barker’s office, kept a sharp watch also on the stock market. rs SS rnate *’ One Saturday afteroon after businéss was over for the week and he had been paid off, he went over to the King Building to meet Bob, who got off at half-past one. They walked down to the Hanover Square station of the elevated railroad and took a third avenue train for Harlem. Two well-dressed men entered the car behind them and took seats next to Dick. One of them the _ boy recognized as a well-known broker. Both boys had early editions of afternoon papers and were soon reading them. Presently Dick heard the broker say to his companion: ~ “Did you buy H. & O., as I told you to?” - He didn’t catch the other gentleman’s reply, but he heard the broker say: baer : “You'd better act on my tip right away, for you won't get such another chance to double your money in a hurry. A week from to-day the stock will be 15 points higher as sure as you’re sitting in that seat. I’ve got my information from head- _/ quarters, and you can reply on the fact that it’s | genuine. You haven’t any time to lose, Morris, if you want to be one.of the lucky winners, for the mews of the consolidation will public property between this and Wednesday. I’m in this thing / to the extent of 10,000 shares, and if I could have - handled any more I should have bought them: I expect to make a cool $150,000. If you are wise _ you’ll put every cent you can raise by hook or by pe poe into H. & O. with as little delay as possi- ‘ple. ; ; ‘The other gentleman drew an old letter from seri pocket and began to make figures on the back of it.. wee mite .. “Well, if it continues to. rule around 70 on Monday I’ll be able to buy 3,000 shares at any rate,” he said. “And possibly I may be able to put up enough collateral to get out another 500 on Tuesday.” ; "You can safely hold on for 85,” said the bro- ker. “When it reaches that price sell out. It will “When it reaches that price sell out. It will probably go higher, but I would not advise you to run’ the risk of an unexpected slump because there was more profit in sight. Close out at 85.” -. The men talked a while longer about H. & O. nd then branched off*°on another subject. They fer. the car at the Fifty-ninth street station, and ‘Dick nudged Bob’s arm. _ ‘Hello, what igs it?” asked Browning. ane Nyiaas Ye Sonia. zie ae EAE Phe | te nite i _ town 11 “I’ve caught on to a pointer,” replied Dick, in a low tone. ¥ “A pointer? What kind of one?” ; “A stock pointer, of course.” “Wow?” ‘ “You saw those two gentleme j out, didn’t you?” . apa eS “N 0, I didn’t notice them. What about them?” One is a broker. I think his name is Stein- feldt. The other is a, close friend of his. I heard the broker tell his friend that if he wanted to get ° in on a sure winner he must buy H. & O. right away.” “He said that, did he?” “Yes, and a whole lot more that convinced me _ that H. & O. is well worth going the whole hog ee you are going to put your money in it, “I am, and I advise you to do the game. The stock is going at 70 now. You’ve cash enough to put up as margin on 115 shares. The broker says it will surely go to 85. There’s a chance for you to make $200 as easy as if you picked it up. is pe ee : rite aaa ‘I couldn’t get away from my job to keep track of a stock deal,” replied Bob. si eichee Selaco “Let me have your money between this and Monday morning, and I’ll attend to it for you. Pll work it in connection with my own deal.” - “All right,” replied Bob, promptly. “I'll fetch the cash around.to your house to-morrow after- noon. I should be only too happy to make $200, bet your eed ‘s ; rue to his promise, Bob brought the mone to Dick on the following day, Bed at the first chance he got Monday the young messenger in- vested nearly all his funds in 2,000 shares of H. & O., and at the same time he bought 15 shares of the stock .for his friend Bob. : That afternoon when he returned to the office about three after carrying the day’s deposits to the bank, he found a well-dressed man, with a sunburned countenance, waiting in the office. “Are you Richard Merriton?” the stranger in- quired, sizing the boy up with some curiosity. “Thatis my name,” replied Dick. “TI believe you bought a block of Mohawk Cen- tral mining stock from Alexander Badlam a few weeks ago?” eae “T did.” “Do you want to sell it?” _ “Tam not particularly anxious to do so,” re- plied Dick. — Yam looking around for some of it, and would give 15 cents a share,” “Did Mr. Badlam send you to me?” _ “No. I learned from the secretary of the com- pany that you had purchased the 5,000 shares held by Mr. Badlam. I got your address from \ ‘him, as I was coming Hast, and so I dropped in. to see if you wanted to séll the shares.” “I should think you could have gotten all you wanted out West.” a : 5 “So I could, but I beliéved I could buy it cheap- er in New York, as there ‘seems ‘to be no mar- oe ae here.” m i 3 e figure you offer me are the latest quota- tion on the Goldfield Exchange. That is aos ‘try- ng to buy it cheaper.” es ‘Then. it has dropped since I/reached this oR §
Page 14
12 “T have seen no higher quotation than 15. cents’ since the stock came into my possession. We get the Western market reports in this office right from the.Mining Exchance. I have been looking to see it go to 20.” “Mining shares are very uncertain things to hold for a rise,” said the stranger. “Tf you are willing to give 15 cents I guess I, ean afford to keep the stock.” “The stock isn’t really worth 15 cents a share, but for reasons that I do not care to explain it will pay me to give that for it. You probably would not soon be able to get such another chance to sell your shares at a profit.” “How do you know but I gave more than 15 cents for the stock?” “T didn’t suppose you gave more than 10 cents ~ gt the outside, because that was what it was sell- » ing at about, the time the transfer was made on the company’s books.” “Well, I won’t sell at 15 cents,” replied Dick, decidedly. “What do you want for it?” “T haven’t thought about the price.” “Couldn't you set a figure?” The man’s persistency aroused Dick’s | suspic- ions that. perhaps, some valuable discovery had come to light in the mine, and that this stranger had been sent East to pick up the stock that was known to be held in New York City and vicinity. “No,” replied Dick. “Mohawk Central once sold for 90 cents. It may go.to that’again.” _ “Nonsense!”? exclaimed the man, impatiently. “The mine has ceased to be a profitable producer . and will hardly go above 25 cents, if it should get that high. —.». *Will you give 25 cents?” asked. Dick, s suddenly. soe but I'll tell you ee do, I'll give you ate “T don’t care to sell the stock. : “Arve you holding out for se if “T am holding out for a strike in the mine, and the chancé of it going to $1 at least.” The stranger looked disgusted. : “You'll be disappointed,” he said, emphatical- ] vate I am, that will be my own funeral. I got definitely.” “Then you won’t accept my offer? | Dick shook his head. _ “Will you take 25 cents a share?” + “No, sir. I won’t take 50 cents.” “Then we can’t do business?” said the str angen ~\ who seemed loath to go. “Not unless you’re willing to pay $1 a share ~~ and then I might consider your offer.” .- "Young man, when you turn. down 25 cents you - ’ are turning down a good thing.” nae ~ “Perhaps, but I can’t under stand why you are | willing to pay 25 cents for stock that you ought - to,be able to get on the curb to-morrow morning : for half that—that is, if there is any to be got.” The stranger looked g@nnoyed at Dick’s perti- - nent remark and he hastened to say that he had been looking around for the stock for several days _» without finding anybody who had any for sale. -» “You knew, however, all the time that I had er shares, didn’t vyou?” 9? or la first” oe ier ee A GRIP ON THE MARKET “satisfied that there was something in the wind _the stock cheap and can afford to hold on to it m--~ : “Then it’s a Be uihidd you: didn’t Siok me up ft ae “T intended ra but mislaid your address.” — Dick had an idea that the visitor hadn’t told the exact truth. “Well, I’m sorry, but I have decided to hold on to my. stock.” “You won't sell for 25 cents?” “No. ” < “TH give you 30.” ‘ “It’s no inducement,” replied the boy, now fully — about Mohawk Central that was not generally known. ie “There’s my name and address. I shall be at =~ the Astor House until next Thursday. If you aie change your mind before then let me — now a. “J will,” replied Dick. The stranger then wished him took his departure. a day and CHAPTER X—Dick Makes A Big Haul, When Dick reached home he told his father about the stranger who had called at the ie bs that afternoon and offered him 80 cents a share. for his Mohawk Central stock. “Thirty cents!’? said his father. “That's sere 5 an advance over what you paid for it. Did you ae accept his offer?” “T did not.” “Then the price has gone up, has it? 1: ave not heard you mention anything about the stock a since you bought it.” “It has gone up to 15 on the Goldfield Exe change, but I couldn’t get that for it on athe curb if I wanted to sell it.”_ es “Then why did you “refuse 30 for it ‘hei that. sens man? Didn’t he have the cash to back his offer?” 3 “JT didn’t ask him whether he had the money or not, but I suppose he wouldn’t have made the of-— fer if he wasn’t prepared to pay for it if I took him up. I didn’t accept his offer because if the stock is worth 30 to him I guess it’s worth 30 to me. In other words, father, it is my opinion that there has been a new lead discovered in that mine — the, news of which may send the price to 50 or over. Otherwise why should he be willing to pay double the present market value for it? It’ my opinion he has been quietly buying up all the ‘g shares he.ean find in the hands of the minin brokers at whatever figure he could : and finally he calfed on me to get the Dy 00 shares wer ‘he learned I bought of Mr. Badlam.” - iG “You may be right, Dick,” said his father re e : flectively. ce ' “Whether I’m right or not I’m willing to ti e a chance on it. The stock only cost me $300, so I-can easily afford to hold on to it as long as choose. I ean’t lose more than the $300, while I stand to win several ates that amount if my. surmise is correct.’ : Next morning Dick told Mr. Barker about th stranger and Tits offer of 30 cents a share for Mohawk Central : “Do you mean ‘to say that he made you a bon fide offer of 380 cents for that stock?" “So I took it to be? ~ . The broker looked the mine up on the px V lay’s Goldfield report, ; 5 That’s singula There was a sale Of
Page 15
A GRIP ON THE MARKET shares on the Goldfield Excharice yesterday at 15 cents. Did you take him up?” : “No, sir.” ; : “Why not?” asked the broker in surprise. “Because I believe it is worth more than 30.” “How can it be when the market price is 15?” “T have an idea that the market price is likely “to be nearer 50 than 15 in a short time.” *“Jpon my word, young man, you are develop- ing an extraordinary foreknowledge of the value of mining stock,” said Mr. Barker, sarcastically. “Are you gifted with second sight?” “No, sir, but I believe I can see through a mill- stone. when there’s a hole in it.” “Indeed! Perhaps you will tell me on what 3 ground you base your idea that Mohawk Central, a comparatively dead security, is likely to ad- vance in price to 50?” “Well, six, that-gentleman didn’t look at all crazy, and only a crazy man would have offered ‘double the market price for a stock unless he had some inside information which warranted him in giving such a figure. It is my opinion that either the lost lead or a new vein of good paying ore has been discovered, and that the people aware of the fact are trying to buy in all the stock that’s cut at as low a figure as they can get it before they let the information get out. I paid so little for those shares that I am going to see the thing through. At the outside I can’t lose more than $300.” “Your deduction is very clever, young man, and may be correct; but a bird in the hand is worth 4 two in the bush. Thirty cents a share Means a profit of $1,250 on your investment, \which is a ~-yery handsome profit, and I may add a very hand- some sum for’a messenger boy to be worth. - “Pye known messenger boys to be worth more =. than that, sir.” ? as ae --\ = aye you; indeed? You are probably ambi- tious to become one of the wealthy ones, eh? _. said the: broker jronically. tapes Wes. Ritts have.” ~ : ; } : “Tf you think so you ought to have accepted ‘that man’s offer of $1,500 for your Mohawk Cen- ~~” tral ‘stock.” _ to sell at 30?” “Tf the man really meant business, I do.” “But how do you account for him making” such a liberal offer?” ® . “Tt js quite possible he is acting for parties Le hte pay hae a majority of the stock of the company for the purpose of getting control of the mine. The 5,000 shares you own might come near ‘filling the bill, and consequently it would be to the interest of his principals to pay you double ‘the value of the stock in order to get it. Such instances frequently occur.” | “Well, I have his name and address. He told me to send him word if I changed my mind. I'll J think money is a good thing to_ “Then you think I acted foolishly in refusing. felt like a fighting cock. » dhe was in the seventh heaven of delight when Dick handed him the sum of $315, representing a 138 King Building and told Bob that his stock was worth $30 more than he had paid for it. _ “That’s fine,” replied Bob Browning. “And how much more is your stock worth?” “The same as yours, of course, $2 a share.”. “TI know, but I meant altogether.” “That’s one of my business secrets. If I told you how much more I’m worth to-day than I was yesterday morning you might have a fit, and that wouldn’t do at all,” chuckled Dick. “One would think you had a big bunch of the stock from ,the way you talk. I don’t: believe you’ve got over 300 shares at the outside.” “Don’t you, Bob? You have a right to your opinion, at any rate.” “T don’t see any reason why you shouldn’t tell me just how many shares you: have got,” said Bob, in an aggrieved tone. “Supposing I told you I had 2,000 shares, would you believe me?” “Don’t talk nonsense: If you told me that: you had 500 I’d take your word for it, though. it would be pretty hard to swallow.” “All right, Bob, we'll let it go at that,” laughed Dick, and a few minutes later he left the elevator and started for home. Next day was Wednesday, and Dick looked for something to come out about H. & O not disappointed. On his second visit to the Exchange about noon the announcement of the consolidation of another road with H. & O. was made, reading the communication which had been sent him than the brokers made a rush for the H. & O. standard, where a big broker had. been bidding for the stock at intervals since the Exchange opened. While Dick stood at the /railing his worldly wealth increased at the rate of $2,000 at a clin for several minutes. When he saw 77 posted up on the blackboard, which indicated that he had doubled the amount he had at stake, he grabbed a messenger alongside of him and began to waltz around the space behind the railing as though he were crazy. es é “Hey! Dern you, leave me alone!” cried’ a familiar voice, and then he woke up to the fact that he had hold of Tom Hurley. Dick dropped him like a hot coal and came. “oe back to earth.. The broker he was waiting for came up to the railing at that moment and he handed the note to him that he had brought. The trader read it and told him there was no an- swér, so Dick hurried back to his own office wondering if H. & O. would go up to 85 that day. It went to 83. On his way home he stopped in at the bank and told the clerk to instruet their representative to seil out his 2,000 shares and Browning’s 15-next morning at 85. The stock reached that price inside of fifteer * minutes after the Exchange opened, and when Dick reached the messengers’ entrance at a quarter to eleven with a note to Mr. Barker’s. representative it was going at 88. Dick’s profit on the deal footed up $29,250, making him worth close on to $45,000, and it is little ‘wonder if he As for Bob Browning, He was © and the chairman had hardly finished .
