Fame And Fortune Weekly (no. 587) (1916 12 29)
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DECEMBER 29, 1916 RAO 1 aN ASEL-MALEMIN, AWC DIWER STORIES — Serene Grr ree ere ea i SY LF A Be SME MO OE (ZZ, a » CE Ma OB ae a. aw MO SPELL LELL EPL PLATE the boy ran the waiting elevator, Peck, ‘who was in advance, reaching out his wer detain him, lost his balance and pitched forward. His head struck the corner : of the elevator shaft and he rolled over insensible.
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F AMEAND FORTUNE WEEKLY STORIES OF BOYS WHO MAKE MONEY Issued Weekly—By Subscription $2.50 per year. Entered at the New York, N. Y., Post Office as Second-Class Matter by Frank Tousey, Publisher, 168 West 238d Street, New York. a No. 587. , NEW YORK, DECEMBER 29, 1916. Price 5 Cents. A GRIP ON THE MARKET A HOT TIME IN WALL STREET By A SELF-MADE MAN. eS CHAPTER I. ae ma See as in about two hours, ma’am, if he doesn’t have est to attend a directors’ meeting.” DICK MERRITON IS TREATED TO A STARTLING SURPRISE. “Seems to me he’s always “attending directors’ meetings,” ‘ “Hello, Bob! What’s your rush?” asked Dick Merriton, } she said, sharply. ‘messenger for John Barber, stock broker, of No. — Wall| “Yes, ma’am. Take a seat, please. Your turn will come .~ _ Street. pani es.” ' “Pm going to work. Got a job at last. Aren’t you|’ “But it’s his business to look after his customers as well a, replied | Bob Browning, Dick’s particular friend.’ as his companies.” Sure “es replied Dick, keeping pace with Bob. “What “So he does, ma’am,” replied Dick, politely. ae ‘of a job have you got?” “He’s always. busy when I call. I can’t see him half the ad Fe an elevator in the King Building.” time. 2 ES you catch on?” “You're not the only one who is occasionally disappointed.” re “Yesterday.” “Weill, I insist on seeing him to-day, do you understand ?” ‘3 2 ow ce a like it as far as you’ve got?” “Yes, sgt am. Take a seat, please. Your turn will come A re! ae by and by. 3 see you often, then, for I carry, one or more mes-| «How long will I have to wait?” Sages to Withers & Co. nearly every day.” " /“Depends on circumstances. All these gentlemen are si “They’re on the sixth floor front. ahead of you. You see that fat man over there?” “Correct. Have io ou got to learn the name and location; “I see him.” of every tenant in the building? I think you'll have a sweet} “He’s good for an hour when he gets inside. You'll fol- po, it, for there must be three or four hundred of | low him; that is, if Mr. Barker isn’t called to attend a direc- tors’ meeting.” “ Til lear learn ‘most of them in time.” 4 , patel I wish you luck. Here’s where I leave you,” and FR 3 Phas tas Fe aghoc ni tea ie nae would be a Dick darted into the office building where he was employed }, Dick, under his breath. took an elevator for the third floor. sont bag Ee re per ont, Fp acaer be ee pe m ‘that hour. and oo were several customers standing around the ticker| 7 aa $ bs — baw gag catamies over these m 1én Dick entered the office, and others seated around the anyway.” FORE ORR Ae areas mg Y acing bs pigs for kp a me Sn oe Barker. Aa iartass are made in sere. a tit him z -vinegary-loo! ig woman en a 1 ua e my card in ; oe a ig and a-reticule, and wore finger-| my Reaiacen is of the greatest importance?” pts art “Certainly, ma’am.” he : 5 s wanted to see Mr. Barker, though Mr. Barker : “« SSA) Was never in a ore to eee her, mabwititautiig that she Soe opened Hes reticule, took out ae i = x Beakes” inscribed on it, and put it in Dick’s be y customer. ons | Mens ate of fact, she was something of a nuisance, ‘for He knocked on the private room sar cepa es ss come in. ee gt an gene. thre rer ste Prohl| Sane Rekes ic oui geen‘ haha Nero het sta to see him on particular business. business is of the test qu eee ype brewed 9! ne have had standing orders to sidetrack her whenever she jt? wait her turn, ut she objected strenuously, and asked me to bring her card in ted a hereelt that is, if he could do so without insulting That 4 Ben i ee Huissnce,” remarked the broker : - A entleman with whom he was engaged. “Get rid bani ovention to Nando, and the bev Dever] cf ner gomehow, Rick, can see her” , bs ‘ean h an y glided outside. : fips yaa ee ‘uptown, and was known to pt oe SS sorry, "eaten ho seni, 4g “ie lady, : “ ji ‘o over to his bank to see about a it to see Mr. Barker,” said the lady, whose name spat he's ate ag im the corridor you ght atch “him on a’am, but Mr. ogee is engaged,” replied Dick, the’ way to. the: elevator.” uy! ed Mrs. Beakes, eagerly. egal shel 24 “Fel he surprise, ma'am ma’am, es he went in @ moment “as if he| or,twowr ee
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if '. tracted by a Caw _ DICK SAVES LAWYER _ The man glared furiously at Dick, , 2 A GRIP ON THE MARKET. sition in the corridor where she could eut the broker off| and his ferocious appearance was enough to intimidate any rom the elevator. She was still walking up and down there impatiently five minutes later when Dick hurried out with a note in his hand to a party in the Mills Building. The boy chuckled when his eyes rested on her. r { wonder how long she’ll stay on the watch,” he thought. When she gets tired I suppose she’ll go back in the waiting- room and try to make her way into the boss’s office. She’s the most persistent woman I ever’ saw. I wouldn’t liké to board at her house. T’il bet she gives the people dried ap- ples for dessert at the table. If they leave the dining- room hungry it doesn’t matter, for the dried apples will swell in the stomach and then they'll feel as if they’d had a big meal. If she was to die her relatives would find a dozen savings bank books hidden somewhere in her bedroom. That’s always the way with those old people.” Dick caught the elevator BS was soon on the street. More than one broker nodded pleasantly to the boy as he hustled alotg, 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 sten pher 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. It required the greatest economy on Mrs. Merriton’s part to keep the pot boiling, but being a clever and industrious little woman she managed to make ends mect from week. to week.. ; Of course, they lived in a cheap flat, but mother and daughter kept it as neat as a new pin, and no visitor would have supposed’ that the family was pushed for money, as|- a Sait often were. , e note that Dick carried on this trip to the Mills Build- ing was addressed to an old lawyer, named Samuel Littleton, on ee wae floor. is gentleman’s principal business was to look after es- tates of well-to-do feople ae He was also the guardian for several minors, and he was “accustomed to invest surplus funds in gilt-edged bonds for the benefit of his clients. All such business was transacted for him by Mr. Barker, and consequently Dick often had occasion to call at his office. _He knew the old gentleman very well by this time, and Mr. Littleton thought him the nicest boy with whom he came into contact in a business way. The lawyer employed a bookkeeper, an office boy and a stenographer. When Dick walked into the outer office the bookkeeper and the office boy were not visible. m Miss Adams, the stenographer, smiled at the youfg mes- st, Sd and told him that Mr. Littleton was engaged with a “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 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 unconscious girl w, which the boy thought exceedingly strange, he believed Sago at justified him. in entering the room. e did so. ae As he stooped to reach Miss Adams his attention was at- startling scene to the left. ° A fierce-looking, wild-eyed man had Mr. Littleton, by the throat, and the lawyer appeared to be at his last gasp. f ~ “tap ee ; Les “CHAPTER II. LITTLETON’S LIFE AND NEARLY LOSES HIS : y if there ever was. murder in a person’s eyes it was in ‘Ta We _ He seemed more like a wild animal than a human being, “a . Ay ald - bookkeeper, who had been sent on a spe- “This man is on Dick’s. ut he hada whole lot of — Lo, ‘ oe - *y 2
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—_. considerable vigor and at last succeeded in bringing him to consciousness. ; k then turned his attention to Miss Adams, and soon had her on her feet again. ‘He saw she was a very nervous girl, which accounted for her fainting so easily. 2 _ 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 seemed to be killing Mr. Littleton.” ; “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 chow did he get to see Mr. Littleton?” “He came into the office a little while ago and asked for Mr. Littleton. Eddie showed him into the private room just ‘ore he went out. That’s all I know about him. He must be a man to attack poor old Mr. Littleton.” “He’s as crazy as a M hare,” replied Dick. “That’s what’s the matter with him. Why, he nearly did me up, too, when I followed you into the room and interfered to prevent him from completing his murderous work.” Heda d your face is all scratched and bleeding,” said the ois 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. He seemed to be as strong as a : ant Fat Pega the bookkeeper appeared at the door and 2. ic a . ==. Mr. Littleton looked something of a wreck as he sat back aus EE : rs chair. He smiled faintly at the young messenger. __ “I judge from what Mr. McIntyre has just told me that interfered in time to save my life. assure you that re am very grateful to you, and I am sorry that you got into f a ‘ourself through your plucky conduct,” said the v , tainty. . *Well, sir, I guess I saved you, aJl right, though I was a afraid that I came too late. That fellow had both his Sh about your windpipe, your tongue was out, and you were turning black in the face. I went for him at once. He Teleased you and jumped at me, like a wild animal. I thought him at first, but I didnt.’ He stood_out a + the pounding that I gave him, and then came back At me ever. I had the time of my life trying to hands from my throat. If he had ever fastened claws of his in my neck it would have been all mp with i turn up 2 moment too soon. He got and I’m just as obliged to him as you are : don’t believe I can ever be too certainly saved my life , lad. I appeared here in time to do it, then,” o is that man, and how came he to. cal grateful to you, Mer- ‘name is Hardy. He’s the heir-at-law of a large which I am administering through the probate court. a mental ent brought about by dissipa- to have him sent to a sanitarium. Complete from his haunts and habits brought for his di ast week. He been sanitarium five days, and as far as I could see he to have fully 1is normal condition. When view begun, I was explaining matters onnecte estate, ore he began to show some ons of excitement, He demanded to know if I. intended gree I said yak eR eIBOD be was having shadow is, for it is not true. He then to the to A GRIP ON THE MARKET. ie | __ He and Mr. McIntyre worked over the old lawyer = rubbing my hands and bathing my face. I recog- nize t . F * . = EE AN aS aa ty en SE i lS | a SE a et ca eT SE Ra Oe SE ce ae RR aE eens las Ee CECI CII ne OEE EEA 3 - at 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 olice and have him removed to Bellevue?” asked Mr. Me- ntyre, pointing to the heir-at-law where he lay upon the floor, with a cunning leer on his handsome countenance. “T am afraid there is no other alternative,” replied the lawyer. “He is too dangerous to be permitted to remain at large. It is too bad, for he was a fine man before his brain became affected.” The bookkeeper went to the ‘phone and communicated with the nearest police station. While he was thus engaged Dick saw the énvelope he had brought on the floor where it had been dropped by the stenographer. He picked it up and handed it to Mr. Littleton. a . eg! 