Page 16
14 CHAPTER XI.—Dick Goes Into Business On : His Own Account. ‘ “Say, pop,” said Dick that evening at the sup- per table, “I’ll bet you can’t guess how much I’m worth at this moment.” “You were worth $15,000 something over a- month ago.” : “That’s right,” replied Dick. “Have you been working another successful deal?” jasked his father, with not a little interest in his tones, while Dick’s mother and sister look- ed at him with an air of expectation. The family had come to regard Dick as' an un- commonly smart boy, and one who was pretty sure to succeed in life. The fact that he had made $15,000 that year so far out of the $700 he found in the blue envelope made him the most important’ factor in the little household. They thad gotten over feeling surprised at anything he might accomplish. If his 5,000 shares of mining stock had sud- denly become worth $50,000 they would not have been greatly astonished, for he had told so many stories about people getting rich on mining stock that they half expected he would make a fortune out of his. § “Yes, father. I got hold of a valuable pointer last Saturday: I backed it to the extent of $14,000. I bought it at 70 on Monday morning and yesterday morning I sold it at 85, clearing a little over $29,000, consequently, I’m now worth $44,250.” i F The family looked at Dick in “surprised silence. “J think I’ve worked long enough as a-mes- senger boy, good folks,” he went on, “so I’ve de- cided to resign my job.and go into business on my own hook. I think ‘Richard Merriton,' Broker,’ would look very well on a frosted glass door. At ” any rate, I’m going to have it put_on one. In the meantime I think it will be well for mother to look for a better flat, cat a more stylish neigh- borhood. I am able to support the family now jn good shape, and sis needn’t work any more -unless she wants to.” ; Dick’s little speech created considerable ex- citement at the supper table, and after the farfi- jly realized that the young man of the house meant business, and was in position to make his words good, they began to make their plans for the immediate future. Dick gave Mr, Barker two weeks’ notice of his intention to leave. The broker was surprised and offered to raise his wages if he would stay, but the boy declined his offer with thanks. Dick drew all his money from the little bank on presenting his check, hired a box in a safe deposit vault and stowed it there for safe keeping. Sad 4 j During his‘last week’s stay with Mr Barker he broke in the new messenger, who was a distant relative of the trader, and had come from the country to begin life in New York. On the fol- lowing Monday he looked around for a small office, and found one in a big Wall Street building next door to the King office building’. where Browning was empipyed. He had not told Bob anything about the change he was contemplating, as he wanted to give him a ‘big surprise. He found he couldn’t get the office he had picked out - without getting somebody to guarantee the rent. t ¥ . A GRIP ON THE MARKET : “What’s the matter with me paying you the. five months’ rent up to May 1 in advance?” he said to the agent of the building. “Well, that’s something, of course, but still I must haye a good reference, anyway.” “I can refer you to Mr. Samuel Littleton, a lawyer, in the Mills Building.” “Very well. I'll call on Mr. Littleton some time to-day. Ill hold the office until to-morrow morn- ing at ten o’clock.” : Dick was satisfied with this arrangement, and he decided to see Mr. Littleton right away and let him know how he was fixed and what he wanted the office for. Accordingly, he started for — the Mills Building. He found the lawyer in and was_ immediately admitted to his private room. “Good-morning, Mr. Littleton,” he said. “Good-morning, Merriton,” said the lawyer, © shaking hands with him. “Take a seat.” 5 _. “Mx. Littleton, I have taken the liberty of giv- ing you as my reference,” said Dick. “I want to ny * hire an office in the Globe Building and the agent. said it would be nécessary to furnish reference as to my desirability as a tenant, so I gave him your name and he said he would call on you some time to-day.” a “Have you left Mr. Barker?” asked the lawyer, evidently surprised. " “Yes, sir.” ; “And may I ask se ” : et “Open up as a broker, sir,” replied Dick, coolly. Mr. Littleton stared at him ne “As a broker?” “Yes, sir,” é The lawyer was clearly a bit staggered. ; “Are you really in earnest, Merriton?” g “Tam, sir.” : 5 “Did you have any trouble with Mr. Barker?” “No, sir. He offered to raise my salary if I’d stay, but I didn’t care to.” Pete: “You left of your own actord, then?” “Yes, sir.” f" 3 : “With the view of opening an office yourself?” Reis sir.” ; : . e lawyer drummed on his desk and regarded — Dick rather quizzically. ss a “You are rather young and, I should think, in- experienced to branch out in this way, don’t you think?” asked the lawyer, as considerately as he could. “Then it takes quite a little capital to — ~— e eotemeet ‘ eas Rees “I may be young, but ¥’m ambitious to make a start in life. Perhaps I’m not ame Sich ee, - as you may think. .As to capital, I’ve nearly — $50,000 which I made myself out of the stock — market in the last few months.” : a “You have a capital of nearly $50,000?” ejacu- — lated the lawyer. at eee “Yes, sir. If you have the time to listen I'll tell you how I got my start, and how I made _ the money.” (eens Mr. Littleton nodded, and Dick told him how | he had found the $700 in the envelope on the same afternoon he had saved the lawyer from — -being strangled by the crazy heir-at-law; what he had done with it, and the particulars of his three. subsequent deals, the last of which had re- — what you intend to do with an PRS AEST wey ‘cently panned him out $29,000. “Tf I cari do as well as that, under a sen= ger’s handicap, I think I can do better now that
Page 17
A GRIP ON THE MARKET 1 I have both time aad a good capital at my dis-: posal,” he concluded. “At any rate, I’m going to try. Of course I hardly expect to get eustomers » -* right away, but while speculating for myself I’m going to make myself known, so that when busi- ness does begin to came my way I won’t be such a new thing.” - Dick and Mr. Littleton had quite a lengthy con- versation, and when the boy rose to go the lawyer promised to put in a good word for him to the : agent. Of course Dick wouldn’t think of leaving ‘the office without having a talk with Nellie Grant. He astonished her with his announcement that he was about to open up as a Wall Street broker, and said he would expect her to give him a call as soon.as he had his office in a shape to receive visitors. - . She laughingly assured him that she would not fail to take’ advantage of his invitation. - “Come around Saturday. You get off about noon, I believe. My sister has promised to call : “phout that time, too. I'll introduce you to her. _ She’s very anxious to meet you. Then we'll go ~~ out and have lunch together.” Dick wrote the floor and number of the room he already considered as good as his, and gave her - the paper. “You won’t disappoint me, will you?” he said, - earnestly. ~ “I sha’n’t consider that I’m fairly ~ - Jaunched in business until you have christened _ the office by your presence. I look upon you as my | mascot, Nellie, so you mustn’t go back on me.’ £35 will come saitaa something should prevent “me doing so,” she replied, with a smile. : .*Thank you. I will look for you.” Then he left the office and went up on Nassau ‘Street to see a dealer who made a specialty in - office furnishings. Next morning he called on the agent of the Globe Building promptly at ten. He was told that the office was his, and that the need only pay one month’s rent in advance, which he did and got his receipt and the key of the office. He lost no time in making his ar- rangements about furnishing it with a desk, a ing safe, a rug, some water-color pictures, and such other articles as he would require. He left an order for printing and stationery at a house on Broad Street, and then went to see about having -a ticker installed and a telephone put in. On Wednesday afternoon a painter put his: name on the door, with the words “Stocks and Bonds” underneath, and Dick regarded the sign with con- siderable satisfaction. On Thursday he wrote ‘an advertisement and paid for its continuous insertion in two of the Wall Street dailies. borker he knew, who was a member of the Stock xchange, to put through any orders that he secured, and allow him a part of the commission. fee afternoon he walked next door into the King ding and waited for Bob’s elevator. Hello, Dick,” ae Be pune for the sixth . satisfaction. tee a at made an beaekn A ies with a’ young: “Not this time. I’m just going up for the ride.” Ive got something to tell you.” 2 ‘“What is it? Another tip?” “No. Do you think you can stand a surprise without getting an attack of heart failure?” “What kind of. a surprise are you going to spring on me?” “T want you to meet me at Room 416, in the Globe Building, next door, to-morrow when you - get off. Will you?” “Sure, I will. Whose office is it?” “You'll see when you get there. Write the number on your cuff so you won’t forget it.” Bob did so, and soon after the elevator touched the ground floor again and Dick got out and left the building. Next day at half-past twelve Edith Merriton, Dick’s ‘sister, appeared at her brother’s | office. “What a nice, cozy little tec you have here, Dick!” she exclaimed, enthusiastically. “And you appear to be all ready for business, too.” ; “Sure thing. I call this my sheep-shearing den. Tvt got a nice, sharp pair of shears in my bore for the first innocent lamb that wanders in ere.” “J don’t quite understand you.” » “Don’t you know that the lambs come te Wall Street to gamble—b-l-e, not b-o-l. See the point?” Edith laughed. “When a lamb gambles he risks his fleece. All the brokers keep a pair of sharp ‘Shears to relieve them of their wool. Sométimes the brokers use the shears on one another, when they can. The sharper the shears, or the broker, the more wool gets into his safe. I expect to fill that safe full in the course of time.” “What a funny boy you are,” laughed his sis- ter. “May I see your shears? “No. We never exhibit them till we need them in our business.” “Dicky, dear, you’re a big fraud.” Just then the door opened and in walked Nellie Grant. Dick sprang up and ran over to welcome her. He brought her over to the window and introduced her to his sister. The girls took’ an immediate fancy to each other, and were soon chatting together like old friends, much to Dick’s Suddenly Dick heard an exclama- tion outside in the corridor, then the door opened and Bob walked in. -. “ 7 Be tet Jupiter! What does this mean? ~ ‘Richard Merriton, Stocks and Bonds.’ Have you gone into business for yourself?” “IT have,” replied Dick. “Well, if you haven’t a nerve! When itd you leave Barker?” -“Last Saturday?” “The dickens!” And you never told me any- thing about it!” “T wanted to surprise you.” “You have, or I’m a liar,” “Come over and J’ll introduce you to the young lady who’s talking to Edith.” The four were soon talking together. “Well, it’s time we went out to lunch,” said the young broker at length. “Bob, you will-do the honors for my sister, while Miss Grant, I guess, will accept.my escort. This lunch is on me as a* — . sort of christening of my new ac so I hope: youll all ae justice sis it.”
Page 18
16 ee your life I'll hold my end up,” chuckled ob. : s Dick piloted the way to a nice restaurant in Beaver Street, and when they were seated at one of the tables he ordered the best spread the house could produce. As the girls were both un- usually pretty and vivacious they attracted con- siderable attention, and many of the. gentlemen at the othér tables rather envied Dick and Bob because they were enjoying the society of such charming companions. ‘The young people “spent an hour in the restaurant, and then Dick paid ‘the bill with the air of-a capitalist. They walked - up as far as the Brooklyn Bridge together, where they parted, Dick escorting Nellie to her home in’ Brooklyn and Bob taking Edith up to Harlem. CHAPTER XII.—Dick’s First Customer. "Dick appeared at his office at half-past nine Monday morning, gazed complacently at his name _ on the frosted glass pane, unlocked the door and entered, ‘ ; ; “Tt’s fine to be your own boss. No more hustling about=the district with notes to this broker or that, breaking your neck trying to make time when your employer is in a particular sweat to get a communication delivered. Now, if I have a deal on I can watch it. I can keep my eye on the market all the time. I don’t see how I ever managed to put my deals through so well. It must have been that luck ran my way.” On the floor lay a copy of each of the Wall Street dailies in which Dick had his advertise- ment running. He picked them up, and seating - himself at his desk began to read the latest financial and general’ Wall Street intelligence. At half-past ten he went over to the visitors’ gallery of the Exchange, where he ‘remained watching the brokers and the trend of the market till he felt hungry, when he went to lunch. That was.about the way he passed his time for the next three or four days. Nobody disturbed him when he was in the office, and his account books -yemained untouched in his safe.” Occasionally he unlocked the. inner door of the same to take a look at the sum of $4,000 that he kept there in case Something turned up that would call for the expenditure of suich’a sum. The balance of*his funds remained in the safe deposit vault. When he returned to his~ office Friday afternoon he found .a létter on the floor where the letter carrier had shoved it through the mail slit in the door. It bore the postmark of Vineland, New Jersey. He opened it and found the following note in a woman’s handwriting: 8 a Grove Street, Vineland, N. J. “Richard Merriton, Broker, : a “Dear Sir—I saw your advertisement in the ‘Evening Lamppost.’? I own some D. & G. stock that I would like to have you sell for me. At present it is in’ the possession of Withers & Co., stock brokers, of the King Building, who are holding it. against my will because my step- _ father has requested them to do so. But I will be of legal age tomorrow and intend to come to _ New York and demand it of them. I have learned that my stepfather, Mr. Peck, intends to fore- A GRIP ON THE MARKET { stall me thr@igh a court order. I will therefore © call at your office by eleven in the morning, and will ask you to accompany me to the office of Withers & Co., where I will make a demand for - the stock. in«your presence. My stepfather’s au- thority over me will cease at midnight to-night, ~ so that Withers & Co. will have no right to hold the stock from me after that hour, “Yours respectfully, Annie Burnside.” “This seems to be my first customer, and from the tenor of her note it looks as if my business might have a strenuous opening,” mused Dick, as he read the note over again. “So, Withers & ~~ Co.. are retaining her property against her will? _ Well, it is lucky she will be of age to-morrow, or _ she might not be able to get it. I wonder what the trouble is betwee nher and her stepfather? If he reaches Withers & Co. with a court order before she can make her demand that will prob- ably tie the stock up until the ‘judge decides — upon her rights. Now, I might get ahead of — him and his court order if she could show that — she had sold that stock before the order was — signed by the judge. Her right, to sell the stock — artes twelve to-night would be perfectly legal. If the sale is delayed until\after ten to-morrow it may lead to complications that would deprive — her of her rights for some time, though ulti- mately she would be bound to recover the stock if it really belongs to her. How can I manage - to take time by the forelock? By taking an early train to Vineland, calling on her at her : home and getting a bill of sale of the stock from her and an order on Withers & Co. for its de= livery” to me as the purchaser? »Mr. Withers _ might refuse to let me, have it be@ause he knows > me as Mr. Barker’s messenger. owever, I’m no longer Mr, Barker’s messenger, but a regular _ broker myself. I have the right to buy any stock that I can pay for. D. & G. is gilt-edged atone and I have noticed that it is going up. It would be safe enough for me to buy her shares at the market. Or I could make a pretended sale with her, giving her, say ten per cent. down and then send her the balance after I had gold it _ later on. At any rate, I’d like to help Miss Burnside out of her serane, and Vl do it if I can. . ; Dick gave the subject his attention that af- ternoon and decided to go to Vineland early next morning. * are He found he could get there ‘at half-past to the city with him afterward. cordingly, he left home at six next morniing, go a hasty breakfast downtown and caught the 7:20 train for Philadelphia, which stopped at - Vineland. He rang the bell at 208 Grove Street at a quarter to nine, and asked the,maid whi came to the door to take his name to Miss Burn side. He was shown into a cozy little parlor and presently a pretty young lady came into the — room. She held Dick’s card in her hand and w surprised to see a good-looking boy instead of full-grown man whom she expected to meet. “Miss Burnside?” said the young broker, terrogatively. — ; Se RR ea coal “Yes. I presume Mr. Merriton sent you tose
Page 19
‘A GRIP ON THE MARKET me?” she said, sitting in a chair close to her visitor, ; “T am Richard Merriton, broker, Miss Burn- e. ¢ She received this reply in some astonishment. “Are you really the broker I wrote to?” she asked, in a doubtful tone. “Yes, Miss Burnside, and after reading your letter I decided that it would be to your interest to see you as early as possible regarding the stock in question.” sy “Aren’t you rather young to be a broker?” she asked, in a hesitating tone. ; “Perhaps I look younger than I really am,” re- plied Dick, diplomatically, for he knew that his $ mission would be a failure unless, he could in- J - gpire the ‘young lady with some confidence in his ; business ability, “but I assure you that I can do as well to assist you out of your trouble as though I had a full set of whiskers. I am ac- quainted with the firm of Withers & Co. that you ~ mentioned in your letter, Miss Burnside.” “Are you, indeed?” she replied, brightening up. “Yes. My object in coming to see you before you called on me was to propose a plan for side- tracking that court order which you. anticipate that your stepfather intends to get out. You could not reach my office before eleven o’clock. Mr. Peck, by taking the eight o’clock train for New York, would have time to get the order and serve it on Withers & Co. before you made your demand on the firm for the stock. In this way - your property would come into the custody of ‘in the court, and you would probably be put to some _ establish your rights to the securities.” ‘ _ “Mr. Peck did go to New York by the eight o’clock train,” said the young lady, looking un- easy. : ' “Then you may depend on it that he went to ” secure that order. Tell me just what the trouble jt-about the stock, and then I will suggest a plan for checkmating your stepfather.” Miss Burnside said that her mother died nearly a year since, leaving her 200 shares of D. & G. preferred stock, valued at about $80 a share. Her stepfather had tried in various ways to et possession of the securities, on the ground that being under age she had no right to retain : _ the certificates herself. She had refused to turn * them over to him, and kept them hid where he - gouldn’t find them. : ei A few days Since, being close on her eighteenth birthday, she had carried the stock to New York and placed it in the hands of Withers & Oo. to - dispose/of. Mr. Withers advised her that the price was likely to go up inside of a week, and that she had better not sell it until it advanced a few points. She agreed to this and a few _ days sci she received-a letter from the brokers .-gtatine that her stepfather, Mr. Peck, had visit- ed their office and made a demand on them for . the stock, stating that, as she was under age and “subject to his authority, the securities could not ‘be sold without his permission. Miss Burnside _/ paid she immediately wrote Withers & Co. to re- ‘turn the stock to her by registered mail, but this they refused to do on the ground that Mr. Peck thad threatened to hold them responsible if they gave up the securities before he could institute ike expense, as well as loss of time, before you could. _ anybody else out if you can.” legal proceedings to get possession of the stock. _ “The stock actually belongs to you, Miss Burn- side?” said Dick. : “Tt does,” she replied, fs “And you are eighteen years old to-day?” “Yes, since ten minutes after midnight.” : . “Very good. You have a legal right to sell it. Now, the plan I propose, if you feel that you can trust me, is to give me a bill of sale of that stock, with an order on Withers & Co. for the shares, signed in the presence of a witness in” order to fix the hour of the sale. Then you can accompany me to New York and remain in office, which is in the Globe Building, next door: the King Building, where Withers & Co, haye their office, while I make a demand on Mr. With- ers for the certificates. I expect to bring them back with me and then I’ll advance you what- ever money you want pending the actual sale of — the stock, say in a few days, when it reaches a- higher figure.” ; (tae “Do you think you can get the shares for me ~ that way, Mr. Merriton?” she asked. z “I can’t guarantee to, but there is more chance. of my doing it that way than any other,” re- plied Dick. : “T am sure I can trust you, Mr. Merriton,” said : the young lady. “I will agree to your plan.” Pe “Very well. If you get me paper and writing materials-I- will draw ‘up the bill of-sale at the current value. of the shares, and also the order for the stock on Withers & Co.,“and you can ; sign them in the presence of the gitl who let me “This, was carried out, and then-they had just time for Miss Burnside to get ready and acs company Dick to the station, where they caught ve the 9:20 train for New York. as CHAPTER XIIl.—In Which Dick Secures the D. & G. Stock. Dick found Miss Burnside a very interesting and intelligent young lady, and they got very well acquainted on the train t6 New York. He ~— escorted. her to his office, which they reached xe: about eleven o’clock. . txts “Now I will run next door and try to get pos- session of your stock,” said the. young broker. He handed her a morning newspaper to read =~ and then left. Entering the King Building he caught Bob’s elevator. a ee a “Hello, old man,” exclaimed Browning. “Where a to now?” at “Withers & Co., sixth floor. I’m on a rather . — strenuous job, but I expect to pull out if I have _ to break a leg.” j : Aes “How’s that?” asked Bob, curiously, as he slammed the door and started upward. x “It would take too long to tell you. Just keep watch for me every time you go down. If you see me coming hotfoot let me aboard and keep “Why, what are you up to?” ape “Business, Bob, but it’s rather ticklish. Here we are.” oe Bob stopped the elevator, opened the door and - Dick stepped out on the sixth floor. | The office of Withers & Co. was only a few feet away, and — >
Page 20
18, A - . the young broker made straight for it. He was well known to the office boy, who greeted him x warmly. “T see you’ve left Barker,” he said. “Yes.” “Who are you working for now?” “Myself.” ®Y ourself! !” ejaculated the. office boy, aston- ished. “Yes. Is Mr. Withers in?” “He is, but he’s engaged.” “Who with, some broker?” “No, with a gentleman by the name of Peck.” “Peck, eh? That settles it, I’m going in.” “Oh, I say you can’t do that,” remonstrated/ the office boy. “Can’t 1? Well, just you watch me,” and Dick brushed past him and walked into the private room. “Mr. Withers,” he said, walking up to the desk. “Men riton!” exclaimed the broker in surprise, for he knew Dick had severed his connection with Broker Barker. “Yes, sir. I’ve got an order on you.” - “An ‘order 2” “Yes; sir, and as I’m in a great hurry I took the liberty of coming right in.” “Well, where’s your order?” “Here it is, and there is my business card.” “Your what?” eried the broker, looking at the tard. “‘Richard Merriton, Stocks and Bonds, oom 416 Glebe Building.’ Well, upon my word, this is rich,” and he began to laugh heartily. “So you’re a broker now, are you?” — “Yes, sir, -That’s my business, ” replied Dick, '- with some dignity. .. “Did you leave Barker to go into this farce- comedy business?” “No farce-comedy about it, sir. I’m in business just the same as you are, except that I haven’t gp seat at the Exchange and your firm probably ea ae more capital than I have—at present.” _ Mr. Withers roared again. _. “This. is the best thing I’ve heard in a coon’s ne “age. So you really are a broker, Merriton?” he. said, with tears in his eyes. \ @s, sir.” “Do you expect to make it pay?” “I wouldn’t have embarked my capital in it if ‘didn’t think I could make it pan out.” “Pray, how much capital have you?” “That is hardly a fair question, Mr.’ Withers, Fa: { if p rad cipaa _*. The broker laughed again. _.. “Well, what can I do for you?” “Read that order, please. It is from a custo- mer of mine.” “A customer of yours, eh?” grinned the broker, D - immensely ‘tickled at the idea of the boy, who ‘was so recently a messenger, having a customer. But a single glance at the order caused an Scop coven change in ae) CourenA nie. He passed Dick entered the room ke had seen Mr. take an oblong wallet from his pocket, pick up _ two certificates of stock, which bore the name of -the D. & G, railroad on the back, and place them in it, but he did not immediately: return the GRIP ON THE MARKET sigs to his ee as he seemed to be manne for something else from Mr. Withers. When ba Peck read the order he got very red in the ace. ‘ “How did you get this order?” he demanded, harshly. “I received it this morning from Miss Annie Burnside when I purchased the 200 shares ‘of stock from her,” replied Dick, coolly. ° “You purchased the ,200 shares of stock? 142 snorted the man, sneeringly. “Why you’re only a. boy.” “What has that got to do with it?” “Everythmg. That stock is worth at the market price about $10,000. Where would you get that amount of money to pay for it?” “That’s my-business, sir. I have money enough : Se pes 500 Shares of D. & G. if I wanted to buy peas “Tell that to the marines, young man! How- ever, that has no bearing on the case. My step- daughter has no right to sell that stock to any- body. « Here is a court order giving me possession of it as her guardian.” “That isn’t worth the paper it’s written on. You ceased to be her guardian at ten. minutes after twelve last night, when she became of age.° She had 2 perfect right to sell the stock this morning.” — ® ESS “You seem to know all about it, young man,” sneered Mr. Peck. “Even admitting that she had that right, this court order fotbids her to dispose of it until further notice.” “When did the judge sign that order?” “This morning.’ “At what hour?” “What difference does that make to you?” replied Mr. Peck, sharply. = “A good deal. If you will tell me I’ll explain.” “About twenty minutes past ten,” replied the ‘ man, ungraciously. 5 “The order is valueless, then,” replied Dick, truimphantly. “How is it?” “Because the stock in question was my prop-: erty at that time, and the court had no juris- _ diction over it. I bought the shares at nine ~~ o’clock this morning and I’ve got a biil of sale, — attested by a witness, showing that I purchased them at that hour. You will. therefore hand~ them over-te+me at once. If you refuse I will have you arrested for withholding property that : belongs to me.” “ht “Why, you young monkey, how dare you talk to me that way?” blustered Mr. Peck. “Mr. Withers, you received that stock from: Miss Burnside with instructions to sell it for her account. You notified her that you could not dispose of it, nor return it to her because he stepfather, this gentleman, ordered you not to do- so. That was when she was still under age, and I do not question your right to act as you did. She became of age to-day and Sold me the — stock at nine o’clock at her home in Vineland, before the court order was issued. That stock — became my property the moment she signed ‘the bill of sale transferring all her rights in it to me. I leaye it to you if Mr. Peck has the ghost of a claim on it? I demand the stock of you.” * “I am sorry,” chuckled the trader, “but the cer- Hifcates: in pursuance to the order of J és
Page 21
€ “of his pursuers, although French, which I am bound to recognize, have passed out of my possession.” “Myr, Peck, since you have the stock I request that you will hand it over to me,” said Dick, turning to Miss Burnside’s stepfather. “Pq like to see myself doing so,” he answered, laying his hand on the wallet. ; “Then you refuse to hand it over to me 2” said “the young broker. “I do, most decidedly.” : “Very well, then I’ll have to take it whether you like it or not.” With those words Dick snatched the wallet from under Mr. Peck’s hand and started for the oor. “Here, you young rascal, give me back my pocketbook!” cried the man, springing to his feet and making a reach for the young broker. Dick paid no attention to him, but kept on through the door, and thence to the door of the corridor. Mr. Peck sprang after him with Mr. Withers -at his heels. At that moment Bob was coming down in his elevator. He heard the racket, saw his friend coming toward the shaft like a deer and divined that something was up, ‘as Dick had intimated to him there was likely to be: He stopped the cage at once and threw open the door so that Dick could jump in, when jt was his intention to slam the door in the face such an act would most probably have resulted in his immediate discharge. An accident, however, aided the es- cape of the young broker, and saved Bob from possible trouble. As the boy ran toward the waiting elevator, Peck, who was in advance, yeaching out his arms to detain him, lost his balance and pitched forward. His head struck the corner of the elevator shaft and he. rolled - ever insensible. ————— CHAPTER XIV.