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 have to go unless Mr. Littleton wished him to remain. The lawyer said He would not detain him longer, thanked him once more for what He had done for him, and the- young messenger departed. f . CHAPTER IIL. WHAT A BANANA PEEL BROUGHT DICK MERRITON. When Dick returned to his own office he told Mr. Barker that Lawyer Littleton said “all right” in answer to the note. Then he told the broker about the exciting experience he had had in the lawyer’s office, and how Mr. Littleton had nearly been choked to death by the crazy heir-at-law of an estate he was putting through the probate court. fYou had a narrow escape, Dick,” said Mr. Barker. “You may thank your stars that you have only a few scratches to show for your desperate encounter. An insane man is always a particularly dangerous antagonist when his mania takes a homicidal turn. Mr. Littleton will doubt- less_be Haag, to you as long as he lives.” “Did Mrs. Brakes bother you after I went off with that message?” “No, I did not see her.” “J' got her out in the corridor by telling her that you had: to go to your bank to see about a check, and that she might catch you on the way to the elevator. She was watching for you when I left the building.” “She must have gone away when she found that I did not come out, She’s a nuisance. I wish she’d transfer her business to.some other broker.” “I don’t believe any other broker is anxious for her cus- tom,” laughed Dick. ; “Well, keep her out if you can whenever. she calls. Maybe she'll take the hint after a while that her room is better than her company,” said the broker, turning to his desk. Dick said “all right,” and walked outside and sat down. He picked up a copy of a Wall Street daily and began to read the latest financial intelligence. ‘ = “Tf I had $100 I’d slap it into C. & O. on margin,” 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 remem seeing it before. I'll bet there dre a lot of people} / up with it at its present Aguile, It’s too bad that I hayen 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 = Siting i ‘the E that kept in the Ex nN eS Ee the dgar We, asked ag attache to find Mr. Jenkins for him. While waiting for the to show up, "Dick watched Sy quite d eet te ‘0. standard, and He saw a crow . le ’ noticed that a minent broker was i occasionally buying
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“S _ Diek didn’ St <4 Mey apa feel -particularly hap “What's 4 “I knew it was bound to go up soon,” said Dick to him- self. “It’s hard that I can’t get in on a good thing like that. Who knows but Broker Mandelbaum is acting for some syndicate, and that there may: soon be a regular boom in that stock?. Such things aré 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 the market. I’ve no- ticed that my ies a is pretty good about those stocks I have kept track of. I can generally tell when they’re going to rise, and when they’re going in the other direction. That is as good as having a grip on the market. But it doesn’t do me any Feo: B ee e€ same.” Just then Mr. Jenkins came up to the railing, took the note from his hands, read it and nodded “all right.” ' That was Dick’s dismissal, and he left. As he started to cross Broad Street-he stepped on a banana el. . a ’ The peel of the banana for some reason when separated from the fruit and cast away seems to acquire a malignant ’ desire to breed trouble. This particular banana peel had evidently been lying in wait for the first unsuspecting shoe .that stepped in its |. direction. That she belonged to Dick, and the next moment the treacherous peel had performed its diabolical mission and landed the boy in the gutter, an object of ridicule to all the boys in the immediate vicinity. t Dick alighted on his left elbow with force enough to make him understand that there are softer things in the world than Belgian blocks. fons was jarred by the fall and not a little dazed by the shoe! A sympathetic bootblack ran up and helped him on his - feet, while ~ E several newsboys gathered about him with grin- countenances, : bootblack, noticing a rather dirty blue envelope near the curb, and thinking Dick had dropped it, picked it up and shoved it into his Gaaed, he proceeded to brush the young messenger off. icky,” said Dick, recognizing the urchin. “When rich I'll give you a steady job shining my shoes.” en he hurried away with the envelope in his hand. _ He was half-way back to the office when the envelope at- . -‘traeted his notice. _ “How the deuce did I get that?” he said, looking 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 misha’ , Sent up and slapped him’on the back. erriton,” he grinned. “I see you are givin’ free exhibitions on the street now.” t like Tom Hurley, and the latters remark - “Hello, : PY Di ’s the matter with you?” growled Dick. “Nothin’; but it was enough to make a hoss laugh to see you tryin’ to stand on your head without holdin’ on to Don’t get too gay, Tom Hurley, or you may find your- / self trying to stand on your ear without holding on to any- . either. : 3 ll make me stand on my ear?” asked Hurley, ag- ‘hin p eon : puke yous i I took a notion Yo" re- ing the envelope in c ou’re who fired a rotten apple at bo the other day.” in ‘apple at you? You’re amin’.” aneak-into the doorway of the Smith Building it. I suppose you thought nobody-had spotted a e you not to do it again or there’s liable ‘Understand ?” | me ou. That’s plain English, isn’t it?” % oval eatty intimidated Hurley, erriton, lacked real pluck. Dick. og ey ’ I’m’ entitled to yee. I don ‘A GRIP ON THE MARKET. Thus speaking, Dick walked off, leaving Hurley in 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 it out of his pocket and tore one end open. . Then he inserted two fingers, felt a wad of paper and drew it forth. vol i He gave a gasp of astonishment when he saw that he held a bunch of money in his fingers: 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 who lost such a bunch of money?” z He looked the envelope all over, inside and out, but not a serap of writing was there about it, The bills were new ones that had apparently never been in circulation. “Somebody drew them from one of the banks, put them in this envelope and then lost it on the street. dollars. I wonder Vil bet - a hundred people stepped ‘on it and not one ever thought of — picking it up. Thought it was an empty enyelope that somebody had thrown away. I wouldn’t have picked it up either, I’ll bet. I pass lots of old envelopes oo day 1 : around in the, gutters. . Micky must have pick it up and - put it in my hand,- thinking I dropped it when I atitped I wonder if this money will be ad- up on that banana peel. Yd vertised for? If I lost a blank envelope full of mon figure that there wasn’t one chance in a thousand ever seeing it again. Whoever picked it up would be Rw y sure to freeze on to it, especially if there was no clue to the owner about it. Well, if it’s advertised for toworrow morning, and I see the ad., I’ll return it, for I don’t believe © in keeping what. doesn’t belong to me. It’s my opinion that it Lye in to be honest in the long run, At any rate, was brought up to think so.” Dick returned the money to the dirty blue envelope and put the envelope carefully away in his pocket. wae In a few minutes he was sent out on another errand. Later on he was sent to the Exchange agai J he pis another broker buying C. & O. shares when he : get them. ® The price of the stock was up another half a point. “T wish that $700 I found were mine, I'll bet it on C. & O. I consider that stock a safe risk, and ner at that,” said Dick to himself. , ; When he got home that afternoon he surprised and mother with a sighteof the contents of bee his er g : e blue lope. — “I got hold of that through slipping up on a banana peel,” — n. ; he said, with a grin. Then he explained how the envelope came into his pos-— peace? Se the agency, as he believed, of Micky Dooley, a bootblack, ~ i ; : in and e I'd soak a win- : . ? 7 : “If Micky ever heard that he handed me over $700 that — he might have kept himself he’d have a fit,” laughed Dick. “I’m going 'to watch the lost and found columns of the pa- 4 aol in the morning to see if it’s advertised for. If it isn’t 1 figure that the owner has given In which case it’ll be as good as mine, Next morning Dick looked the lost and found ad ments. over, but there was no mention of a lost blue e with $700 in new bills in it. “I guess this money is mine, all right,” he said. ‘ I mustn’t be too quick jump at concl : advertised to-morrow, or the I can afford to take a risk on it. that I will, I'l get a aa ore it up as gone for good. —
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A GRIP ON __. The man was winding up one of his mice while he talked __ glibly to the spectators. ; ue When the winding-up process 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. 4 ; ‘Then he placed it on the sidewalk and it ran between 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. ~~ It did, and looked as natural as life. - ; _ “That’s the greatest ever,” he chuckled, as he wound it Up again ‘and returned it to its box. fs He had hardly taken his seat before the door opened and _ ‘Mrs. Beakes e in. She looked like a woman bent on business. ¥ Her countenance was more acid-looking than ever. + One of her boarders, who owed her two weeks’ pay, had __ skipped out the night before, leaving his small trunk empty for her to take possesion of. y _ ~ The loss of $14 preyed on her spirits and she felt rather _. __ *Is Mr, Barker in?” she said sharply, glaring at Dick. __ ._*I think he went to a directors’ meeting, ma’am,” repiled the boy, politely. _ * -_ *¥ don’t believe it,” she snapped. : waitin’ to see him?” ; a. “I don’t know, ma’am. I just came in and+I didn’t ask Just then the door of the private room opened and a - __ ¥isitor came out. _ - *There, I knew he was in. _- ghe sniffed. Mr. Barker on particular business.” i 3 »-“Didn’t you see him yesterday, ma’am?” asked Dick, in- Sha y. bi ase I didn’t,” she snorted, “Take my name in, do you Directors’ meetin’, indeed!” “Take my name inside at once. I want to see - inly, ma’am,” and Dick walked into the private _ -reor notify the broker that Mrs. Beakes was outside and that she looked full of fight. - “Tell her I’m busy,” said Mr. Barker. Y _ “T reckon you ain’t too busy to see me,” piped a voice t the door. ; Dick and the trader turned to see Mrs. Beakes’ vinegary countenance thrust in at the opening. ‘ : “Well,” replied Mr, Barker, visibly annoyed, “I can’t give you over five minutes, madam.” a “Are you goin’ to 2 directors’ meetin’?” she said, walking 0 the chair beside his desk. r tone was sarcastic and Dick could have sworn that , Dick: Will you tell Mr. Hollis I'll see him in a ent?” replied the trader. ie sir.” . dropped his handker¢thief on the floor. ing Agee rs it he placed the mouse on the rug . t for Mrs. Beakes, ‘ ; arp pis discovered it at once, and with a shriek from the chair and dashed through the door ting room. - ier of the establishment happened to be approach: ‘t mor ry? full of of a at that moment with his han a es 7 retn iapon the flour,’ ser scrambled on her feet and began to rambled on loud key. + tae ‘board box. THE MARKET. i 5 The 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 outery and the remarkable agility she displayed in leaving 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 wouldn’t call him down for getting rid of his undesirable customer. So he dropped the mouse into his pocket, went up to Mr. Hollis and told him that Mr. Barker was ready to see him. Soon after the door closed on that gentleman the sound of ber sag was heard through the keyhole, and Dick ent that Mr. Hollis was telling the broker about what oc- curred outside. By this time Mrs. Beakes, having said all she wanted to, made a line for the door opening on the corridor and disappeared through it. CHAPTER V. HOW DICK CAME OUT ON C. & 0. The cashier, who felt that he had not figured to any great advantage before the customers of the house, ente the “Aren’t those two men | private office with a very red face, while Dick picked up a newspaper and hid his grinning face behind it. “I 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 Leap in his hand. - a “Hello, 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.” ; “I didn’t come to see him, but to see you,” said the boy. “To see me, eh? What about?” oe “Mr. Littleton told me to give you this letter and this x. rt _ Dick looked at the letter in some surprise and saw that — it was addressed to him. ; ve ay iad box also had his name on it in the lawyer’s hand- writing. ‘ & ory did he send me these for?” asked Dick, much _ puzzled, y “How should I know? Read the letter and 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. A "7 “Your sincere friend, ey “SAMUEL LITTLETON,” Dick opened the package arid found a flat, oblong, paste- ae page - cover he wig g = om aes alligat ant e e monogram “ ” engraved on a smal] — paps Corsi vet nortan all right, eed a “That’s a pocketbook, ” sai rn “Bet your life it is,” revlied i bo J ak