=In Which Dick Comes Out Ahead: Dick sprang into the elevator, slam! went the door, and down shot the cage. ; : “What was the trouble, Dick?” asked Bob, in ‘some excitement. Fa, As he glanced at the wallet containing the stock it suddenly occurred to him that he had taken more from Mr. Peck than he had the right to. Dick opened the flap, took out the two certificates, which he thrust into an inner pocket of his jacket, and then held out the wallet to Bob. - Return this to Mr. Withers on your up-trip. It belongs to a Mr. Henry Peck. All I took it for was to get possession of 200 shares of D. & G, stock which belongs to a customer of mine.” “Y']] do it,’ answered Bob, as the elevator veached the ground floor. oii, <e ¢ He opened the door and Dick darted for the street entrance. -Running into the Globe Building he took an elevator for the floor where his office \ was. He found Miss Burnside patiently awaiting them.” his return. ; ' old of “J've got the certificates,” he said, ton | them up; “but I had the deuce of a time getting | __ “Have you?” she said, clapping her hands. “I’m - so glad!” ke OY guy step-father, Mr. Peck, was in Withers & ™“ Co.’s office when I got there.” ses ai gee no f Rae ete Fae ie: Oe K ee re) ie A GRIP ON THE MARKET 19 “Was he?” she exclaimed, “He had an ordergigned by Judge French to get the certificates from My. Withers, and the broker had handed him the stock just. before I entered the room.” “Then how did you manage to get it?” she asked, with great interest., “T was compelled to snatch his wallet, in which he had put the certificates, and run for the ele- vator. y. Peck, Mr. Withers and the cashier gave chase, but I beat them out and got away. After I got the stock out of the wallet, I sent the 4s back to your stepfather. by the elevator oy.” % “My goodness! You must have had a hot time.” “1 did for a few minutes. Now I expect they’ll be up here after that stock. I told them that I owned the shares, and showed the bill of sale, but neither Mr. Withers nor Mr. Peck would admit my claim. Your stepfather even asserted that the whole thing was a put-up job between you and me. When they come here you will back my statement up, of course. The deal is really a genuine one, for you received $1,000 on account, and I am ready to pay, you the balance on the basis of $80 a share. However, I’ve promised to remit you the additional amount I hope to get for thé shares in a few days, dedutting ‘only my reg- ular commission.” “No, Mr. Merriton, I won’t listen to that,” said Miss\Burnside. “If you get a higher price you must retain the difference yourself to pay you for the trouble you have been put to to get possession of the stock.” 5 “Very well, Miss Burnside, if you insist I shall be obliged to acépt your terms,” he said, reluc- tantly, for he didn’t like the idea of profiting so much at the young lady’s expense. ‘ At that moment there was an imperative rap on the door. “Come in,” called”’Dick. ° ; 8 The door opened and in walked Mr. Peck, Mr. Withers, and a policeman. “Arrest that boy,” said Mr. Peck, “Hold on,” cried Dick, “What’s your charge?” “You stole my wallet.” “YT merely took it\down the elevator in order to get my certificates which you were trying to de- prive me of. I sent your wallet back by the ele- ~ vator boy.” “The certificates are mine, or, rather, they be~ long to my stepdaughter, not to you. You stéle them from.me and have them in your possession. Arrest him, officer !’” “J bought the stock from your stepdaughter and here is Miss Burnside to answer for herself.” “That is right,” said the girl, with some spirit. — “The stock belongs to Mr. Merriton. I sold it to him for $80 a share, and he has paid me a part of the money. He had a right to take the stock from you if he refused to give it to him on my order and bill of sale.” ; “Well, you had no right to sell that stock with- out my permission,” said Mr. Peck, angrily. “I have an order from the court entitling me to the stock and I insist that it be returned to me. Do you \hear, young man?” ea “Your court order amounts to nothing. At the™ time Judge French signed that order. the stock had to all intents passed out of Miss Burnside’s. possession. handed her the $1,000 on acount and she signed I became the owner of it when I
Page 22
ie - side and received from her a letter of acknowl-— 20 the bill of sale. That happened at nine o’clock this morning, before you reaghéd New York your- self, and more than an hour before the judge signed the order. The stock belongs to me and im going to keep it. That’s all there is to it.” The policeman listened to the argument, and hearing the girl admit that she had sold the stock, jie came to the conclusion that he had no right to interfere. “Very well,” replied Mr. Peck. french about the matter.” “Do 80, broker, (“I guess within my rights.” “Where is the $1,000 you received on account of your stock?” demanded Mr. Peck, turning to his stepdaughter. : “ie is sate,” she replied, defiantly. A - “Oh, it is,” he sneered. “And how about the balance due to you? Do you expect that boy to pay you $15,000?” : “Of course.” “Where do you expect to get $5,000?” Mx. Peck asked Dick. “That needn’t worry you. I’ve got the cash. If you or Mr. Withers are interested in my_finan- cial standing I refer both of you to Mr, Samuel Littleton, of the Mills Building. He will tell you something that will make your hair curl. Now I shall consider it a favor if you gentlemen will withdraw and permit me to finish my business with Miss Burnside.” _ Mr. Peck was about to say something when Mr. ' Withers plucked him by the sleeve and said that ‘he was going to withdraw, and“he thought that Mr. Peck had better do the same. It was evi- dently against his will that Mr. Peck felt obliged to accept this suggestion, and he departed, after telling Dick that he meant to investigate him. “You're at liberty to do so,” replied the young broker, opening the door for his unwelcome visit- “Tl see Judge you'll fmd that I have acted “. ors to pass out. Then he returned to Miss Burnside, “Now I’m ready to take you to my safe deposit vault where I keep my money and pay you-the $15,000; but I would advise you not to carry such a Jarge sum with you. Better buy a draft on your local bank. I will take you around to a Wall Street bank where you can get one.” ; “T am thinking of investing the money in good bonds. Could you put me in the way of doing ‘tat, Mr. Merriton?” . “Certainly. I would suggest that you buy first - mortgage 5’s of any good railroad. I will show you a list with their present market value, and will point out those that I consider offer the best as well‘as the safest investment for your money.” “Thank you. I shall be ever so much obliged to you,” said the young lady. ‘Dick got out the latest printed list of current bonds, and indicated certain ones that he thought would fill the bill for her. The result was she gave him an order to purchase bonds to the amount of what he owed her, and then took her departure for home, Dick promising to forward the bonds ta nev by registered mail in a few days, CHAPTER XV.—Diek Gets a Grip on the Market. In due time Dick sent the bonds to Miss Burn- A GRIP ON THE MARKET by all means,” answered the young -a raft of money out of it.” edgment and thanks. During the next three months Dick engaged in a couple of deals that raised his capital te about $150,000. One day Bob Browning waiked into his office about eleven o’clock. : “Taking a day off, Bob?” asked the boy broker, motioning to a seat beside his desk. : “No, I’m bounced.” “Lost your job, eh? What’s the “Stayed too long on the top floor.” “What did you do that for?” “Interested.’’ “In what?” ; “Something I got on to. How much money have you got, Dick?” Xe “T can raise $150,000 at a pinch.” trouble?” “Can you? Then I’ll tell you how you ean double it easily enough.” Ries “I'd like to hear that,” replied Dick, looking in- terested. : “I shall want a good stake out of it because its aoe and I oe my job getting on to Ty 2e34 ere’s anything in it for me I’ll see th 2 don’t get left.” cue a che “That’s the. way to talk, old man. Now, listen. * Bob then told him that the superintendent of the building had sent him that morning for a certain article kept in a small closet on the top floor. He left the elevator standing open while he went to the closet in question. While there he heard voices in a room beyond. . Discovering a small hole in the wall, which had been bored for some purpose but not used, he looked through it and saw half a dozen well-dressed men, several of whom he rec- _ ognized as big brokers. He soon found out that they were holding a secret meeting in that unoc- cupied and out-of-the-way room. The object of the meeting was the.formation of a syndicate to— secure control of the Hudson River Rapid Transit Co., and then sell out to the United Traction Co., of New Jersey, which was after the road. Bob — said he was so interested in what he heard that _ he neguected to return to his elevator until one of the other men came hunting around after him. He gave such a poor excuse for his neglect of — duty that the superintendent, who had a grouch ~ on that morniig, told him that he was discharged. __ “Now, Dick, those men are going te ‘hold an- other meeting in the same room this afternoon at’ four. o’clock, when they expect to have a dozen _ persons present that will be interested in the scheme,” said Bob. “I'll take you up to the top floor and show you the closet. You can hide — there and listen to the full particulars which will be discussed this afternoon. That will put you on the inside of the scheme and you ought to make
Page 23
and who were the persons whose stock could not be touched on acount of their association with the present management. Dick made copious notes of all he heard. He learned that the result would depend largely on the syndicate’s acquirement of the bulk of ‘40,000 floating Shares which the members expected to pick up about the Street. ~ Another meeting was arranged “for the follow- ing afternoon, when those who had signified their willingness to join the pool would come to the room with certified checks for a quarter of a mil) lion each. These checks were to be turned over to the broker who had gotten up the scheme, and the final arrangements to set the ball rolling would then be made. The Manhattan National Bank was named as treasurer for the syndicate. . Dick got away just as the meeting was breaking up, and returned to his office, which he had left in charge of Bob. He sat down at his desk and began to figure out how he was going to make the most out of the information which he had ac- quired. After he had thought the matter out he went down to the Mills Building and called on Mr. Littleton. -He gave him the full particulars of _ the syndicate’s proposed operations and asked him - * if he would go in with b : “as many of the floating shares as possible. “My object, Mr. Littleton, is to hold the balance of power between the syndicate people who are 3 figuring on getting a majority of the stock, and - the present management, which is bound to make _ a big fight to retain its control as soon as it dis- _ covers what the other chaps are up to. Then I'll be in a position to sell out to the side which offers: ‘the biggest inducement. I’ve got $150,000 to put in. But it isn’t enough to insure success. -§ ‘ought to have double that amount at least even -! to operate on a safe margin. Will you take a hand with me?” - The lawyer, who had acquired a great respect for the young broker’s shrewdness and ability, listened attentively to cians goes te case, and then surprised Dick by telling him” that one i of the estates he had control of owned 15,000 shares of the H. R. Rapid Transit Co. stock. Mr. Littleton pointed to the name of Dick’s list of shares that the syndicate counted on acquiring. .“']] go in-with you, Merriton, and the estate _.. will figure as a third partner in our deal, for, of ee course, I shall not sell the stock to any represent- ative of the pool that ba ag me with a propo- sition. Tl put in $150,000 cash against your ~ amount, and I leave you to work the matter to a + ey Bs » successful conclusion.” — ; Dick left the lawyer’s office overjoyed, carrying , away Mr. Littleton’s check for his contribution to their fund. sae stark : through a big’ brokerage house, and with the 15,000, shares of the estate to start with I hope té geta grip on the market,” said Dick to himself. ~~ AKecording, next morning he went to see the head partner of the brokerage, firm in™question. He was shown into the gentleman’s private ee a 4 A GRIP ON THE MARKET im on a project to corner and buy up ‘the stock at once -Fif Be 21 of 30,000 shares of H. R. Rapid Transit Co, at the market. I will allow you a leeway of one point, and will deposit with you $300,000 to cover = the transaction.” \The broker accepted the commission, which’ promised a large profit to the firm. The market price of the transit stock was then 50. At three o’elock that day the tradermotified Dick by mes- senger that he had secured 22,000 shares of the stock. Dick, after figuring up the situation, sent him word to quit buying after he had purchased 3,000 more. The young broker visited the closet on the top floor of the King Building at four that afternoon, and found out some more valuable points on the matter in hand. The operations of the syndicate were to begin at once, about half of those intérested in the deal taking a hand to push things along. f The head of the pool took charge of buying the ~ floating shares, while the others were told off to see the persons on the list who were likely to part with their stock. journed on call. - Next morning Dick’s broker sécured the re maining 3,000 shares, the whole batch costing an average price of 50 5-8, and then the boy lay back on his oars. As far as the Hudson River. Rapid Transit Co.’s stock was concernéd, the young trader felt that he had a firm grip on the market, and that he was in a position to dictate terms to oe = =e in the coming fight for the control of e road. : CHAPTER XVI—A Hot Time In Wall Street. Broker Westlake, who was managing the in-\ terests of the syndicate, soon discovered that | The meeting then ad- there was an unexpected scarcity of H. R: Rapid ~ Transit shares on the market. He was much surprised at this, because three _ days before he had quietly ascertained that he could buy between 80,000 and 40,000 shares ‘among the brokers. After he had gathered in 20,000 shares he began to experience great diffi- culty in finding any more. So he had to go into the Exchange and bid for the stock. The result was that by the time he got hold of 10,000 more the price had gone up to 52. In the meantime —~ the other active. participants in the pool had — ‘bought in«most of the shares that were open to offers. In this way getting possession of 95,000 shares. the voting power of 30,000 more shares, As a matter of fact, they did, until the rival syndicate bought the 30,000 out. When the people who were managing the road woke up to the situation they found out that their control of the line was in jeopardy. médiately held a meeting-and decided that they must raise funds enough to secure at least 30,- 100 more shares of stock. ~The money was bor= ~~ vowed and brokers were hired to go out and look —_ for the shares. The members of the rivalsyndi- They were = ~ cate, however, were not asleep. we scurrying around hot-foot after the stock, too. thousand shares were still outside the con- of the rival factions. Of these 15,000 shares 25 < the syndicate succeeded in This amount was within 10,000 of the number held by the peo- ple in power, who believed that they controlled They im- -
Page 24
e going on. ’ rapher, and suggested that he had better send ‘vas a matter of course, heard about it. ._tective wor' 22 A GRIP ON were known to be held by Lawyer Littleton, who turned down all offers looking to their purchase, even at 65. What puzzled the interested parties ‘was what had become of the 25,000 shares that had recently vanished from the Street. Their purchase had been traced to the brokerage house employed by Dick Merriton, but no amount of de- brought to light the identity of the person for whom they had been bought. A couple of weeks passed, during which the bee of the rapid transit stock had advanced to 0, and each side had secured about 3,000 shares more. Then the following advertisement appeared in-a prominent part of the “Wall Street News”: HUDSON RIVER RAPID TRANSIT STOCK : For Sale to the Highest Bidder. A large blétk of H. R, T. Co. stock. ; Richard Merriton, Broker, Room 416, Globe Building. The morning that the advertisement appeared in the News it was read by every trader in the ' district, and\soon after nine o’clock there was a rocession of brokers on the way to Dick’s of- ce. The boy guessed what would happen and was on hand early. John Barker, Dick’s old boss, was the first comer. He had learned from Broker Withers, at the time of the Peck-Burnside. epi- sode, that his former messenger had branched out ag a trader, and the fact had greatly aston- ished him. He wanted to know something about this block of rapid transit stock, for he was one of the brokers employed by the management get hold of 20,000 shares. mea He had hardly got into conversation with Dick before Mr. Withers came in on a similar errand. On top of them came Mr. Westlake, the head of the rival syndicate. Then other brokers dropped in until the room was so full that not another man could enter, while the corridor outside filled up with excited traders interested in what was Everybody within reach of: Dick tried to get his ear, and the confusion prevented any business from being transacted. The crowd outside in- creased to stich praposs ous that passers-by re- orted downstairs that there was trouble up on e seventh corridor, and so the superintendent bolted up there. He inquired the cause. 6f the gathering of brokers on the fringe of the mob. A couple of wags happened to hear his question and they told him that one of his tenants had committed suicide after shooting his stenog- for the police. The superintendent believed the story, and rushing downstairs, telephoned to the nearest station the apparent state. of things in the Globe building. Word was sent to the Centfal Office on Mulberry street and the news bureau, In five minutes the intelligence was phoned tovevery pa- per in the city, and a small army of reporters were soon on the:-way to Wall street to learn the particulars. One enterprising yellow journal hurried an ex- tra through its presses and the newsboys were soon yelling: “Murder and suicide in Wall street. A broker shoots his stenographer and then kills himself.” zt In the meantime Dick sprang upon his desk _and addressed his visitors. . He said he had 40,000 Sak YF a y ¥ f M ru a THE MARKET shares of rapid transit stock for sale and asked for a bid on it. Mr. Barker said he’d take 20,000 at 72. Mr. Westlake said he’d give 78 for 30,000 shares. Barker raised his bid to 73 1-2, and West- lake saw him one-half point better; The bidding became spirited till Westlake offer- ed 7b. As nobody believed that the stock was worth much more than 55 or 60 at the outside, great ex- citement ensued in the crowd. To add to the con- fusion Broker Barker lost his temper and wanted to assault Mr. Westlake when the latter bid 75. Somebody on the outskirts of the.crowd yelled 76 for the whole block, but Dick couldn’t see who it was. About this time some of the reporters arrived and began asking questions. Four police- men also appeared at the same time. The superintendent, who returned upstairs soon after sending for the cops, had discovered by this time that he had van hoaxed, and he tried to square himself with the police, Dick, after re- ceiving the last bid; said that he could not sell less than the 40,000 shares. If Mr. Westlake would'take the shares at 75 he could have them, unless Mr. Barker bid a higher figure. Barker snatched at Dick’s desk phone and communicated - The reply he got caused him | with his principals. to throw up the sponge, and then Westlake agreed to take the 40,000 shares. f ; Dick gave him an order-on Mr. Littleton for '15,000, and an order on his brokerage firm for the 25,000—both to be delivered C. O. D. : The profit of the deal amounted to $900,000, of which amount Dick collared one-third.’ As soon as the business was over the crowd began to melt away, but outside on the street the appearance of the extra brought a big mob. around the entrance to the Globe some. It was some little while before matters could be straightened. out, but for two hours at least there was a hot time in Wall street, and the brokers didn’t get over talking about it, nor of Richard Merriton, who had en- ineered «the big deal in the rapid transit stock, — for a week. y, On top of it all news came to the curb that the Mohawk Central mine had developed a fabulously rich vein of gold ore, and there was excitement to burn that afternoon in Broad street, the price going up to $1.50 a share. j It subsequently went to $8, at which price Dick sold his 5,000 shares. : ‘Ag soon ag the Hudson River Transit Co. stock had been veo a which was five per cent. of hig profit. rom that day Dick jumped into importance as a clever young broker, and he had to hire a suite of rooms lower down in the building, and a force © of clerks, to accommodate his rapi ly-increasing business. A few months later he asked Nellie Grant to ‘marry him, and she consented. The happy event, however, has not yet come off, but is a certainty of the near future, ag soon as Dick Was made the million he is aiming at. Although he is doin, day inthe Globe Building, he says the greatest time of his Market. Next. week’s issue will contain “WATCHING ie HIS CHANCE; OR, FROM FERRY BOY TO CAPTAIN.” — 6 Canta ee anaes BE ee eet eet ee ane ad des Wa SFR Soh ay ES 9 pet aie A aid for Dick handed Bob Browning a prosperous business to- ; life was when he had A Grip on the eo ~
Page 25
: FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY BUCKSKIN BILL, THE COWBOY PRINCE Or, The Rough Riders of the Ranch # By GASTON GARNE * ee 3 Be (A Serial Story.) 5 e. » q CHAPTER XXIV.— (Continued) | He refused a liberal reward they offered him, ~~ and then went off and engaged a builder to come -- out to the Double X and put up a new house. ~ The colonel also attended to making arrange- ments to work his gold mine, and then they re-. turned home. 3 Until the new home was completed and furnish- ~ ed Bill and his mother resided at the colonel’s. _ ‘And when the house was ready for occupancy _- the boy boldly asked the colonel for his daughter’s - hand : = He declared that they were too young to marry, put at the end of a year he gave in, and Bill led his blushing bride to the altar. ' The crooked gang who worked for Flood were all given long terms in prison, of course, and Flood himself was buried in an unmarked grave. The colonel devoted himself to the development -of his mine and amassed a big fortune pi he ultimately left to his daughter when he died. be Sissies cowboy, and with one of the biggest . “ranches in the country, Buckskin Bill prospered wonderfully himself and made an independent SOROS AO 9o gare aN! Sa + . nye tne COMING NEXT WEEK A GRAND FOOTBALL STORY ee © EE ‘HARRY THE HALF-BACK ee (OR 2° 7 A FOOTBALLIS£ FOR FAI By GASTON GARNE : DON'T MISS THE OPENING CHAPTER _ QUT NEXT WEEK - headed. reporter, 23 news of Mr. Sternberg’s latest find came in @ letter to the biology department of Hays State Teachers College. Just. a few weeks ago the fossil hunter dis- covered the fossilized skeleton of a portheus mo- lossus, an ancient sea fish, more than 12 feet long. Within the bones of the larger fish were those of a small fish 4 feet in length, which the large fish had swallowed before it died some 3,- 000,000 -years ago. is another fish near 10 feet. in length of the same variety. é ew MARK TWAIN’S PRINTING PRESS The printing press that launched Mark Twain on his literary career will retire from active service this summer. A regular tramp among printing presses it has been, except that, un- tramplike, it has never shirked work. It has never missed a weekly issue on its last job, which had lasted exactly fifty-five years on July 9. It was on its next-to-the-last job that the press was the unassertive partner of young Sam Clemens. The last fifty years—not its hardest—have been spent in the little California town of Indepen- dence, on the edge of the desert. Not only is the Mr. Sternberg’s latest find - press itself to go out of business; The Inyo In-— dependent, also, whose voice the press has spread across the desert, through the valley, even so far as to meet the echo of roaring Los Angeles. financial burder of publishing the paper has be- come too great, the editor announces. 3 : The press—an old Washingtan hand press— left New York on its first assignment in 1848. It landed in Baton Rouge, where it supported Zach- ary Taylor for President. From Baton Rouge it went to Panama, where it was shipwrecked by~ the overturning of a barge. It was salvaged from the mud, however, and put to work getting out The. Panama Herald. In 1850 the press followed Horace Greely’s ad- vice and turned up in San Francisco, arriving on a sailing ship. There The Placer Times and Transcript madé use of it for a year. It got a better job in San Diego, publishing the new San Diego Herald. . From there it was persuaded to ° enter the service of Brigham Young, in the Mor-. mon settlement at San Bernadino. The old press was next loaded on a wagon and — dragged through the desert sands, up steep mountain sides and through rocky passes, to Aurora, Nev., a mining boom camp. that it made the acquaintance of and advertised as widely as. possible the work of a young red- Sam Glemens. - The Aurora Times was a staunch Union paper, and through the Civil War days the editors and their little press were faithfully guarded by shotgun depu-_ =. R he world w: The Tt was here — iar
Page 26
24 i FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY BRIEF BUT POINTED ASBESTOS The United States Geological Survey states that some asbestos is mined and some is quarried. The asbestos in Canada is near the surface and is quarried, That of ‘Ariztnn is in a pith forma- tion and it is necessary to drive tunnels to mine jt. It runs in both veins and blanket formation. When asbestos is mined or quarried it is like rock and is milled into loose fibergs : 1,000 IRATE BEAUTIES A police riot squad saved the proprietor of a otion picture theatre in Berlin, from being mob- hed by a thousand irate women. For a “movie ‘fair”” to open here soon, he had advertised for “sixty presentable ladies.” A long queue of beauties and near beauties formed outside the office. Dismayed by so un- expected a response, he tried to reduce the num- ‘ber by announcing that. only bobbed-haired wlamsels between the ages of ten and twenty © were willing to dress as pages need apply. This brought on disorder, 1,000 women shout- ine that these specifications were not mentioned in the advertisement and that therefore they - were entitled to carfare and’ pay for their time. “With an onslaught imminent, the manager sum- 'moned police, who cleared the premises. ‘CRIES “’M SHOT!” 15 YEARS AFTERWARD When word was received at Neward Police Headquarters the other day that a man had! been shot at Bank and Bruce Streets two detectives and an ambulance from the City Hospital hur- ried to the scene. : The detectives found Alexander Tilghman, a ’ negro, of 854 Broad Street limping about, erying in anguish. “I’ve been shot.” The man was hur- ried to the hospital, and there an examination failed to reveal any wound. Questioned by the police the patient told the following story: “Of course you won’t find the wound. I was - shot fifteen years ago and it didn’t hurt me until Are. ot now. It came all of a sudden. While in a fight in Frederica, Del., a man shot me in the leg. I don’t think the bullet was taken out.” AIRPLANE SPEED LIMIT NOT REACHED What will be the limit. of man’s speed through the air? According to Science and Invention, ex- perts and engineers have tried to estimate this -lmit since the Wright brothers made their first - successful flight in a power driven airplane. One hundred miles an hour was once considered an amazing speed limit for airplanes. This, with manv estimates that followed, has been surpassed by the rapid advance of aircraft and motor de- eigns, until up to the present time it is diffieult to estimate what the maximum speed of fu- ture airplanes will be. S There are, however, two conditions to be con- sidered, namely: the mechanical limit and the physical limit. The latter has already shown it- self in closed circuit. speed trials when making turns, due to the fact that centrifugal. force be- gins acting ori the blood, forcing it away from % : r = f > . gO ry Seer i r * the pilot’s head and rendering him temporarily unconscious. While there are practically nowphys- ical defects noted in flying a straight course, outside of nerve strain, the mechanical limits are present. This is known as an airplane’s speed zange, which is the difference between the low landing speed and the highest level flying speed, the definite landing speed desired. becom- ing the point of departure in the design. At the annual International ing speed not to exceed seventy-five miles an hour is fixed, so that safety is not sacrificed in the work of science to advance the world’s speed records. As the airplane at present is the most effective weapon of ability, and with the leading countries of the world striving to attain constantly increasing speeds, it is safe to estimate velocities.in exces: of 400 miles an hour in the near future. : WHERE SHE WAS “Will you please state to the court just where ‘ou were on the afternoon of Friday, between the lane of two and four o’clock,” said a lawyer to a delicate hire) little woman on the witness stand. “Well, now, let me see,” she said reflectively. “I think I can recall just where I was during those hours. I know that it was just two when I left home and went down to a small market near my house and ordered a small bill of groceries sent up. levine him make some buttonholes for me; and after that I came on down town, and went first to Black & White’s and got a dozen pearl buttons and a yard of silesia. Then I went over to Smith’s and_ got two towels; and after that I went to my miliner’s to carry her some-flowers for a hat she is making for me. é display of ready made evening gowns for a few minutes, and then I went into an apothecary’s and. got a toothbrush; and from there ter’s and ran in an gentleman was giving in a hall down town; and coming out I met a friend and we had a cup of went to a hat- cocou at a soda fountain; and then I got a lot of © samples in several stores; and after that I ran into a bakeshop and got a dozen macaroons; and | then I- got me a pair of rubbers; and went on ith’s to haveakey I wanted down town to al made-to order; and then’ I went to a dealer in Then I stopped at a tailor’s to see about © After that I-ran into a ~ t a hat for my little boy; and then I a heat a little of a lecture on foods a © Agr Racesya land- ar, due to its speed and manoeuvre- . = ~~ * furnaces and left an order to have a man come _ out and clean our furnace; and after that I made arrangements for having my piano tuned; and then a friend of mine and I ran in to see an ex- hibition of paintings for a few minutes; and after _ that we went to a cooking demonstration in the | grocery department of one of the large depart- _ ment stores; and then—let me see, where did I go then? Oh, istered a letter; and then——” “That will do,” said the judge. tee that, and more, too, in two hours, I’ll ta I’ve ever said about its taking a w hours to buy a yardof ribbon.” yes, I went to the post-office and reg- _ ; oe a es
Page 27