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“Well, she’s always talking to me about you. She says you’re awfully good-looking and the politest boy she’s ever met. She told me yesterday afternoon that you brought her out of her fainting spell, and was real nice to her.” “I couldn’t do less for her than I did,” replied Dick. “She — under any obligations to me, and you can tell er so. ; Dick then opened the wallet and in one of the compart- ments he found a brand-new $100 bill. “One hundred dollars!” exclaimed Eddie. “You're rich!” Dick knew that it was eustémary for anybody presenting a pocketbook to put at least a bright penny, in it for luck. Whether he expected to find such a penny in the wallet or not we cannot say, but he was certainly surprised to find such a large bill. Of course he would have to accept it, and so he told Eddie to convey his thanks to Mr. Littleton, and his appreciatio of such a valuable present. . “Luck seems to coming my way at last,” he said to himself after Eddie had gone. “Tt C. & O. 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, getting on, and was de- lighted 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 Ex- change, and quite.a number of transactions were recorded, the price going to 49, + Dick carried a message to Withers & Co. that afternoon, and he went up in Bob Browning’s elevator. He went clear to the top of the building on the trip up, so as to have a talk with Bob, and got off at the floor he was bound for on the way down. He told Bob about his adventure in Mr. Littleton’s office, ae bw fe hn in the > ae ge a rape “To continued in our next,” he lau as he spran; off at the sixth floor, * 4 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 Exchange about eleven o’clock he found a lot of excitement on the floor. He soon discovered that C. & O. was booming and had alread. = up to 52, Sra pe e was detained at the rail he saw 54 posted on the ag blackbeard, and he felt tickled to/ death. T 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 has advanced. I way as suddenly as it didn’t calculate that it would go much above 50.” He had a message to/take back to the office and couldn’t | shuffl go to the bank. ‘When he got back Mr. Barker rushed him. off with three a oth were important. one offices he visited he heard two brokers talk- about C.&0. . f in . ne of them said that it looked as if there was a syndi- _ cate behind it, in Which case it was likely to go as high as or over. _ The cofiversation encouraged Dick to hold on to his stock gta ste duaae little bank In any case, oun h to to the little ban Sent nnn ae chance go y- | ae en errr a Oe: GeO) reccwtied was 600 siiaves For fear that he wouldn’t find an opportunity next day rol Nassau after the Exchange had -closed for to rid of his shares he visited the bank on his way home dl ctads aren with Sorcteegin crak ke nell hic in the morning. 4 His 150 shares went at the opening price of 62 3-8, and on the foll morning he got a statement and a check for about $3,150. Mr, Littleton that together $3,250, which was a consider- sum for a messenger boy. e was prepared to hand over to the owner the $700 he i could discover # A’ GRIP’ ON THE MARKET. “That’s yours, to do with as you wish.” “Mine!” ejaculated the surprised little woman. “Yes, mother.” “Will you explain how it ——— to be mine? Did you find the owner of the $700, and is this what he gave you for returning 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?” ° “I made $2,450.” — J “It can’t be possible!” exclaimed his astonished mother. “Here’s the proof of ,it—a certificate of deposit in the Nassau Street Bank for $3,000. You see it’s made out in my name.” “Why, Dick, how could you make so much money in so short a time?” Pei ies. “Why, you can make a million in Wall Street in a shorter time than that if you’ve got enough funds to back a big deal.” “And do you mean to say you are worth $3,000?” “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 certificate, he understood the situation and congratulated his son on his good luck. : “What are you going to do with that money, Dick?” “Make more with it. “Do you think you'll be successful in doing so?” asked Mr. Merriton, who had an idea, in»common with well-in- formed people, that Wall Street. speculation was a mighty ee of chance, “I expect to be successful, for I don’t intend to take any more chances than I ean help, I have studied the market right along fer more than a year, and have seen lots of chances to make money that I couldn’t take advantage of because I had no money to speculate with. Now that I’ve got a stake’ it will be different. .When I find a good stock selling low, and-the market show signs of picking up, Pll probably invest half my money in it, and sell out as soon as it goes up a few points. To make money in Wall Street must buy good stock when they’re low and sell on the rise, taking care not to hold on too long. A bird in the hand is always worth two in the bush. The people who hold on for the last dollar are the persons who get caught in the e ‘ “Your argument looks good, but it doesn’t seem to work out with any great degree of carpe It’s the unex- abe omen itere Sebee aor all Street. At least, so have heard.” ; “That’s true enough. I intended to sell C. & O. at around 50, and would have been well satisfied to have merel posto my x3 cag 4} barner 3 +e Lac stock go to even. really go y afternoon, and then it dropped back to 59 before the Exchange closed. It’s down to 56 to-day.” KS “How did you happen to hold on?” “For two reasons—first, I couldn’t get the time to the bank and order the stock sold, and then I heard a of prominent brokers say that it was liable to to 65. ery often. think if pretty sure bt 9 i talked the matter over till supper-time, but end . Merriton thought Dick had better put the i bank than risk it in Wail Street. CHAPTER VI. \ - DICK BUYS SOME MINING SHARES. After Dick m his hat and coat’ and went set US Eeee Cotaie's' ppmamnsitas $0: uemeieh nad alee 2 lesson in boxing from the professor's assistant, Patsy \. . 1 ‘ He his friend Bob Browning to drop in and have a go him with the eee ee ee ‘nick had just fished lesson when Bob appeared, _ = en Ahi t= BAN wae se veye ad ai a a be ¥- en PO, em Wu. PETS eel, eke
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A GRIP ON he deGome here, Dick, I want to ~ said, poder Merriton over to a seat where they could be by to tell you something,” “Well, a is it, Bob?” asked Dick, with some interest. _ “Can you use a pointer on the market if I give it to you?” i # “A pointer!” exclaimed Dick. |. Bob nodded. Sn Sa one,” he said. — on lh i you cae it’s good?” |. 8 a : you. suppose you know Billings, the broker. - His firm their office in our buildi oe “I know of him. He’s one of the solid men of the Street.” “He came into my elevator to-day along with a lawyer whose office is on the fourteenth floor. They were the only I had that trip up, sae Billings went up to the th floor with the lawyer. “Well?” said Dick. “On the way up they talked together in a ho tone, but I heard enough to know that Billings is getting up a syn- dicate to D. & L.” “Sure of that, are you?” asked Dick, eagerly. “Positive. he told the lawyer to buy as many shares of ~ } » ty right away as he could afford, and that he’d make pred ine. out of it inside of two ‘weeks, Now, if you a raise some money I’d advise = to do the same. Bil- ; lings said the stock would rise about * points as soon as ar had cornered the available supply.” = ick asked Bob a number of Was able to answer, while some he couldn’t throw any light on. . -_ However, Die enough to satisfy him that Bob had actually got is of a valuable tip, and he determined seve use it right a Next morning. her looked up D. & L. in the market report and found that it was fons at 58. He found a chance during the 48a We slip up to the little bank and order 300 shares to be bought for his ac- count. ‘He was tempted to put up all his money on 500 shares, but decided that would be-taking too big a risk. . _ The stock might go down four or five points before it y po hye upward, in earnest, and so’if he didn’t keep enough . in reserve to answer a possible call for more margin he would stand a good chance of being wiped out altogether. “It doesn’t do to be a pe down here, you’re almost certain to land in the soup. That’s as bad as holding out ‘for the highest price in a boom. If I’m going in for specu- ~—s to hold my desires in check must always __ keep an er aut to oi aon lle Sa Fe Mager a 8 arith eeeoe! be in = s a yen Aen te kins of 4600, - _On the third day the Ee bacldibol 4 ocdtaushialip closing at a — .elosi half of a point lower still, ris AS Dick’ , however, it picked up and went back to 58. aie AB went almost every day to the King Building he Reeeiacas tas tie cea &L. asked him several times how m shares of the e had been able to buy, but Dick eoaldn’t tell him. m so close about it?” asked Bob, almost pet- ow you couldn’t buy many—not over ten or ‘ou <a what’s the use of asking me c you might tell a fellow after i» gave you apeh I acknowledge my obligation to I promise you that conn a e it all cnyehi oe “Oh, I don’t want you to give me an tag rit. You won't ang able to inate ai pa at the +; I thought you had 100 shares Fa wig to accept a small stake you; but on that uch, or dn’t Saibe ¢ jancgh to meet 00 shares, or even more, for all you : pines 2 Vv grinhed Dick. get It would have cost you $580 to hold 100 Jh ’ and a whole lot more 40D aah than you could *F calculated with f Law- Bearer ay THE MARKET. sae. some of which he ee sore vein, Thad conene inthe mine \ 7 That would make you worth $500. If you cared to allow me $25 for the tip I’d be satified. That’s the way I figured the matter out.” “I see you have a great head for figures, Bob, so I won't eA anythi ng more about the deal until I see how I come out to 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. “He’s gone to Lakewood, where his family is stoppin 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?” “Yes, yer “What is it? I don’t believe Mr. Barker will touch it ae it’s one of the standard mines.- It wouldn’t pay him to do so. “It’s the Mohawk Central.” “Where is the mine located? In the Goldfield district?” “No, It’s at Paradise, Nevada.” “Ts it listed on the Goldfield Exchange?” “Yes, “Al right, ru lool up the recent market reports and see how it’s ruling. Dick went ise ‘his employer’s private room. where he omer Mr. Barker kept the reports of the Western exchanges on fi ie Shad to look back six days before it found a quotation of Mohawk Central. It was quoted at 15 cents. He looked back further and found that the stock had sold at 18 cents. _ Ps daa back still there were quotations of 25 and 35 ents. “The stock had evidently heen dropping 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. “How many shares have you for sale?” “Five thousand.” “Tt was worth cbout $750 a week ago, but, judgin from the slump in it I should think it isn’t worth over $500, today.” “Jt’s a good mine,” insisted the man. “J don’t care how good it is, Even if it should 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. age eve is over for the day. I want*to raise some money to-ni we i loan you $50 on your shares if they’re all right,” | said Dick. hee agree to held them a week to give you a chance fo redeem them.” Baie you got $50 to loan?” asked the man, in some eT I didn’t have it I couldn’t make’ you the offer, contd 1?” replied Dick. “Maybe you’d liké to buy the stock subg? It ought to be wo 500. But, as I’m in bah ent need of ready money, I'll let it go ie $300. cash. 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 hier: drawing from his an oblong envelope, out of which he took five cates for 1,000 shares each in the Mohawk Central Gold Mining Co., of Paradise, Nevada, made out in the name of Alexander Badlam. Dick glanced them over. “Is your name Alexander Badlam ?” he inquired of the - visitor. ’ “It is.” { el long have you had this stock?” vote “Ever since the mine was put on the market, It is me $10, stock, as you can see. Each of the Seg t cost me a Pay time the shares almost reached =: 1. I could easily have sold them for 90 90 cents, a ee 4 Bt money then, and held on to them, expecting expecting would Ray to $3 or $4a When a care nt Sema Abe. ticicg almngiets It was quoted at 35 cents in the market
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8 | A GRIP ON THE MARKET. believed that the value of the stock 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.” “What’s your reason for believing so?” “lve been through the mine, and am a good judge of mining property.” * yet you are willing to dispose of them at a loss?” “I have to. I must have $300 right away.” “Why don’t you wait till to-morrow and offer them to some broker? You might be able to get $500.” “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.” Dick went into the counting room. _ “Will you look at these certificates, Mr. Sheldon, and let me know if, in your opinion, they are genuine?” said Dick to the cashier. “A man who says he is Alexander Badlam, the er of them, is outside. He wants to sell them at a pric¢ below the presumed market value. I looked up the Goldtield market reports and find that the stock has been steadily dropping in price. Mr. Badlam, 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 over 10 cents to-day, if they are worth that.” “What does he want for the stock?” asked the cashier. “He offered it to me for 6 cents a share.” “Humph! The certificates seem_to be genuine. Go to the ’phone and call up the Mining Exchange. If the secre- : *t gone home ask him if he can give you any par- ticulars about the Mohawk Central. Give him the num Badlam’s name. The certificates may have been ‘ot connected with the Min- parerer but found tha the officials had gone away. MS cold earn nothing from that source. i 4 He then called up the office of a big Curb broker, got the broker on the wire and asked him about the stock. “Yl give 7 1-4 cents for a small eer e the stock, but I’m not y anxious to buy it. There is no call for it of late, and it would have to be offered considerably Reredl son car Bind ten 2” asked Dick _ “Would you shares at that figure?” as’ ick. “No. I wouldn't give over 6 3-4 cents at the outside for amount.” { “Thank you, sir. Good-by,” and the boy rang off. Dick reported what he had learned to the cashier. “Tell the man to eome m to-morrow morning and see ‘Mr. Barker,” said Mr. Sheldon. 5 “He wants to raise $300 this afternoon on that_ stock.” “He can’t raise it here. Send him over to Mr. Hayden. He seems willing to buy it for 6 3-4 cents. That'll give him $37. more. bt, however, if Hayden will buv the cer- purchase such certificates from strangers. ~ ever, to let you have $100 on them, the balance to be paid int ae cee. eee I am making this y.” ode ep or gg from Goldfield to prove that I’m Alex- ro me oo = Rigg betes alone Lelie aleat aad f stopping ?” “Mills Hotel No 2. : registered looked them over. They seemed to establish the man’s identity as Alexander ” said Dick, “I'll take a chance and let you Ey IEEE a buy them back at an advance, no matter if their market value goes down to 5 cents a share.” Dick got him to make out a bill of sale for the stock and then took him up to the little bank on Nassau Street and drew $300 on his certificate of deposit. : Mr. Badlam then took a nroetwar car and Dick went home with the mining stock in his pocket. f CHAPTER VII. DICK MAKES A BUNCH OF MONEY IN D. & L. Dick wondered on his way home whether he. had done a foolish thing after all in buying the Mohawk Central stock from a total stranger. If he chose to sell it next day he couldn’t expect to make more than a ten per cent. profit, which was not much con- sidering the risk he ran of the stock having been stolen from the rightful owner. J On the other hand, if everything was all right and he held on to it for a future profit, = might find that the mine was a valueless property, in which case he would be out the whole $300. “It certainly doesn’t speak well for a stock to take a slump from to 15 or lower. Looks as if the bottom had fallen out of the mine. Well, I don’t care. If I get it in the neck it will teach me a lesson to be more careful in the future.” He showed the certificates to his father. , “The par value of this stock is $5,000. It’s nominal value is about $500. I gave $300 for it, and have an offer of $337.50 for it. As it was once worth 90 cents a share I bers | think I'll hold on to it on the chance of Fp up to 25 or 30 cents. I guess $300 won’t break me if I should lose it in-the long run.” That’s the way Dick explained the matter to his father, and as Mr. Merriton did not know much about mining stocks he did not criticise his son’s speculation. Next morning the boy brought the certificates downtown and showed them to Mr. Barker, telling him how they had come into his possession. “Tt was very foolish of you to invest your little money in that stock, Dick,” said the broker. “I rgee you were sharper than to do such a thing as that. hile Mohawk Central once attracted some attention in the mining mar- ket, the mine has since failed to realize the expectations based on its early output. Unless new developments come to light it is more than probable that it will be dropped from the mining exchan, and then the stock will have no speculative value, which means that nobody will care to buy it. I'll write a letter to the secretary of the Mining Exchange about it and you can take it-over now. If you can t what you paid for it, or a small advance on it, you'd fetter. get rid of it, keep your hands off such stuff in the future.” ; “Mr. Hayden, of No.—— Broad Street, offered $337.50 for it over the ’phone yesterday afternoon. It was prac- bee on the strength of that I made the deal.” “Then if I were you. I’d let him have it, unless the sec- retary of the Exchange has something encouraging to say ‘| about the mine.” Mr. Barker wrote the note and handed it to Dick. “Get back as Soon as you can,” he said. bt, however, if the stock could be sold on the or in Jersey City, to-day for half It might fetch 10 or 12 cents a share in Goldfield, if a purchaser turned up. Until fresh develo ts oceur the mine its speculative value will be ematical.” ~ PER rospects improvement in the mine’s ou 2?” asked e mine is The ing worked right . is trying to Eten Fa lost ee If vein of good paying ore, the stock — proportionate to the demand
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lose much by doing so, and he may make a good thing out _ Of the stock by and by.” . “Here is a memorandum of the five certificates in question, each for 1,000 shares, made out in the name of Alexander The seller claimed to be Mr. Badlam. Should you 7 ever learn that the stock was stolen you can communicate if With Mr. Barker. Here is his card.” ae “I will make, a note of the matter. Who bought the ty _ stock?” 2 Ezy “Richard Merriton.” : “Tell Mr. Merriton to write to the offices of the company at Denver and have the transfer made on its books. If _ there is anything wrong about the transaction he will hear _ from the secretary of the eee _ That closed the interview and Dick -returned to the office __and reported what he had learned to Mr. Barker..: “Are you thinking of holding on to the stock?” asked _ the broker. - “Yes, sir,” replied Dick. - The trader shrugged his shoulders and turned to his desk. é« That day Dick, while out on an errand, heard three brokers _ talking about D. & L. 3 zie From the substance of their conversation the boy judged _' that they entertained a strong suspicion that there would be something doing in the ‘stock soon. _ At any rate, D. & L. advanced to 61 5-8 that day. _. Dick’s last errand that day was to carry a package of | bonds to Mr. Littleton’s office. _ The lawyer received him very graciously and talked quite 2 little while with him. -. _ On his return to the outer office, Dick stopped at Mr. _ MeIntyre’s desk, to exchange a few words with him and _then he went over to the stenographer’s table. “ “Good-afternoon, Miss Grant,” said 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.” ss _ “I suppose I could call you Dick, but in that case you _ muistn’t call me Miss Grant. That’s just as formal as call- yx: ing, ou Mr. Merriton.” ; _ “Yd just as soon call you Nellie, if you didn’t object.” __ “Oh, I don’t object,” she replied, with a coquettish glance _“Yhanks. Then it shall be Dick and Nellie after this. _ That’s understood, isn’t it?” ~ "Yes, of course,” she answered: with a la a ugh, “I suppose you didn’t see the wallet that Mr. Littleton sent me for saving him from that crazy heir-at-law?” _ *No, I did not.” TA it’s a beaut. Here itis, I found a $100 bill in it, _ “Isn’t it a handsome one?” ~ “Almost too und. ‘x4 pI a “Then. the yh mye sai __ “Apparently it does. At any rate I took the liberty of using 3 % @ margin on a stock deal I put through, and “*You did!” she exclaimed in astonishment. “You made __ 3s much as that?” — ~. “I did. Now-I’ve used part of that money in another deal, and if my calculations don’t go wrong Til make $4,000 or 000 more.” ; “You must be: awfully smart,”“she said, looking at him ™ ngly. wt . ‘That isn’t for me to say. I am making a study of the a@rket right along, and now that I have a little capital I trying to put my knowledge to the best use.” hope you will be very 2” nk you. I think I ought to send you a box of candy strength of my first deal, if you will permit me to. oe A GRIP ON THE MARKET. carry | It was last quoted at 12 cents, but I doubt if 1| future. it will -9 : “Why, what a question!” she said, looking somewhat con- “T thought maybe I could fili the bill till you got somebody you liked better. 5 7 ee Nellie flushed to her hair, but said nothing. . “We're good friends, anyway, aren’t we, Nellie?” he said. “I hope so,” she replied. i : “You’re the nicest girl I know, and I won’t even except my sister, who is one of the finest girls in the world. I hope you don’t mind me telling you what I think of you, for I always say what I mean. It’s a habit I have.” The girl made no reply, and kept her eyes averted. . “Well, I’ve got to get a move on. I'll send you the candy - = Bye chance I get. Good-by,” he said, holding out is hand. “Good-by,” she said, giving him hers, and flashing a look in his face that made his blood flow quicker. “I hope to see you soon again.” “vou will if I can find a chance to get up here,” he repli ext day he sent her a box of the best chocolates and a big bunch of violets by an A. D. T. messenger. yo days later the Exchange was thrown into great ex- citement by the sudden rise in D. & L. shares. The stock appeared to be so scarce that there seemed to be no Frm in the minds of the brokers that it had been corne. - A concerted bear attack on the stock failed to accomplish ‘anything and D. & L, soared triumphantly 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 memorandum of his cer-, tificeates and asking to have the stock entered in the com- pon he books in his name. e also asked for some information about the mine. In due course he received a reply stating that the trans- feaed been err ao . = iusnaves zie € secretary also spoke encouragin about the pros- pects of the mine, assuring Dick that the pF hecine 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. you could get 6 for it on the Curb.” __ : ae as “I don’t care,” replied Dick. “I can afford to keep it — indefinitely.” iy “I am glad to hear that your finances are in so flourish- _ ings ~~ ition,” replied the broker, with a tinge of sarcasm — in his tone, ee It sounded strange to him to hear-a messenger boy speak so lightly about a $300 investment that had so Fiat Be sors Py But then he didn’t know that Dick was worth $7,700 in- _ dent of the Mohawk Central stock. ; eae ad someone vegeta ae of that fact it would have been a t surprise to 2 ; == “x ick sent Nellie Grant a note telling her he had made — eps Reh Es pare emntgmntte odin. 2 ac ri ° it? He did not fail to send. two-pound box of candy and de another bunch of violets with the n ‘ He alee, enpeioed Bob Browning by presenting him with — * why, how can you afford to give me so much?” asked — Bob ing with a doubtful sense of pro shi 5 ig oThat’s ay Bob. Just put the money in ae must have got hold of enough money to bay. va¥ou must have, got hol PRES ep rset do you any good to know, I will tell y eat r : ae a | re