BATHTUB NOW TOM-TOM with them the last wooden bathtub in the stock of a wholesale grocery and general merchandise house at Independence, Kan. This particular item of merchandise had been shelf goods since the advent of galvanized iron tubs. : The tub was sold to an Indian from Oklahoma, who had searched for one two years and in two States. He wanted it to make a big tom-tom. ' REMOVE BOLT FROM LUNG The Jefferson Hospital broénchoscope scored an- other triumph when by its means a carriage bolt, : Bech in a half inches long and an eighth of an jn thickness, was taken from the lung of Roy uger, eleven, of Frankfort, Il. | : The boy was accompanied to Philadelphia by his mother who said he. inhaled the bolt three ~ months ago and stoically refused to tell his pa- yents until a severe cough developed a week ago. The boy was also stoical in the operation pre- He displayed no emotion but curi- : ia P Sioa the bolt after its, removal he ex- “Gee, how did I swallow that?” claimed, _ BEAR MISTAKES BALD HEAD FOR STONE Dr. Dudley Roberts, consulting physician, of ‘New York City, will have a scar on his forehead to remember Glacier National Park by, according _ to Irvin S. Cobb, 2 = Dr. Roberts, with his son, Cobb and Jim Whilt, the Rocky Mountain poet-guide, were fishing in. the wilds of Glacier Park. They camped at the - Snowshoe ranger cabin, and one of the- first things they noticed were bear tracks. In the ‘night Dr. Roberts awoke with a yell. The others secured a flashlight, which revealed Dr. Roberts ~~ with blood streaming down pie face, and a young i y disappearing in haste. . lachile he dressed Dr. Roberts’s head with the aid of his medicine kit, Cobb concluded the bear robably had been looking for food and turned er the doctor’s bald head with his paw, think- g it a rock under which ants were plentiful, stead of the head of a man wise on germ lere. + FUR CROP HARD HIT BY FOREST FIRES | rt of fur in the Northwest is feare thdtause of fe widespread forest fires which have swept areas~from Northern Bi:tish-Columbia to outhern Oregon. The dense smoke came at a time when most of the fur bearing animals were rearing families of young. The burning of un- erbrush and the forest floor destroyed ‘mice, insects and cones which form the food of fur bearers.- Many small animals were destroyed by the noke entering their dens and burrows. Others, ven out into the open fell victims to larger easts of prey. Water fowl frequenting bogs and marshes, food for mink and ermine, left when the smoke pall formed and the hapless fur bear- were unable to nurture their litters. It year ay fur buyers, before the normal. _ FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY | GOOD READING . ‘The days of wooden bathtubs are gone, and - 166 West 23d Street ~ 25 RADIO “RECORDS” An innovation in broadcasting was recently an- nounced by the Vienna press. It is the invention by the Austrian scientist and X-ray expert, oreno Leyy, and the engineer, Frank Loeritzo which they say makes possible the fixing of broadcast sounds as if by a gramophone record and the rendering of them later at will any num- ber of times. The principal Pec of the invention consists of disks on which the broadcast sounds are recorded | by a spiral consisting, not of deeper or shallower impressions as on a gramophone record, but of a continuous line of points more or less strongly og pees according to the strength or quantity of the sound. It is also possible to run down only certain parts of this record, skipping others. The disks are demagnetized by a simple process and may be used again. : : The inventors do not declare they have discov- ered any new principle, but have combined known elements into something decidedly novel. = STILL IN SPANISH JAIL Eee sas pesciey is well enough to write again. o one knows how many years ago it is since ‘he was first incarcerated in the Barcelona jail, dying and hopeless, but with his fortune, in the sane of cashier checks on an American bank, safely hidden ina secret. pocket of his portman- teau. Yet he still is hopeful that some gullible American will provide the $8,000 which is all that , is necessary to free his luggage and deliver into the hands of his rescuer checks for $360,000, one- third of which he is invited to retain as a reward. Less than a month ago the New York Times called attention to the old swindle which, in years gone by, has yielded thousands and thousands of dollars to its perpetrators. ~ Now to the Times comes a letter from a cloth- ing merchant in Fairmont, W. Va., enclosing all the documents in the swindle as they were for- warded to him after he had pretended to haye been impressed. Most interesting is a paragraph in his letter in which he says that his father re- calls having received the exact duplicate of the present correspondence some thirty years ago. The precise year when the swindle started is lost in the recesses of the past. It is on retord, however, that it was tried more than a genera- tion ago, and it appears to be successful-just oft- en enough to give the"old prisoner courage to con- tinue sending out his appeals. “Moving Picture’ Stories” A Weekly Magazine Devoted to Photoplays ang Players PRICE TEN CENTS PER COPY Each number containg) Three Stories of the Best Films on the Screen—Elegant Half-tone Scenes from the Plays —Interesting Articles About Prominent People in the Films—Doings of Actors and Actresses in the Studio and Léssons in Seenario Writing. ge _ HARRY £. WOLFF, Publisher, Inc. ’ _ New York City —
Page 28
26 “Fame and Fortune Weekly” NEW YORK, OCTOBER 30, 1925 TERMS TO SUBSCRIBERS Site: ACOMLAN GS ii lk dawnt cess cowry Postage Free 8 cents One Copy Three Months........ by Me 1.00 One Copy Six Months...../.... af es 2.00 Copy One=Vear waco Ge kine ss ss 4.00 One , Canada, $4.50; Foreign, $5.00. HOW TO SEND MONHY—At our risk send P. O. Money Order, Check or Registered Letter; remittances in any other way are at your risk. We accept Postage Stamps the same as cash. When sending silver wrap the Coin in a separate piece of paper to avoid cutting the envelope. Write your name and address plainly. Address letters to HARRY. E. WOLFF, ITEMS OF INTEREST Publisher, Inc., 166 W. 28d St., N. Y. 200 SPARROWS ATTACK AUTO. . ' A flock of more than two hundred English sparrows suddenly attacked the sedan driven by Frank Stewart, of Hackensack, N. J., as he was driving with his family along the Sparta Road. Stewart had to stop the car and shield his head and face from, the fluttering wings of the birds. Scores of sparrows beat themselves to death against the car and inside the car. Many lay dead in the road after the unusual assault. BIRDS USING MAIL BOXES Rural Carrier Messer, Unity, Miss., says that fully a dozen mail boxes on his route have been preempted this year by wrens, who haye built _their nests in the boxes and refuse to leave. One farmer solved the problem by getting them to move by putting a bird cote on the same post, to which he moved the nest and young. Mr. and Mrs..Wren accepted the new bungalow. Harry EK. Wolff, Pres. Charles E. Nylander, Sec, L. ¥. Wilzin, Treas, STARTED TO SMOKE AT 80 Ezra Meeker, the man who traveled the Oregon FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY few hours a day. When operated with gas at the Stockholm prices it produces the equivalent effect of 8 pounds of ice at the cost of one cent, and in view of the mild winter and the conse- quent shortage of natural ice facing the country, the new invention comes most opportunely. The construction of the new ice chest is ex- tremely simple. It has no movable; mechanical _ parts, no pistons, fans, pumps, ventilators, or _ trail in the early days and who demanded a ten - ear contract last spring when he signed with a. Wild West show, is very proud of his age and of the fact that he is spry at ninety-two. Recently, however, he met a rival. : : While the show was in Newark, N. J.,a youngish looking old man came up to meet Ezra Meeker. After they had exchanged pleasantries, the new- comer informed the old scout he was 100 years old. Meeker noticed his new acquaintance was smoking cigarets. Erza asked him if he did not / find them harmful. ; “No,” was the reply, as he took an extra long pull, ”and I've used ’em since I was eighty.” - ICEBOX OPERATED BY MEAT An artificial icebox that operates like a coffee percolator and generates cold from heat has been invented by two young Swedish engineers of the Stockholm Institute of Teéchne and Baltzar von Platen. When heated at one point, either by gas, electricity or kerosene, it - eools the usual kind of food thest and for ordi- _- pary household purposes needs to be run only a gf : hes to fA yea gy, Carl Munters- . curity holders as they appear upon the books of the any gears to get out of order. The action is in- itiated by heat which sets an ammonia solution in motion in a small boiler. The ammonia then passes through condensation tubes, and while trickling down a generator moves with hydrogen and by thus evaporating absorbs enough heat to cool the food in the refrigerator. In a_ third cylinder, called the “absorber,” the ammonia is washed free from the hydrogen and then perco- lates down through a set of tubes into the boiler again, where the heat, once more sets it in mo- tion. While this action is kept up the refrigera- tion process continues. To effect the condensa- | tion running water has so far been used, but. an air cooling system is being devised by the in- ventors. ; ee For the launching of the new idea the Royal «~~ Board of Trade has granted a loan of 300,000. — kroner and manufacturing has already started on a commercial scale. : Statement of the MB aaah «management, etc., re- | quired by_the Act of Congress of August 24, 1912,-of — § FAME ND FORTUNE WEEKLY,” published weekly at New York, N. ¥., for October 1, 1925. State of New York, County of New York:—Before me, a Notary Pub-~ lic in and for the State and County aforesaid, per- sonally appeared A, A, Warford, who, having been duly sworn according to law, deposes and says that he is’ the Editor of “FAM AND FORTUNE WHIEKLY,” and that the following is, to the best of his knowledge — and belief, a true statement of the ownership, manage- ment, ete., of the aforesaid publication for the date shown in the aboye caption required by the Act of August 24, 1912, embodied in section 443, Postal Laws — and Regulations, to wit: oh a aes 1. That the names and addresses of the publisher, - editor and business manager are: Publisher—Harry B. | Wolff, Publisher, Inc., 166 West 23d Street, New York, N. ¥. Editor—A. A. Warford, 166 West 23d Street, New * — N.Y. Managing Editor—None. Business Manager —None. ‘ ge 2, That the owners are: Harry H.°Wolff. Publisher, Inc., 166 West 23d Street. New York, N. ¥’; flaray Wolff, 166 West 23d Street, New York, N. Y¥.; N, Wolff, 166 West 23d Street, New York, N. Y¥.; J. F. Des- becker, 166 Vfest 23d Street, New York, N, Y¥.; BR. oy Desbecker, 166 West. 23d Street, New York, N. ¥.; C, W. Hastings, 166 West 23d Street, New York, N. Y.’ — 3. That the known bondholders, mortgagees and othe security holders owning or holding 1 per cent or mor of total amount of- bonds, mortgages or other securi-— ties are: None. ; : i 4 That the two paragraphs next above giving the nd security holders, if any, contain not only the st of stockholders and se-— names of the owners, stockholders a: company, but also, in eases’ where the stockholder or security holder appears upon-the books of the company as trustee or in any other fiduciary relation, the name of the person or corporation for whom wach: ? saiee ds act-- ing is given; also that the said two paragraphs con. tain statements embracing afliant’s full knowledge an¢ belief as to the circumstances and conditions under which stockholders and security holders who do not — appear upon the books of the company as trustees hold — stock and securities in a capacity other than that of a — bona-fide owner; and this affiant has no reason to be-. lieve that any other person, association or corporatio: has any interest, direct or indirect, in the said gtoe bonds or other securities than as so stated by him.’ ~ ara he A. A. WARFORD, Editor. ‘Sworn to and subscribed before me this 20th da September, 1925. Seymour W. Steiner. (My Commig. expires March 80, 1926.)° © © ¥- eae, 4 aie:
Page 29
ee eee a, READ BIBLE IN RELAYS IN 55 HOURS’ AND 47 MINUTES The reading of the entire Bible aloud and without pause has been accomplished by a group of Seventh Day Adventists, in Boston, in fifty- five hours and forty-seven minutes. ~The race ee emple on Warren Street, where more than a score of ‘readers had been at their breath-taking _ endeavors since last Monday. The time of com- _ pletion was said to break all records. : The readers worked in relays. The Rev. Robert _ §. Fries, minister of the church, read the closing verses of the Revelation of St. John the Divine, ~ with the little audience joining him. __ Mr. Fries arranged the test, he ‘said, to show _ that intelligent reading of the Bible could be b completed in: little more time than that of a popular novel. Ged. Sel oe oe & TO MAKE A HECTOGRAPH. _., A hectograph is a pad composed of gelatin and _ glycerin and is used for marking impressions of : _ writings and drawings. This pad is made in the Be, proportions of one ounce of gelatin to six and -, one-half ounces of glycerin. . These two ingre- dients should be allowed to mix by. slow heatin' for several hours over a vessel filled with hot salt water. When thoroughly melted the mixture is ~ poured into a long, shallow pan and allowed to ft aedat, when it will have a smooth, even surface. A special copying ink is needed, which can be -pought at a stationery, store. The matter to be copied is- written and placed face downward on the pad. After a short period the imprint of the writing will be transferred to the pad. About 100 copies may be made by placing blank paper over the tracings on the pad and rubbing gently, thus transfering the impression. The Pg may be cleaned for ‘another impression with a soft ee snonse and water, and it may be melted and . ‘i b “poured over again when the surface becomes “rough and uneven. a, ot ~ WILL RECLAIM 2,000 ACRES : The reclamation of 2,000 acres of land as the 4nitial step in a comprehensive plan of civic de- velopment, to cost about $27,000,000 in its en- irety, is to be undertaken shortly on the south- ern shore of Lake Pontchartrain, just north of ‘New Orleans, by the city and State through the Board of Levee Commissioners of the Orleans Levee District. The initial development of 2,000 acres will ex- tend from what is known as West End to, the entrance of the Industrial Canal. The land re- ““giaimed will be divided into public parks and parkways, sections for home. Sites and sections for hotel sites. The land will be protected by a ccawalis\ or breakwaters and jetties, the im- -- provements to be developed in accordance with he most modern ideas for city wlanning. There FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY CURRENT NEWS x against time was ended to-day in the Adventist. ‘rained blows on it. 27 will be provided large boulevards, bathing beaches and all modern public utilities, such as sewerage, water, gas and electric service. Five or six years will be required for completing the project. . The Levee Board is advertising for its first contract, embodying 19,000,000 cubic yards of dredging. MAINE OWL MET ay PICKING ON A M The forest and’ its animal denizens hold no terrors for Grant Crowell, young in years, but old in experience as a lumberjack,'river diver and general woodsman, says an.Auburn, Me., dispatch in “The Los Angeles eg,” One of the most thrilling adventures of Crow- ell’s life was enacted recently. For several months a huge “man-eating” owl at Grand Lake had made night attacks on a number of men, one being injured severely by the claws and the beak of the big bird, and others having been cut about the hands and: body. “ Crowell had been attacked three times. At the first attack Crowell had no firearm or knife a8.a means of protection. The owl fastened his claws in his shoulders and started biting him with its . Crowell ran as fast as he could - a the water, dived in and the bird released its aws. t . Crowell found some stones and threw them at the tree in which the owl was secreted until the | bird vanished. On the second attack Crowell was catrying a rifle. While reconnoitering in the woods the owl attacked \him, fastening its claws to his legs. Crowell, as quickly as he could, fired, but the bird flew between the thickly growing trees and escaped, although Crowell sent three bullets in rapid succession at the marauder. . For two weeks Crowell sought the bird each ‘night. But the owl could not be seen and Crowell ceased his search. Two nights following the de- cision to abandon the. rifle Crowell was fishing when suddenly the big bird swooped down and jabbed at him viciously with his beak, tearing out a piece of his sweater. Crowell used the fishing rod as a weapon and Swung at the owl, but missed. The owl suc- ceeded in fastening its claws into his sweater again, this time tearing intowhis flesh. The bedk also tore a big gash jin his left arm. : Crowell squirmed and struggled to free himself, . wielding the butt of the fishing rod with all his strength.. One particularly vicious blow from the butt of the rod knocked the owl loose. Although evidently stunned, the owl] tried to escape. But Crowell pursued the creature of the air and Finally the owl fell dead. The head of the bird had been crushed. On taking an inventory of his wounds Crowell ° found he had been cut in six different places, and his sweater and underwear had been torn almost to shreds. The owl measured five feet eight inches from tip to tip of its wings. Only one owl larger than that killed by Crowell was | ever captured. Ree iat AG Semele ye TR Zee AN OS ae es Sphait Nee