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“10 “But I’d like to know——” : “There are lots of things people would like to know that they never learn about. You’ve got your $100, so choke 0 About a week later Dickyheard two brokers talking about & N. stock. ; | “You won’t make any mistake in buying 1,000 shares, Abe,” said one. ; “On what ground?” asked his friend. “I have it on the best authority that the company has secured control of the D., B. & A. That means a monopoly of the business between Memphis and Nashyille. 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 4 of difference in, the price of M. & N.” Dick didn’t hear any more, but he was interested enough in what he heard to look M. & N. up when he got back to the office. It was ruling around 65. _ That oon on his way home he stopped in at the little bank and left an order for the purchase of 1, shares of the stock. m Taking a stout cord from his to one of his friends, who imm Dick thought the actions of the three bgt arey 3 yer: urley bore 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.” ; u three boys meant to jump on him ‘and-upset him, and he prepared himself for a scrap. : They made no move of that kind as he passed between them, but Hurley and the boy against the wall suddenly their hands about a foot. : Tee & moment Dick felt himself tripped up and flying _. through the air. _ He was as active as a cat, however, and cdme down on } _ Hurley and his friends uttered a shout of derisive laugh- and started to run. ; ; P aie _ The former, in his eagerness to escape the possible con- of an encounter with Dick, forgot that there was at hand leading down to an A. D. T. mes- that he plunged head first down into the was placed a e distance themselves mua ibcene of tremble and-had. quit 7 s+ “hadnt seen. Hurley's header, and were wondering |. ‘Tom’s but he at- | wer A GRIP ON THE MARKET. nursing his injured jaw and at the same time trying to escape from the grasp of the manager of the messenger office, who was about as mad as any man could well be. _. Dick couldn’t quite understand what had happened, but the fact that his enemy was in trouble was ruffled feelings. : The manager didn’t dally long with Hurley. ; He cuffed him two or three times, and finally gave him a .| kick that sent him flymg back up the stairs, on which he landed, sprawling on all fours. ys Dick was satisfied that Hurley was getting all that was coming to him so he decided not to add to the young rascal’s discomfiture, as he scorned to strike any one who was not able to hold his own. Leaving Tom to pick himself up and escape from a bad box he continued on his way poring: On his way back to the office he almost ran into Hurley, who was Puging one Exchange Place, looking like a wrec “Hello, Tom Hurley,” he chuckled, “been having a scrap with an automobile? You look all broke up.” Hurley dodged as thoygh he thought Dick was going to “What did you dodge for?” grinned Dick. “Did you think a safe was falling on you?” “Go to blazes!” snarled Hurley, with a vindictive glare in his eyes. 000 | hit him. Dick. “If you hadn’t got into trouble on your own hook I’d have knocked the daylights out of you. I wouldn’t ad- vise 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.” With those — words the young seepenges walked off, quite satisfied that, for the present at least, Hurley had been punished enough. Two _ later the news came out on the Exchange about ages N. road having secured control of the D., B. & . line. 5 Thal, eeathed a kind of high te on the floor; the b: A ers piling over one another in their eagerness to ho of M. & N. shares. ph , > x Those who knew in advance what was going to happen had secured so much of the stock at the p ing before the announcement that there was very little | outsiders to fatten on. In an hour the price of M. & N. went from 65 5-8 to 72. It was — around’ 73 when Dick ordered his 1,000 shares sold, and they were snapped up in a twinkling. After going half a point higher the price aiooppell to 70 under heavy selling orders. for ‘ alm to his ~ “It doesn’t seem to pay you to get gay with me,” said Dick, however, took no further interest in the fate of the — stock after he was out of the running, 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 $15,600. * 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 more money in the stoc ay -_ again, and the $600 looked like a small fortune to her. ‘A month ed away and Dick, while attending faith. fully to- his duties as m ger in Mr. Barker’s kept a sharp watch also on “ie stock market. : * One Saturday afternoon after business 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 Har- well-dressed = entered the car behind them and course she was delighted to hear that-had been lucky — ~ fy Pn “* sa* P a
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= “Ci the office. ~ Sis » the following _ I got your address from him, Bs out “You’d better act on my tip right away, for you won’t such another chance to double your money in a hurry. 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 headquarters, and you can rely 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 news of the consoli- dation will be public property een this and Wednesday. I'm 5 eo ae 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 are wise you'll it every cent you can raise by hook or by crook into H. & . With as little delay as possible.” The other gentleman drew an old letter from his pocket and ag: to make figures on the back of it, “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 aple to put up enough collateral to get out another 500 on Tuesday. ,, You ean safely hold on for 85,” said the broker. “When it reaches that price sell out. It will probably go higher, but I would not advise’you to run the risk of an unexpec sl because there was more profit in sight. Close out at 8” 3 The men talked a while longer about H. & O. and then branched off on another subject. They left the car at the Fifty-ninth Street station, and Dick nudged Bob’s arm. “Hello, what is it?” asked Browning. lve caught on to a pointer,” replied Dick, in a low tone. A pointer! What kind of one? '“A stock pointer, of course.” - “How?” cosy Saw those two gentlemen who just got out, didn’t “No, I didn’t notice them. What about them?” “One is a broker. I think his name is Steinfeldt. 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 on.” “Then you're going to put your money into it, eh?” “J am, and I advise you to do the same. The stock is going at 70 now. You’ve cash enough to put up as margin on 15 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 on the street.” *T couldn’t oe away from my job to keep track of a stock deal,” replied Bob. r Let me have your money between this and Monday morn- ing, and I'll attend to it for you. I'll work it in connection with my own deal.” “All right,” replied Bob, promptly. “I'll fetch the cash around to your house to-morrow afternoon. I shoul only too happy to make $200, bet your boots,” © True to his promise, Bob brought the money to Dick on ay, and at the first chance he got Monday, the young messenger invested nearly all his funds in 2,000 _ shares of the for his friend Bob. That afternoon when he returned to the office about three after carrying the Kt he deposits to the bank, he found a “well-dressed man, a sunburned countenance, waiting “Are you Richard Merriton?” the stranger inquired, sizing the boy up with some curiosity. . *That’ name,” replied Dick. sca | not Bias m bought a block of Mohawk Central from Alexander Badlam a few weeks ago?” ek: daa.” ‘ ete 298 ret fe Se stokih: todo’ wo.” veplied Dick pte: i) particu ,” repli ck. 1 for some of it, and would give 15 ining “Iam looking aroun _. ¢ents-a share.” “ ess Die Mr. Badlam send you to me?” I called to see the secretary of the bg oar and as I was coming ast, and dropped in to see if you wanted to sell the shares.” . ee think you could have gotten all you wanted est. : x “| ‘but I believed I could buy it cheaper in New ie fers seems to be no market for it here”... * S - : - ‘ ” “9 A GRIP ON THE MARKET. d be} pay 11 Sat Se SSS Sh eS “The figure you offer me is the latest quotation on the Goldfield Exchange. This is not trying to buy it cheaper. “Then it has dropped since I reached this town? “T have seen no higher quotation than 15 since the stock came into my possession. We get the Western market re- ports in this office right from the Mining Exchange. I have been looking to see it go to 20.” : 3 “Mining shares are very uncertain things to hold for a rise,” said the stranger. “If you are willing to give 15 cents I guess I can 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?” Pp “I didn’t suppose you gave more than 10 cents at the ou side, because that was Saat it was selling at about the time. the transfer was made on the companys books. “Well, I won’t sell at 15 cents,” replied Dick, decidedly. “What do you\ want for it?” “J haven’t thought about a price.” “Couldn’t you set a figure? : ‘ _ The man’s persistency aroused Dick’s suspicions that per- haps some uable 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 Cehtral once sold for 90 cents. It may go to that again.” s “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, ‘suddenly. ~- “No, but I'll tell you what I will do, I’ll give you 20.” “J don’t care to sell the stock.” “Are you holding out for 25?” , “I am holding out for a strike in the mine, and the chance of it going’ to $1 at least.” ‘ The stranger looked disgusted. “You'll be disappointed,” he said, emphatically. “Tf I am that will be my own funeral. I got the stock cheap and can afford to hold on to it indefinitely.” “Then you won't accept my offer?” F Dick shook his head. ! “Will you take 25 cents a share?” “No, sir. I won’t take 50 cents.” hey int can’t do business?” said the stranger, 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.” : “Perhaps, but I can’t understand why you are willing to 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 sf arctan ved Dick’ rtinent ‘k The stranger looked anno at Dick’s pertinent remar 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, didn’t you?” “Yes.” “Then it’s a wonder you didn’t look me up ‘at first.” -*J intended to, but mislaid your address.” Pick had an idea that the visitor hadn’t told the exact th. _ mcWell, I’m sorry, but I have decided to hold on to my stock. f ; “You won't. sell for 25 cents?” an, ” all the time that I had 5,000 shares, 0. : ; “Tl give you 30.” sae “Tt’s no inducement,” replied the boy, now fully satis- — fied that there was something in the wind about “There’s my name and address. I shall be at the Astor House until next Thursday. If you should, change your mind before then let me know.” © “J will,” replied Dick. cy The stranger then wished him good day and took his de- _ ohawk — Central that was not. generally known. os
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12. A GRIP ON THE MARKET. CHAPTER X. DICK MAKES A BIG HAUL. When Dick reached home he told his father about the stranger who had called at the office that afternoon and of- fered: him 30 cents a share for his Mohawk Central stock. “Thirty cents!” said his father. “That’s quite an advance over what you paid for it. Did you accept his offer?” “T did not.” ; “Then the price has gone up, has it? I have not heard you mention anything about the stock since you bought it.” “Tt has gone up to 15 on the Goldfield Exchange, but I couldn’t get that for it on the Curb if I wanted to sell it.” “Then why did you refuse 30 for it from that man? Didn’t he have the cash to back his offer?” “J didn’t ask him whether he had the money or not, but ‘I suppose he wouldn’t have made the offer if he wasn’t prepared to pay for it if I took him A 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’s my opinion he has been quietly buying up all the shares he can find in the hands of the mining brokers at whatever figure he could get it for, and finally he called on me to get the 5,000 shares he learned I bought of Mr. Badlam.”. P “You may be right, Dick,” -said his father, reflectively. “Whether I’m right or not I’m willing to take a chance on it. The stock-only cost me $300, so I can easily afford to hold on to it as long as I choose. I can’t lose more than the $300, while I stand to win several times that amount ‘ if my surmise is correct.” { Next morning Dick told Mr. Barker about the stranger and his offer of 30 cents a share for Mohawk Central. at “Do you mean to say that he made you a bona fide offer of 30 cents for that stock?” *“So I took it to be.” The broker looked the mine up on the previous day’s Gold- field report. — gies “That’s singular. There was a sale of 6,500 shares on _' the Goldfield Exchange yesterday at 15 cents. Did you take him up $33 “No, sir. “Why not?” asked the trader, in surprise. “Because I believe it is worth more than 30.” “How can it be when the market price is 15?” ; “IT have an idea that the market price is likely to be nearer 50 than 15 in a short time.” _. “Upon my word, young man, you are developing an ex- traordinary Seechavwhetye of the value of mining stock,” said _ Mr. Barker, sarcastically. “Are you gifted with second ig ht? 1 No, sir, but I believe I can see through a millstone when - there’s a hole in it.” _ “Indeed! Perhaps you will tell me on what ground you base your idea that Mohawk Central, 'a comparatively dead security, is likely to advance in price to 50? Nig “Well, sir, that gentleman didn’t look at all crazy, and S very clever, young man, and may be the hand is worth two in the bush. very handsome profit, and, I may add, e sum for a messenger ae be worth.” messenger boys to be wo: more than that, bably ambitious to be- indeed? You are e the wealthy ones, eh?” said the broker, iron- “Then you think I acted foolishly in refusing to sell at’ 30?” ‘ “Tf the man really meant business, I do.” “But how do you account for him making such a liberal offer?” “It is quite possible he is acting for parties who wish to secure 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 in- stances frequently occur.” “Well, I have his name and address. him word if I changed my mind. between this and next Thursday.” Dick left the room, but though he thought the matter over before he was sent out on his first errand, he did not think he was likely to change his mind. That afternoon H. & O. advanced two points, and after he got off he went around to the King Building and told Bob that his stock was worth $30 more than he had paid for it. “That’s fine,” replied Browning. “And how much more is your stock worth?” “The same as yours, of course, $2 a share.” “T 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 mornin Ra a have a fit, and that wouldn’t do at all,” chuckl ick, “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 be- lieve me?” If. you told me that you had 500 He told me to send I'll consider the matter “Don’t talk nonsense. I’d take your word for it, though it would be pretty hard to swallow.” is “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. He was not disappointed. On his second visit to the Exchange about noon the an- nouncement of the consolidation of another road with H. & O. was made, and the chairman had, hardly finished 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 Ex- change opened. = _ While Dick stood at the railing his worldly wealth in- . creased at the rate of $2,000 at a clip for several minutes. When he saw 77 posted up on the blackboard, which indi- cated 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. “Hey! Dern you, leave me alone!” cried a familiar voice, oon ogy he woke up to the fact that he had hold of Tom urley. Dick dropped him like a hot coal and came back to earth. The broker he was waiting for came up to the railing at that moment and he han the note to him that he brought. The trader read it and told him there was no Dick hurried back to his own office, wondering if would go up to 85 that day. ; It went to 83. oe On his way home he stopped in at the _and told the clerk to instruct their representative to _ out his 2,000 shares and Browning’s 15 next morning at 85. — ci use 50 = & oO.
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CHAPTER XI. * DICK GOES INTO BUSINESS ON HIS OWN ACCOUNT. “Say, pop,” said Dick that evening at the supper table, “Yl bet you can’t guess how much I’m worth at this mo- _™ent.” t ~ “You were worth $14,000 something over a month ago.” _“That’s right,” replied Dick, ~ _. “Have you beén working another successful deal?” asked “his father, with not a little interest in his tones, while Dick’s mother and sister looked at him with an air of expectation. _ The family had come to regard Dick as an uncommonly ‘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 pape reat factor in the little household. + ‘gotten over feeling surprised at anything he accomplish. =a “4 his 5,000 shares of ong 3 stock had suddenly become ‘worth $50,000 they would not have been greatly astonished, for he had told so many stories about people getting. ricli 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 Satur- day. I backed it to the extent of $14,000. I bought it at 70 —n Monday morning and yesterday morning I sold it at 85, 2 little over $29,000, consequently I’m worth “ss family looked at Dick in surprised silence. 4 aoe think I’ve worked long enough as a messenger boy, good folks,” he went on, “so I’ve decided to resign my job ~and into business on my own hodk. I think ‘Richard Broker,’ would look very well on a frosted glass doc At any rate, I’m going to have it put on one. In the time I think it will be well for mother to look for a bet- ter flat, in a more stylish neighborhood. I am able to sup- port the family now in good , and sis needn’t work any More unless she wants to.” . © Dick’s little speech created considerable excitement at the table, and after the family realized that the young house meant business, and was in position to his last week’s stay with Mr. Barker he broke in who was a distant relative of the trader, He out Ses a somebody to guarantee the rent. hat’s the matter with me paying you the five months’ up to May 1 in advance?” he said to the agent of the “Well, that’s something, of course, but still I must have 2 Sipe lage tong anyway.” : art can. refer you to Mr. Samuel Littleton, a lawyer, in the ry well. I'll call on‘ Mr. Littleton some time to-day. d the office until to-morrow morning at ten o’clock.” s satisfied with this arrangement, and he decided it. Littleton right away and let him know how he and what he wanted the office for. —~ ingly he started for the Mills Building. mrnn Mr. Littleton,’’ he said. Merriton,” said the lawyer, shaking hands a seat. : I have taken the li of 2,” *said Dick. “I ; ng and the agent said it would be necessary to erence as to nage ner aaa gg dod. be : name and he said he woul call on you some time ¥ >? orTning giving you as < A GRIP ON THE. MARKET. the lawyer in and was immediately admitted to | pa want to hire an office in the | Broad Dick re 13 EEE “Have you left Mr. Barker?” asked the lawyer, evidently surprised. “Yes, sir.” “And may I ask what you intend to do with an office?” “Open up as a broker, sir,” replied Dick coolly. “As a broker?” “Yes, sir.” The lawyer was clearly a bit staggered. — “Are you really in earnest, Merriton?” “T am, sir.” “Did you haye any trouble with Mr. Barker?” “No, sir.. He offered to raise my salary if I’d stay, but I didn’t care to.” ; “You left on your own accord, then?” x “Yes, sir.” “With the view of opening an office yourself?” i “Yes, sir.” | The lawyer drummed on his desk and regarded Dick rather | quizzically. “You are rather young and, I should think, inexperienced to branch out in this way, don’t you think?” asked the law- |yer, as considerately as he could. “Then it takes quite a | jittle capital to run the business.” “J may be young, but I’m ambitious to make a start in life. Perhaps I’m not so inexperienced as you may think. As to capital, Pve nearly $50,000 which I made myself out - of the stock market in the last few months.” “You have a capital of nearly $50,000?” ejaculated the lawyer. wes, sir. If you have the time to listen I'll tell you how I got my start, and how I made the money.” 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 subsequent deals, the last of which had recently panned him: out’ $20,000. “If I can do as well as that under a messenger’s handicap, I think I can do better now that I have both time and a good capital at my' disposal,” he concluded. “At any rate, I’m going to try. Of course, I hardly expect to get custom- ers right away, but while speculating for myself I’m going, to make myself known, so that when business does begin to come my way I won’t be such a new thing.” Diek and Mr. Littleton had quite a lengthy conversation, 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 with- out 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 be- lieve. My sister has promised to call about that time, too. T’ll introduce you to her. She’s very anxious to meet you, Then we'll go out and have lunch together.” j he already Dick wrote the floor-and number of the room considered a8 good as his, and gave her the paper. “You won’t disappoint me, will you?” he said earnestly. , “J shan’t consider that I’m fairly launched 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.” “J will come unless something should prevent me doing. so,” she replied, with a smile. . ; “ 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 furnishin ; Next morning he called on the agent of the Globe Build- _ ing promptly at ten. : He was told that the office was his, and that he need only y one month’s rent in advance,. which he did and got his receipt and the key of the office. Er He lost no time in making his arrangements about fur- nishing it a desk, a safe, a rug, some water-color pic- - tures, and such other articles as he would require. He left an order for printing and stationery at a house on __ street, and then went to see about having a ticker _ installed and a telephone put in, ae On W door,