Page 30
x FROM ALL POINTS MOTOR CARS NOW .OUTNUMBER PHONES There are now 2,000,000 more motor cars than telephones in use in the United States, according to statistics recently announced by the Western Electric Company. A census by this company shows. 17,740,236 motor cars in operation, as compared with 15,369,454 telephones, or 100 rno- tor cars for every eighty-six telephones in the United States. . * In France the proportion is even more star- tling. There the latest figures show 573,967 mo- tor cars in operation compared with 524,592 tele- phones, or 100 motor cars to every eighty-one telephones. HOME GROWN MENTHOL TO CURE COLDS An all-Ameri®an cold cure, based on home- grown menthol, is a possibility held out by the Bureau of Plant Inddustry of the United States Department of .Agriculture. Inasmuch as men- thol is now imported at a cost of more than a million dollars annually, Governmental botanists point out that menthol-bearing mint plants can be made a profitable crop, if properly cultivated in regions where the climate is suitable. Ex- perimental plantings in various parts of the United States during the past year have shown that the mint does not produce a High enough “<percentage of menthol in Southern States, but in the cooler and moister Northern States its culture can be made ‘to pay. MEXICO’S GREAT COTTON ACREAGE Lying to the east and north of Torreon and comprising about 1,000,000 acres, is the largest cotton producing region of Mexico. Originally a desert waste, the Laguna district has gradual- ly been made richly productive by irrigation. The land is divided into tracts of 30 to 100 acres banked with dikes of varying height. During the flood season the water from the river is turned upon these tracts, sometimes to a depth of several feet. When the supply of water per- mits the process is repeated. The sediment de- posited by each flooding renders the use of com- mercial fertilizer unnecessary. In fertility of soil and crops produced the Laguna district is _ often compared to the valley of the Nile. * STATE GETS NEW PARK SITE The State Conservation Commission today an- nounced it had accepted the deed for public park and recreation purposes of approximately 174 acres of land atop Prospect Mountain, near Lake George village. The land has been given to the State by George Foster Peabody and includes the top of the mountain and the right of way of eg former funicular railway from base to peak. / one of the finest in the State, and a cupola of the hotel there long has been used by the commission as a fire observation station. The view from the mountain top is considered — ’ -Two wagon roads -gnd a trail along the old railway line place the. top of the mountain within easy walking custpaes oi the village. — Sr Ae RS chee HARRY E. WOLFF, PUBLISHER, INC. FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY SECRET SERVICE Grand and Thrilling Detective Stories By OLD KING BRADY Price 10 Cents We can still supply the following numbers of the above Weekly ® - 1338 Lhe Bradys and the Subway Mystery; or, Tracking a Gang of Counterfeiters. Any of G65 above Pe le will be miatled: to you | postage free, upon receipt of the price” in money, ox Sy postage stamps. 5 eee 2 166 West 23rd Street, © - New “York, N.Y. 4 Vide 7 1339 and the White Band; or, The Sign of the Sil- , ver. Cross, 1840 “ and Lock Box No, 11; or, Solving a Post- Office Mystery. 1341 ** and the Yellow Crooks; or, The Chase for the Chinese Diamonds. 1342 “ Strangest Case; or, The Skeleton in the Well. 1343 “ and the School Boy; or, Hot Work on the Brandon Case. 1344 ‘* and the Forged Check; or, Convicted by an Ink Mark. 1345 ‘“ Best Trick; or, The ae in the Glass Jar, - : 1346 “ and bs Cracksmen ; or, A Desperezte Game for | ons. 1347). oY ea Mine; or, The Mystery of Shaft 1348 “ and the Voodoo Queen; or, A Dark Case from : San Juan Hill. + 1349" “e ae Boy Spy; or, Solving a Secret of Seven — 1350 “ and the Missing Money; or, Shadowing a Sua- ; pected Man. 1351“ chinatown Case; or, The Hidden Den of Pell ree 1352“ and the Double Daggers; or, The Secret Sign — of Vengeance. 1358.- “ ane “Old Breaklock”: or, Trapping a Desperate Los The price of the Sivas numbers is 7 Cents ; 1354 “ On a Raid; or, Rounding Up the Cireus Fakirs. . 1355 “ and the: Snake, {aarm ; 7 er the None | Sur, Xs; : Powse Gane s or, Nabbing the Gas _— 1357 me a Dumb Boy; or, The Fate of Messenger 1353 “ and the Blind pase or, The W: ae not Mott tees rst ise si The White Slaves ackin a eleton ' , se the Fee. : % we or, The- Clew in : an e Factory Boy; or, Th = eer 3 e Mystery of the 1361“ oe st Poisoned. Pen; or, Foiling a Desperate 1862. Chasing the Black Crook; or, Solvi F 1363.“ a the Banker's B Th iiss : aps an e nker’s Boy; or, c i « AIIBEPE Mc heet or cman er the Gold Brick Man; 5 Ae etndicn, or, Chasing a Gang 1365 ‘ and the Diamond Heart: or, The Mystery of a Mummy. 1366 ‘“ Red Glove Clew; or, ‘The Secret Band of Seven, 1367 “ and the Man Next Door; the Myst xe on High Street. es ‘ 3 any Ouse, 1368 Cage “ Chinatown; or, Tracking the Hip Sing 1369.“ And the “the Mad Barber; or, Solving A Singular 1370 “ Six Daye! Chase; or, Running Down. a Clever | 1371 “and the Black Dwarf; or, Working Up a Poisen Ww. 1372"! ber het Foe: or, The Man With the Missing f nger. 1373“ = tie ‘ne ‘Sneak Thieves; or, Running Down ‘the ec 1374“ Working a lina”; or, Tho Secret Sealed Room ; ah the
Page 31
' KANGAROO HUNTING. . _ Lamb-like as is the face of the kangaroo, tender and soft as are his eyes, he is by no means as “gentle .as he “looks... -Like the - heathen Chinee, his: countenance belies him, and there are few more exciting and withal dangerous sports than kan- garoo shooting. To the hunter- |: seeker for some new sensation a visit to the wilds | . of Australia in ‘search of kan- garoos can be re- commended. It requires a fleet horse to run an “old man” down if he gets a fair chance to show tail. His forepaws, weak as they seem, can lift a dog high in the ~ air and crush him to death; while when lying down, his favorite fight- ing attitude, he - ean kick with his powerful hind legs in a manner that rapidly *clears a circle around him; and woe betide the . comes within reach of . thes® huge claws, which ean make a flesh- wound deep ~ enough to maim begs the great kan- garoo, the boom- er, or the old _onists. As a mat- ter of fact, there are some. thirty ifferent kinds of kangaroos inhabi- ‘ing various parts - one species pecul- to e > DETECTIVES NEEDED EVERYWHERE. man or dog that. Broadway, —— Tat ‘LONELY HEARTS—I have a sweetheart for pay $6 a oN ustr: alia, and _ Ford auto absolute ‘| -4834 American BI LITTLE ADS Write to Riker & King, Advertising Offices, 580 Broadway, New York City, or 29 East Madison Street, Chicago, for particulars about advertising in this magazine AGENTS. WANTED ULL PROVE to you that you can make $96 & week taking orders for Jennings Guar- anteed Hosiery. I furnish complete equip- ment and offer vou an Essex Coach without cost. Write now. The Frank B. Jennings Co.. Dept. 1.222, Dayton, Ohio. 7 NEW WONDERFUL SELLER — Cost 10c, profit $1.40 monograming autos. Experi- ence unnecessary. ree samples. Worcester Monograms, B134, Worcester, Mass. AGENTS—WRITE FOR FREE SAMPLES. Sell Madison ‘“Better-Made” shirts for large Manufacturer, direct to wearer. No capital, or experience required, Many earn $100 weekly and bonus. Madison Mfgrs., 603 Broadway, New York. NEW CAMERA takes and finishes photos in one minute. Make money selling cam- eras, or taking photos. Pxclustve territory. _Crown Co., Dept. 967, Norwalk, Conn. J ABSOLUTELY no competition selling Val- Style millinery. Every woman buys. You muke $25 to $150 a week. Write for Special Offer and Pxclusive Territory, Val-Style Hat Co., A81, Val-Style Building, Cincinnati, 0. HELP WANTED DETECTIVES needed everywhere. Big pay, gccat theres pay cence fart lemmned, 27 5, wr dar Cox, | Lafaye ¥ SE, Grand Rapids, Mich. er Work home or travel, experience unneces- sary. Write George R. Wagner, former Govt. Detective, 1968 Broadway, N. Y. SILVERING Mirrors. French plate. Easily learned; immense profits. Plans free. Wear Mirror Works, Uxcelsior Springs, Mo. PERSONAL ARE YOU LONESOME? Write Betty Lee, Inc., Box 820 City Hall Station, New York City. Stamp appreciated. HUNDREDS secking marriage. If sincere enclose stamp. tie <f Willard, © 2928 inois. Chicago, you. Hxchange letters: inake new friends. fifficient, confidentinl and dignified service. Members everywhere. Eva Moore, Box 908, Jacksonville, Florida, F * ie taking orders for Zanol Pure Food Products, Toilet Prepa- rations, Soaps, Laundry and Cleaning Specialties and House- hold Supplies. Nationally adver- tised from const to coast. N, sold in stores. Fast repeaters Big income every day. Exclu- sive sale. No capital needed “Big money for spare time. ty to workers. Write forparticulars, = American Products Co. ¥ BE oy Cincinnati, Ohio. }COME TO FLORIDA—Marry lonely maiden, Wealthy. League, Box 39, Oxford, Fla.» MARRY IF LONELY “Home Maker’: hun- dreds rich; reliable, years experience; de- seriptions free. The Successful Club, Box 556. Oakland. California. MARRIAGE PAPER—20th year. Bie issue with descriptions, photos, names and ad- dresses. 25 cents. No other fee. Sent sealcd. Box 2265, R, Boston, Mass. MARRY—Free photographs. directory and descriptions of wealthy members. Pay when married. New Plan Co., Dept. 384, Kansas City, Mo. COME TO FLORIDA—Marry lonely maiden, wealthy. League, Box 39, Oxford, Fla. MARRY—MARRIAGE DIRECTORY with photos and descriptions free. Pmy when married. The Exchange, Dept. 545, Kansn¢ City, Mo, MARRY-—Write for hig new directory wit photos and descriptions. Free: National Agency, Dept. A, 4006, Sta. H., Kansas City, Mo. *y ATTRACTIVE YOUNG WADY worth $25.009, onely, will marry. (R.C.) B-1022, Wich- ita, Kansas. . GnT A SWEETHEART. Pxchance letters. Write me enclosing stamp. Violet Ray, Dennison, Ohio. —~ MARRY—Tonely Wearts, fon our club, wa have a compenion for you.’ many. worth from $5.000 to $50.00. Dercriptions, photos, Introductions free. Send no money. Stand- ard Cor. Club, Grayslake, Il. © ; SWEHRETHEARTS for everybody. Stamne' envelopes for proposal. The Lily Club, ‘Station H, Cleveland, Ohio. ° : ; COME TO FLORIDA—Marry lonely maiden, wealthy. League, Box $9, Oxford, Pla. MISCELLANEOUS WOULD YOU like to know what day of the week you were born? Send age, hirthday and a dime (coin) and I will tell Hayes, Box 137, Newberry, S. C. SONGWRITERS SEND TODAY for free co Writer's pie apecees tells: how to write and Bell short ’ hotoplays, poems, songs. Digest, 6-22, he, 22th St., Cincinnatt. you. LB, BOYS & : BE FIRST GIRLS Earn $2.00 IN YOUR TOWN WRITE NOW for 50 Sets Christmas Seals... When sold send us $3.00 Sell for 10c a. set. and keep $2.00. Brust You till Xmas. ~ 2. | Nenbecker, 961 KE, 28d St. Dept. B. Brook- lyn, ‘Ny ¥. UAT Hartocs Cove $1 be tiene batkine hie fete ene ae ‘$90,000 ies ned Women, Superion Cor ai faa id. Writer's TOBACCO 2 S73" 18 on trial T-26 “Beltiniore, Ma. meee ke
Page 32
Takes and Finishes an Excel- lent Photograph on a Card , 3144x2in One Minute — ji It is the newest mothod of photography la which skill and experience are not necessary. Not « plate nor « film osmera, but s camera that produces the complete picture. Does not uso sither plates, films, or dark-room, All the troubles oft pictute-taking in the ordinary man- neratesweptaway. It eliminates all the muss and trouble and, above all, there is No Waiting; for you actually see the finished picture in One Minutes, You fosrely lace the cards in the camera, press ths shutter, drop the card inte the automatio developing tank attached tothe onmors, in One Minute you have a Cem- pigs Picture all finished and ready to ahow, ‘t is zo simple and Onn that any child who can $2.50 use ite hands can take good pictures. The osmefa weighs little more than half » pound, and measures about 4}{x3}{ inches, essy to earry about’and always rendy to take and finish a picture in one minute, The Lensle of hich grade, universal focus, needs no adjustment, and takes cloar and brilliant pictures any disean . The Shutter works perfectly and responds to very Slight pressure, 1 loads in broad daylight, The Develeping Tomk is attached to the Camera and holds » single nolution that develops, tones and fixes the picture in one minute with absolute certainty and with no oare or attention on the part of the operator; it cannot be oyer- developed. Produces # picture 3}4x2 inchos. Bend today and have the never-failing pleasure of making exoelient pictures of your family, friends or neighbors, your house of ats. Price ef Camera Genlae with Developer and Package of Cards, xtra packages Sensitized Carda 15 cents per packages extra Doveldping Bolution 25 cents. All prices are postpaid to any addreasin the world. Every Boy His Own Toy Maker| INVISIBLE INK The most con- 2, Greatest boys’ book/fidential mes- written. “Tells how tojsages can be writ-! make a Pinhole Cam-jten with this Ink, era, & Canoe, modelifor the writing * Railroad, a Telephone,|Makes No Mark. sj Boomerang, Telegraph|Cannot be seen un- ¥ Instrument, Box Kite,jless you know the ; Talking Machine,jseoret. Invaluable Muorosecy Electric Motor, Electricjtor many reasons. Door Bell, Water Wheel, Paddle|/Keep your postais and other pri- Ratt, a pair of Skis, a Dog Sled,|vate memorandums away from Bane Fiones: Repans aed Se. of Clcimetrerceal ional wade ) 15 rations. DIB: ractical jokes. Oc postpaid; 3 for 25c, : Ree a abttios 3 for 40c, : The Wonder of the World Japanese Rose Bushes bloom all the year round, Just think