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as att aes I attention, & ee 14 On Thursday he wrote an advertisement and paid for its| at the tables rather envied Dick and Bob because they were continuous insertion in two of the Wall Street dailies. i He also put a similar advertisement in an evening news- “aah that was largely read by people interested in Wall reet. On Friday morning he received his printing, books and stationery, and now considered that if any business came his way he was ready to grapple with it,/for he had made an arrangement with a young broker he knew, who was a mem- ber of the Stock Exchange, to put through any orders that he secured, and allow him a part of the commission. . ’ That afternoon he walked next door into the King Build- ing and waited for Bob’s elevator. Hello, Dick,” said Bob. al?” ‘ “Not this time. ‘I’m just going up for the ride. I’ve got something to tell you.” “What is it? Another tip?” _ “No. Do you think you can stand a “a attack of heart failure?” m t- kind of a surprise are you going to spring on me?” “T want you to meet me at Room 416, in the Globe Build- , next door, to-morrow when you get off. Will you?” ure, 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 place 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. I’ve goi a nice. =o: ah ques of shears in my desk for the first inno- I "t surprise without get- cent lamb t wanders in here.” “T don’t quite y “Don’t you know that the lambs come to Wall Street to 7 a agg not b-o-l. See the point on ed. “When a b bles he risks his fleece. All the brokers keep a pair of sharp shears to relieve them of their wool. etimes the brokers tise 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 sister. “May I see your shears?” ~ ; ; PA 0. We never exhibit them till we need them in our busi- “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 ping together like old friends, much to Dick’s satis; sey Dick heard an exclamation outside in the corri- the door and Bob walked in. - eS ‘Richar a) Jupiter! What ‘does this mean? 3 Merrion, Stocks and Bonds.’ Have you gone into business Tie Sa if you haven’t a nerve! When did you leave Bar- “Last Saturday.” . A GRIP ON THE MARKET. “Bound for the sixth floor, as} _ enjoying the society of such e yo vege spent an hour in the then Dick paid tHe bill with the air of a capitalist. They walked up as far as the Brooklyn Bridge together, where they ed, Dick escorting Nellie to her home in Brooklyn and Bob taking Edith up to Harlem. ’ companions. and CHAPTER XII. DICK’S FIRST CUSTOMER. Dick appeared at his officelat half-past nine Monday morn- ing, gazed complacently at his name on the frotsed glass pane, unlocked the door and entered. “It’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 a ae is in a par- ticular 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 advertisement running. He picked them up, and, seating himself at his desk, began to read the latest financial and general Wall Street intelli- gence. , At half-past ten he went over to the visitors’ gallery of the Exchange, where he remained watching the brokers and rosa imag of the market till he felt hungry, when he went 0 lunch. : That was about the way he passed his time for the next three or four cays 7 Nobody disturbed him when he was in the office, and his account books remained untouched in his safe. a Occasionally he unlocked the inner door of the safe to take a look at the sum of $4,000 that he kept there in case some- thing turned up that would call for the expenditure of such a sum. ‘ The balance of his funds remained in safe deposit vauit. . Ie st ; When he returned to his office Friday afternoon. he found a letter on the floor where the letter carrier wed it through the mail slit in the door. It bore the mark of Vineland, New Jersey. © - He opened it and found the following note in a woman’s handwriting: 1 “208 Grove street, Vineland, N. J.” — “Richard Merriton, Broker: ‘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 on of Withers & Co., stock brokers, of the King Buil » who are pie it against my will because my step-father has re- quested them to do so. But I will be of legal age to-morrow and intend to come to New York and demand it of them. I have learned that my step-father, Mr. Peck, intends to forestall me through a court order. I will/therefore call at your office by eleven in the morning, and will ask you to ac- company me to the office of Withers & Co., where I will make a demand for the stock in your presence. My : " authority over me will cease at midnight bg <- that Withers & Co. will have no right. to hold the from me- after that hour. Yours respectfully. a “ANNIE BURNSIDE.” — “The Dickens! And you never told me anything about it!’ | “This seems to be my first customer, and from the tenor ae ee urbe e you.” of her note it a a ge my yng might have a stren hav e, - 4 , . u as read note over again, gh over and Tl introduce you to the young lady who’s “So \ sthers & Co. are Stating her prapanty against her : will? Well, it is lucky she will be of age to-morrow, or she Fhe four were soon talking together. might not be able to get it. I wonder What the trouble is ell, it’s time we went out to lunch,” said young | between her and her step-father? If-he reaches wien broker at length. “Bob, you will do the honors for my _sis-; Co: with a court order before she ean make her demand that ter, while Miss Grant, I guess, accept my escort. This| will probably tie the stock up until the i lunch is on me as a sort of chri of my new office, so| her rights. Now, I might get ahead of Emape rept, atl de oy ries ee order could show iat she bad sold the my u uckl order was signed by: judge. er ul bee ies we a Gee conicg hl ondored | cela ie dcinueeh ah heer tee aeaaieesoer : ated at one es he or e is delayed un ” the best spread the house could Lap | vlications that wouldideprive her of her rirhts ere on vivacious, the | though ultimately she would be bound to the gentlemen’ if it really belongs to her. How can I
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¥ é ff ’ A GRIP ON THE MARKET. 15 by the forelock? By taking an early train to Vineland, call- ing on her at her home and a bill of sale of the stock _from her and an order on Withers & Co. for its delivery to Mr. Withers might refuse to let me have it because he knows me as Mr. Barker’s messenger. However, I’m no souee Mr, Barker’s messenger, but a regu- : have the right to buy any stock that for. is gilt- apes stock, and I have no- it is going up. It d be safe enough for me to buy her shares at the market. Or I could make a pre- tended sale with her, giving her, say ten per cent. down, then send her the balance after I, had sold it later on. rate, I’d like to help Miss Burnside out of her scrape, V'll do it if I can.” : gave the subject his attention that afternoon and de- go to Vineland early next morning. found he could get there at half-past eight, about an _—— the. young lady intended to take a train for ° HE could transact the business within that time and she could come to the city with him afterward. merrenely, he left home at six next morning, got a hasty breakfast down-town and caught the 7:20 train for Philadel- Phia, which stopped at_ Vineland, He rang the bell at 208 Grove street at a quarter to nine, and asked the maid who came to the door to take his name i ge Burnside. @ was shown into a cozy little parlor and presently a pretty Fy lady came into the room. : She held Dick’s card in her hand and was surprised to see @ good-looking boy instead of a full-grown man whom she to meet. iss Burnside?” said the young broker interrogatively. “Yea. I ume Mr. Merriton sent you to see me?” she in a chair close to her visitor. “J am Richard Merriton, broker, Miss Burnside.” “She received his ye? 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 de- cided that it would be to ond ‘interest to see ‘you as early as possible regarding the stock in question,” ve: ’t you rather young to be a broker?” she asked in a “ ps I look younger than I really am,” replied Dick tically, for he knew that his mission would be a fail- “ure unless he could inspire the young lady with some confi- ‘dence in his business ability, “but I assure you that I can s*+do as well to assist you out of your trouble as though I had full set of whiskers. I am acquainted with the firm of tae & Co. that you mentioned in your letter, Miss Burn- ” “Are you, indeed?” she replied, brightening up. “Yes. My object in coming to see you ore you called On me was to propose a plan for side-tracking that court or- der which you ‘anticipate that your step-father intends to out. You could not reach my office before eleven o’clock. . Peck, by taking the eight o’clock train for New York, would have time to get the order and serve it on Withers & you your demand on the firm for the stock. y your property would come into the custody of and you would probably be put to some expense, ss of time, before you could establish your rights rs hae York by the eight o’clock train,’ young , looking uneasy. : : may depend on it that he went to secure that me just what the trouble is about the stock, and a ‘ ines ale ent EE for checkmating your step-father.” her mother had died nearly a year ing her 200 shares of D. & G. preferred stock, 5 i i I ae “i 3 q a; s i : s & ; 4 8 ground that being under age she had ificates herself. 7 turn them over to him, and kept them couldn’t find them ose ; ing close on her th birthday, enelad the’ bodes New York and Withers & Co. to dispose*of. her that the ‘price was likely to go ae Ht wig ko ~ placed it in the Peck, had. visited their office and made a demand on them for the stock, stating that, as she was under age and sub- ject to his authority, the securities could not be sold without his permission. Miss Burnside said she immediately wrote Withers & Co: to return the stock to her by registered mail, but this they refused to do on the ground that Mr. Peck had threatened to hold them responsible if they gave up the securities be- foré he could mstitute legal proceedings to get possession of the stock. akaete stock actually belongs to you, Miss Burnside?” said ick, “Tt does,” she replicd. “And you are eighteen years old to-day?” “Yes, since ten minutes after midnight.” “Very good. You havea 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 my office, which isin the Globe Building, next door to the King Building, where Withers & Co. have their office, while made a demand on Mr. Withers for the certificates. I expect to bring them back with me, and then I’ll advance you whatever money you want pending the actual sale of the stock, say in a few days, when it reaches a higher figure.” : “Do you think you can get the shares for me that way, Mr. Merriton?” she ask “J can’t guarantee to, but there is more chance of my do- ing it that meg than any other,” replied Dick. ‘J am sure I can trust you, Mr. Merriton,” said the young lady. “I will agree to your plan.” . “Wery 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 girl who let “me in.” This was carried out, and then they had just time for Miss Burnside to get ready and sconenen ne ie to the sta- tion, where they caught the 9:30 train for New York. CHAPTER XII. DICK SECURES THE D. & G. STOCK. J q Dick found Miss Burnside a very interesting and intelli- gent young act yaa they got very well acquainted on the in to New York. ane 7 escorted her to his office, which they yeached about eleven o’clock. k i “Now I will re! next wg 3 ond try to get possession of our 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. “Hello, cld man,” exclaimed Browning. “Where to now?” “Withers & Co., sixth floor. I’m on a rather strenuous job, but I expect to pull out if I have to break a leg.” “How's that?” asked Bob curiously, as he slammed the or and started upward. te would take too long to tell you. Just keep watch for me every time you go . If you see me conting hot-foot let me aboard and keep anybody else out if you can, : “Why, what are you up to?” “Business, Bob, but it’s rather ticklish. Here we sre.” Bob stopped the elevator, opened the door and Dick stepped out on the si oor. The office of Withers & Co. was only a few feet away, and the young broker made areignt for it. He was well known to the office boy, who greeted him y = -* you’ve left Barker,” he said. eens are you working for now?” “Myself.” 5 “Yourself!” ejaculated the office boy, astonished. r “Yes, Is Mr. Withers in?” Bie iy tt ey “Who with, some broker?” ‘ “No, with a —- by the name of Peck.” «Pp, eh? That settles it; I’m going in.” “Oh, , you can’t ”” remonstrated the office boy. “can't 12) W. you watch me,” and Dick into the room.