of it. Six weeks after planting the seed, the plants wil] bein fall bloom. It may not seem possible, but we posi- ® tively guarantee it to be so. They will bloom every ten we » Summer or Winter, and when three years old the ®, bush will be a mass of roses, bearing from five hundred to a thousand roses on cach bush. The flowers are in three shades —white, pink, and crimson, The plants will do well both in and outdoors. We guarantee at least three bushes to grow from each packet of seed. Price, 100 packet, 3 pkts. for 25e postpaid, Ts CAMERA ‘Model A zene domeatio nen Y $2.60. Tae. Cts, Kissing Permit False Mustache Ahandsome Here you are, metal badge, boys! Just the nickel plated, thing foralittle that you can harmless mas- wear, givin; querading. On you fun ow and off in a ofall propor-* twinkling. Lots tion to its of fun putting trifling cost. one on in a» PRICE 10c crowd of each, 3 for friends. The sudden transformation is 25c, or 12 astonishing. Fine for private theatrioals, for75cpost- ‘ ee toma, charades, ese ete. pald. Sitio BRICH 100, 3 fer 40¢ poutpaid: Address orders for all .goods on this page to (coin or stamps). Only book of its kind in existence, games, sporting goods, rare any library. ~ } x [THE TEDDY CAMERA | MAGICIAN’S OUTF JOHNSON SMITH & CO. ATALOG mailed to any address on receipt of 25 cents \ juxe Wditi f 1926 NOVELTY © La Ne ee ee pote eee. : 420 pages, handsomely bound with lithographed cover. — All the latest novelties, puzzles, tricks and joke goods, L : A d interesting books, curiosities in seeds and plants. t 3 Vx > i inate IT SAGs be Pewee and Directions for a Number of Mysterious Tricks Enough for an & Entire Evening’s Entertainment Oe ANYONE DO THEM Tt fs great fun mystify ing your friends, Get this Conjurer’s Cabinet, aad you will bo the cleverost follow in your district. It contains the apparatus for aovon firstrate tricks, in= oluding The Disappearing Rose, that, when on the Ispel of your coat, vanish: m I; the Magio Vase and Ball is ple 4 amis Cabinet of Tricks in his magicians, Great Fire Eater SQUI Most Sensational Trick ofthe Day! meat Mears ies With the Fire Eater} ~ in his possession any| ¥ person can become & perfect salamander, Berea, breathing) fire and ejecting thousands of brilliant; sparks from his mouth, to the horror and consternation of all beholders. Harmless fun for all times, seasons! and places. if you wish to pro- duce a decided sensation in your] 4 neighborhood don’t fall to procure’ one, Wesend the Fire Eater with] >, all the materials, in a handsome! box, the cover-of which is highly erg ihe ie in various colors, ice of all com-} si, ith one I x plete only 30 cents, postpaid. ; >og oS fon abe ease PISTOL, OPERA & FIELD GLASS — PRICE POSTPAID, $1.00 ¢ —— £ ‘i = : il ry x hllikenst ere ism very long Fon es to the Poet, of your coat or tro’ lb is large enough to m: PY eit : rT Auto~ matic Pistol. No oneis like! to stop and : ‘ou whether it real or 3 ing the trigger ul article cadlng eine SURPRISE MATCHES More fun than a A aeating with your wife. Look just like " SEEBACKROSCOPE,_ By merely plac- - ing this clever ie 0) D strument to your You know how fashionable it is to have cold eruwne—if you can afford it, These gold-finished shells fester, over your real teoth and look like very wealthy Can be slipped on and instant, Get some and @ your friends, PRICE and rome you see very interesting. ‘ Fe ee Se hte eae os ing. yhy is jus c) 4 J eurpri the back of your head. PRICE ONL BOS fen race ported” °" | 25 Cents Postpaid, 3for50 cents. The “Little Giant’? Typewriter fillings. ins A First Class Writing Machine For $1.50 | J tion, so that anyone can to operste it, and write oo ewritten love seteetss) a i printed y fas Dept. 442 Racine, Wis. |_ leight of hand tricks, etc., unobtamable elsewhere, — sities Well worth a place in
Page 33
be utes piel are made of a ma-} ELECTRIC MA- CHINE FOR SE ARCHING WORKERS. To avoid work- ers in factories which employ in their products gold, silver or precious stones suffering the in- dignity of being selected for searching, a clev~ er Danish en - gineer_ has invented a special apparatus. Hitherto the cus- tom has been to stop at hap-haz- ard a certain proportion of the “hands” leaving “such factories at thus ap- parently casting suspicion upon the individual so selected. By this new invention all this is obviated, for the worker asked to adjourn to the searching rvoom is chosen by a machine. The apparatus |: consists of a con- tainer holding a number of balls corresponding to the number of workers engaged in the factory. Some of the balls night, terial conductive ef electricity. As the workers pass ‘to the exit they press a button, when a ball is re- leased and out of the con- tainer, and a white lamp glows fora moment. In such case the! worker passes on. Should one of! the conducting spheres roll out, the electric cur- rent turns on a réd Jamp, and that means that the person so in- dicated is one of those to searched. rolls- Get Rid of Your Free Trial Treatment Sent on request. Ask for my “nay - when - reduced” offer. I have successfully reduced thou- sands of persons, often at the rate of a pound a day. Let me send you proof at my expense. DR. R. NEWMAN, Licensed Physician State 3 New York, 286 Fifth Avenue New York, Desk A-95 THROW YOUR VOIGE Under the table, into a Trunk, dowff Céllar or anywhere, Our lessons in® VENTRILOQUISM teaches you. With our VENTRILO (fitsin the mouth and cannot be bree Cts imitate Birds mals, etc, without moving .your — lips. This outfit and book \ fe JOKES by mail for 10-. @ Universal Dist., Box 532, Stamford, Ct. Old Money Wanted Will pay Fifty Dollars for nickel of 1913 with Liberty head, (no Buffalo). “We pry cash premiums for all rare coins, Send 4c | for Large Coin Folders May mean much profit. to you. NUMISMATIC CO., Dept. 436 Ft. ee rth, Texas. ASTHMA: BOYS. © Christmas Money Given Send name and address. We will send you TREATMENT mailed on SMEX TRIAL. If it onroa, ie bg seat: it’s FREG. 50 sets of Christmas Seals. Hasily sold 10c a set. You keep $2; send us,$3, Be first in your neighborhood. We Trust You. earned $10 last Christmas. Mistletoe Seal Co., Dept. New York. Many Write at once. 59, Brooklyn, (R) Protect yourself against hold-up, rowdies, etc. with @%& this clever cigarette case of, Be weight metal. Looks exactly like the real thin: PSR e showing your cigarettes. Lots offun scaring your friends, and a great protector. Bolg the trigger, back flies ina 31.75 ome : ° on livery piue oe Pat. Pending bac’ if not satisfied. PATHFINDES 0. Dep. PABBS34 Sinth Aven RY, FAT Ry oe Saitek, Pho renecoe. FREE Send us your name and address and we'll telf you how to get this bracelet*watch Absolutely Free Watch has 14kt. White gold filled case, 25 year guar- antee. Excellent time-keeper. Send name today for free watch plan. RELIABLE SALES CORP. 14ict. Whita Gold Filled 524 Broadway, Dept 134, New York Mama Doll fama Doll wanerelnoll Ff Yeu! oho will walk with rte ent talk; says "Ma Ma" aa like @ reel,. ie vel . Lay her aeow ke goes to elsep. Pur or in her oute iitte @wing anf she's « happy, isugh- ing Dellie; the Gearent,mest lovable Doll, with rosy cheeks, big Dlue eyes ruby lipa-= and the eweetent Zu0e. She ie dressed just right to romp ané play ané fe 15 in. tall. Doll-Swing-Glasses Given ‘We gend you thie handsone Walking Talking, oo D885 Doliie,with her own little awing Byeglenace ALL FREE for sellin, only 24 paokages of Pertuned Saohet -*% 1 aech. Write to-dey. Sent mo ionsy. JONES MFG.CO.D*Pt 356 ATTLEBORO, MASS. BOYS & NO WORK Evr GiAssas We GIRLS $2. 00 Given JUST FUN ' Simply sell 50 Sets of Our Famous Christmas Seals for 10¢c a set. When sold send us $3.00 and keep $2.00. Trust You till Xmas. Amer-- eyes aeons Seal Co., Dept. 131, Brooklyn, own home — just like \ropitee ope 211 Show You How to De It ee ~ LEARN AT HOME n’t be & $26 or $35 m week slave. Get oa aioe SY eastern ; ora feo 3 & Weok—: KcNabb, £48 Soriog work near so hardag ou do a. “we mp eal rai a. makes $700'in 24 days you for ono of these bi 5p bay Jobe r our wa pictures you see here, Getthe complete ie write me now, Quick and Easy to Learn Experience or education unnecessary] tratn vou under a money back guarantee. Pay me Solf a few centa a day.Complete gert of oe apparatus and Em; payENeD De rvice giv: * without extra charge. = alle Write Me at One Anawer the call of Electricity — rf wi Rreniest industry, Thousands of train mex are needed. Opportunities are everywhere. iz.,earhs$20adiy Success comes fauick with training, ‘Get the ~ « facts in my Big FREE Mlustr, Book Write me now if you want to L. i Cooks Varsg Be CHICAGO ENGINEERING WO 2180 Lawrence Av., Chicago You Can wina ‘Godan Suroty you want thie latest medei Ford Sedan. Write ms today. rasgi — . P ts % ; wiver away any tos. Now we wi tng pail atest ld Ford Sedan Es Ie: costpiotely equipped, de! Iver Segntans id. x9 [5 ]4]2 [24] 7]9]22]5 [14] Se th 2. (19 is letter 8). the two maces and Canes es Send Answer Teds AY Bicpsicy, Wa Prizes. ates nan That two words are *seXid NO. MONEY —ust write Se. awarded January 4, 1926 ae Rs Mome Oway. Phonographs A andreds 0! Jetting Se baer eer sep ested. He can win the to you and your nf be na ra anewer sad ecole age eonn ow iE BOEING Hg roy Deph, 2468, The ideal. car for all-year use. tjem Fou, Salve This Puzzle? : is numbered—; Aisi, B is pa. 630 W. Jackson Bind, “Chicago, I
Page 34
OUR TEN-CENT HAND BOOKS Useful, Instructive, and Amusing. They contain Valuable Information on Almost Every Subject. e No. 1. NAPOLEON’S ORACULUM AND DREAM BOOK.—Containing the great oracle of human destiny; alse the true meaning of almost any kind of dreams. pogernee with charms, ceremonies and curious games of curds, E No. 2. HOW ‘TO DO TRICKS.—The great book of magie and card tricks, containing full instructions on all leatling card tricks of the day, also the most. popular magical illusions as performed by our leading magi- clans; every boy should obtain a copy of this book. No. 8% HOW TO FLIRT, — The arts and wiles of flirtation are fully explained by this little book. Be- sides the various methods of handkerchief, fan, glove, © parasol, window and hat flirtation, it contains a full lst of the Janguage and sentiment of flowers. No. 4. HOW TO DANOF is the title of this little book. Xt contains full instructtons in the art of damcing, ett- quette in the ballroom and at parties, how to dress, and full directions for calling off in all popular square * dances. 5 ; No. & HOW TO MAKE LOVE—A complete guide to love, courtship and marriage, giving sensible advice, rules and etiquette to be observed, with many curious and interesting things not generally known. ‘No. 6 HOW TO BECOME AN ATHLETE.—Giving full instructions for the use of dumbells, Indian club, paratle? Tes, horizontal bars and yarlous other methods af developing a good, healthy muscle; containing over tons 5 sigty ast orto KEEP BIRDS.—Handsomely: ilus- No. 7. HOW T ining. full instructions for the manage- Sa iat mockingbird, bobolink, ment and training of the canary, blackbird, paroqugt, parrot, ete. No. 9. HOW TO BECOME A VENTRILOQUIST.— By Harry Kennedy. Every intelligent boy re ding this hook of instructions can master the art, and create any amount of fun for himself and friends. It is the great- ‘est book ever published. se aes aa 5 mig % . HOW TO BOX.—The art of self-defense made Brg MW ontediniiie over thirty illustrations of guards, +t positions of a good boxer. Hvery Bh ap Aen peo aty on oS these ‘useful and instructive ic Mae mee will teach you to box. without an in- ae HOW TO WRITE LOVE-LETTERS.—A most little book, containing full directions for writ- irae Pee ietters, and when to use them, giving specimen : and o}d. : see a how TO WAITED LETTERS TO LADIES. —Giving complete instructions for writing letters to / Jadies on-all subjects; also letters of introduction, notes 1 sts. ag a OW TO DO IT; Or, BOOK OF ETIQUETTE. A +-It is..a «great life secret, and one that. every young, ‘man desings to know about. There's happiness in !t._ - No. 14. Brow TO MAKE CANDY.—A complete hand- book for making all kinds of candy, iee-cream, syrups, essences, ete. F No, 18.' HOW. TO BECOME BEAUTIFUL.—One of- th ebrightest and most valuable little books eyer given to the world. Wverybody wishes to know how to be- come béantiful, both. male and female. The seeret is ' @ and almost costless. n supe 20. HOW TO ENTERTAIN AN EVENING PARTY.—A most complete compendium of games. sports, card diversions, comic recitations, ete., suitable for par- lor: or drawing-room artnet a contains more ey than any book publis i: tO HOW TO EXPLAIN DREAMS.—This little book gives the explanation to all kinds of dreams, to- ~ gether with lucky and unlucky days. o. 24. HOW TO WRITE LETTERS TO GENTLE- MEN. Containing full directions for writing to gentle- men on all subjects. . No. 25. HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST.—Contain- Ine full directions for all kinds of gymnastic sports and atheltic exercises. FElmbracing thirty-five illustrations, By Professor W. Macdonald. { For sale by all newsdoalers, or will be sent to any ~ address on receipt of priee, 10c. per eepy, ; ; in money er stamps, by 1866 West 23d Street New York HARRY E. WOLFF, Publisher, Inc. cee . : eu 7 City. he Ki = Fame and Fortune Weekly — ; — LATE IssvUES —— 993 i ta to Business; or, The Boy Who Was Not sleep. Cite 994 Tipped by the Ticker; or, An Ambitious Boy in _ all Street. : y95 On +o Success; or, The Boy Who Got Ahead 996 A Bid for a Fortune; or, A Country Boy in Wall reet. 997 Bound to Rise: or, Fighting His Way to Success 998 Out for the Dollars; or, A Smart Boy in Wa'i Street. x 999 Kor Fame and Fortune; or, The Boy Who Won Both... 1000 A Wall Street Winner; or, Making a Mint of Money. 1001 The Road to Wealth: or, The Boy o Found It Out. 1002 cu ene. Wing; or, The Young Mercury of Wall reet. , 1004 J ugeling with the Market; or, The Boy Who Made t Pay, 1005 Cast Adrift; or, The Luck of a Homeless Boy, ! 1006 gf aS the Market; or, A Keen Boy in Wall - reet. 1007 A Pot of Money: or, The vais tag of a Lucky Boy. | 1008 From Rags to Riches; or, A Lucky Wall Street — Messenger. é f 1008 On His Merits; or, The Smartest Boy Alive. ; 1010 Trapping the Brokers; or, A Game Wall Street Boy. 1011 A Million in Gold: or, The Treasure of Santa Cruz 1012 Bound to Make Money: or, From the West to Wall Street. . : 1043 The Boy Magnate; or. Making Baseball Pay. 1014 Making Money: or, A Wall Street Messenger’s Luck, 1015 A’ Harvest of Gold: or, The Buried Treasure of Coral Island. , hes 1016 On the Curb; or, Beating the Wall Street Brokers. 1017 A vie of Fortune; or, The Boy Who Struck 1018 Heit Prince of Wall Street; or, A Big Deal for Big oney. ~ J 1019 Starting. His Own Business; or, The Boy Who Caug' n. : 1020 A_Corner In Wall Street: or, The Wall Street Boy oO ho n. es 1021 First in the Field; or, Doing Business for Himself. 1022 Aya rouer at Wighteen; or, Roy Gilbert’s Wall Street Sareer. 4 f 1023 Only a Dollar; or, From Hrrand Boy to Owner. a 1024 Price & Co., Boy Brokers; or, The Young Traders : of Wall Strack Cea 1025 A Winning Risk; or, The por Who Made Good. 1026 ine 2 Lees to a Million; or, A Wide-Awake Wall | ATT oy. - 1027 The Path to Good Luck; or, The Boy Miner of - 1046 From Newsboy to Banker; or, Rob Lake’s Rise in Wall Street. x Seth eae 1047 A Golden Stake; or, The Treasure of the Indt lig e For sale by all newsdealers, or will be sent to any address on receipt of price, 8c. per copy, =s§_— : _4in money or stamps, by ees! HARRY K. WOLFE, Publisher, Inc, aad Btreet : Mew York City” ate: ‘ ial acts Nes, Es ae ; 180 West