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” ) 16 A GRIP ON “Mr, Withers,” he said, king up to the desk. “Merriton!” 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?” “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.” a Your what?” cried the broker, looking at the card. Richard Merriton, Stocks and Bonds, Room 416 Globe Building.’ Well, upon my word, this is rich,” and he began ‘to laugh heartily. “So you’re a broker now, are you?” 4 “Yes, sir. That’s my business,” replied Dick, with some gnity. “Well, what can I do for you?” “Read that order, please. It is from a customer of mine.” , “A customer of yours, eh?” grinned the broker, immensely tickled at the idea of the boy, who was so recently a mes- senger, having a customer. But a single glance at change in his countenance. He passed the paper to a tall, well-dressed man who sat alongside his desk, and whom Dick judged to be Mr. Peck, Miss Burnside’s step-father. When Dick entered the room he had seen Mr. Peck 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 re- turn. the wallet to his pocket, as he seemed to be waiting for something else from Mr. Withers. When ir. Peck read the order he got very red in the face. How did 1 you get this order?” he demanded harshly. “I received it this morning from Miss Annie Burnside when I parchased the 200 shares of stock from her,” replied Dick coolly. “You purchased the 20@ shares of stock?” snorted the man sneeringly. “Why, you’re only a boy.” “What has that got to do with it?” ng, That stock is worth at the market price about $10,000. Where would you get that amount of money to pay for ae "8 my business, sir. I have money enough to buy 600 shares of D. & G. if I wanted to buy it.” “Tell that to the marines, young man. However, that has no bearing on the case. My step-daughter has no right to sell that stock to anybody. Here is a court order giving me possession of it as her guardian.” “When did the judge sign that order?” “This morning. “At what hour?” ; atirenly twenty minutes past ten,” replied the man un- “The order is valueless, then,” replied Dick triumphantly. “How is it?” S “Because the stock the order caused an immediate eal hol Sem If you refuse I will have you arrested for with- Ties ig property that belongs to me.” ., “I am sorry,” chuckled the trader, “but the certificates, In pursuance to the order of Judge French, which I am besiaa to nize, have out of my possession.” : 4 since you have the stock I request that you ; over to me,” said Dick, turning to Miss Burn- Fggeags doing so,” he answered, laying his you refuse to hand it over to me?” said the young most ; ‘ . _ a 7. , as ‘ er. see wall aa rou “TI do, dockets “9 “J merely took it down the elevator in order certificates which you were trying to deprive me your wallet back by the elevator boy.” “The certificates are mine, or, rather, they bel > my step-daughter, not to you. You stole them from me and — have them in your possession. Arrest him, <5 82] “That is right,’ said the girl, with some i A { sold it to him f stock belongs to Mr. Merriton. share, and e has paid me a part of the right to take the stock from you if you A cee ne ce ands e eman mn e argumen , hearing the girl admit that she had sold the stock, he came to the com clusion that he had no ri to interfere. yh . Mr. Peck. “T’ll see Judge French — <r ig =P:
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_ ~ “Oh, it is,” he sneered. “And how about the balance due you? Do you expect that boy to pay you $15,000?” ; ' » “OF course.” 1. Where do you expect to get $15,000?” Mr. Peck asked “That needn’t worry you. ‘I’ve got the cash. if you or . Mr. Withers’ are itareoted in my financial standing I refer of you to Mr. Samuel Littleton, of the Mills Building. He will teil you pom that will make your hair curl. ow, I shall consider it a’ favor if you gentlemen will with- =: ‘and permit me to finish my business with Miss Burn- Mr. Peck was about to say something when Mr. Withers Bivcked him by the sleeve and said he was going to with- W, and he thought that Mr. Peck had better do the same. It was evidently against his will that Mr. Peck felt obliged to accept this suggestion, and he departed, after telling Dick that he meant to investigate him. Dick got out the latest printed list of current bonds, and indicated certain ones that he thought would fill the bill for’ Miss Burnside. result was she gave him an order to purchase bonds to the amount of what he owed her, and then took her de- Sea for home, Dick promising to forward the. bonds to by registered mail in a few days. CHAPTER XV. ‘ DICK GETS A GRIP ON THE MARKET. In diie time Dick sent the bonds to Miss Burnside and re- ‘Ceived from her a letter of acknowledgment and thanks. During the next three months Dick en _ f deals that raised his capital to about $150,000. a Sag day Bob Browning walked into his office about eleven oc * “Taking a day off, Bob?” asked ‘the boy broker, motion- to a seat beside his desk. “No, I’m bounced.” . “Lost your’ job, eh? What’s the trouble?” _ “Stayed too long on the top floor.” _ “What did you do that for?’ “Interested.” pisoneting I | 4 bys =" g I got onto. How much money have you got, _» “T can raise bac at a pinch.” ? * \ “Can you? en I'll tell you how you can double it easily “Pd like to hear that,” replied Dick, looking interested. _ “TI shall want a good stake out of it because it’s worth it, _ and I lost my job getting onto it.” 4 _ “If there’s anything in it for me I'll see that*you don’t 2 left.” : eeithat's the re Bag talk, old man. Now, listen.” _ Bob then told him that the superintendent of the building che sent him t morning for a certain article kept in a ee closet on the top fioor. He left the elevator standing open while he went to the : a question. % Pw e there he heard yoices in a room beyond. o 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 recog- x on odin Nar oor that they he Idin: _. He soon found out that they were holding a secret meet- > in that unoccupied and, out-of. & ee Z ¢ -the-way room. object of the meeting was the formation of a syndi- cate’ to secure control of iver Rapid Transit e Hudson Ri and then sell out to the United Traction Company A GRIP ON THE MARKET. ged in a couple | posed 17 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 a raft of money out of it.” z “Much obliged, Bob. I'll go with you. If I make a big deal-and come out ahead on it I’ll give you five per cent. of my winnings.” “< That afternoon at half-past three Dick was secreted in the closet. * 2 : Fifteen minutes later the brokers began to arrive singly — = an 3 ‘ , t len ere were fourteen present. Then the door was locked and the proceedings were begun. Dick heard all that transpired in the room. : He found out that the broker who was engineering the scheme had learned the names of all the ae ie who held good-sized blocks of stock in the H. R. Rapid Transit Co. Dick made copious notes of all he heard. : He learned that the result would depend largely on the syndicate acquirement of the bulk of 40,000 hares. shares which the members expected to pick up about the treet. Another meeting was arranged for the following afternoon, when those who signified their willingness to join the pool would come to the room with certified checks for a quarter of a million each. These checks were to be turned over the broker who had gotten up the scheme, and the final arrangements to set the ball rolling would then be made. ~ The Hananes National Bank was named as treasurer for the syndicate. r j ‘Dick got away just as the meeting was breaking up, and returned to his office,-which he had Tett in charge of Bob. After he had thought the matter out he went down to the Mills Building and called on Mr. Littleton. ; He gave the full particulars of the syndicate’s ont operations and asked him if he would in with on a possible. a The lawyer, who had acquired a great respect for the young broker’s shrewdness and ability, listened attentively to all the facts of the case, and then surprised Dick by telle ing him that one of the esstates ne had control of owned 15,000 shares of the H. R. Rapid Transit Co. stock. Mr. Littleton pointed to the name on Dick’s list of shares. that the syndicate counted on acquiring. : “['1l go with you, Merriton, and the estate will figure as a third partner in our deal, for, of course, I shall not sell the stock to any representative of the pool that approaches me with a proposition. I’ll put in $150,000 cash against your amount, and I leave you to work the matter to a successful conclusion.” , Dick left the lawyer's office overjoyed, carrying away Mr. Littleton’s check for his contribution to their fund. dak “[]] start in and buy up the stock at once through a big brokerage house, and with the 15,000 shares of the estate to start with I hope to get a grip on the market,” said Dick to himself. Accordingly, next morning he went to see the head part- ner of the brokerage firm in et atego ‘ is my card,” he said, after taking his seat. “I rep- Pit agers a interests ‘that do not wish to be identified witk a deal they propose to put through. I am therefore going to put the margin up in cash. I want you to start in at once and buy up as quietly 95 possible any part of 30,000 shares of H. R. Rapid t Co, at the market.. I will al- low. you a leeway of one point, and will deposit with you $300,000 to cover the transaction. nm : At three o’clock that day the trader notified Dick by mes- senger that he had secured ,22,000 shares of the stock. Dick, after figuring up the perp sent him word to quit he had A more. bas - oung broker visited the closet on the top floor of the King Building at four that oon, and found out some more valuable points on the matter in hand, ‘ S- The o ions of the syndicate were to begin at once, ate Pee Te those lutenestod in tha deal taking. 0: hana push things along. The head of the 1 took charge of baying the floating shares, while the others were told off to e persons on the list who were likely to part with their stock. — 2 was on call. PELs 9 roject to corner as many of the floating shares as ”
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* “> “of / A GRIP ON THE MARKET. eee an CHAPTER XVI. A HOT TIME IN WALL STREET. Broker Westlake, who was managing the interests of the Syndicate, soon discovered that there was an unexpected searcity 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 30,000 and 40,0000 shares among the brokers. After he had gathered-in 20,000 shares he began to ex- perience great difficulty in finding any moré. So he had to go to 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 bey doe gel i ea of ae gears ah eal open to offers. is e syndica i i i ? 95,000 Die ay yn e Posen ed in getting possession This amount was within 10,000 of the number held by the people in power, who believed that they controlled the vot- mm power Fiche Pg eee : a matter of fact, id, il i i ught the ag ey did, until the rival syndieate en the people who were managing the road woke up ' to-the situation they found out that their control of the line was in jeopardy. They immediately held a meeting and decided that they ' must raise funds enough to secure at least 20,100 more shares of stock. The money was borrowed and brokers were hired to go out and look for the shares. 5 ad members of the rival syndicate, however, were not ~ 'Yhey were scouring around hot-foot after the stock, too. thousand shares were still outside the control of the rival factions. Of these 15,000 shares were known to be held by Lawyer Littleton, who turned down all offers looking to ¢ Mow: pur- _° chase, 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 em- vee te ite ag a goer but Bg Bs Se Kore g é iden e person for w had been bought. ie) =" ePebr - A couple of weeks passed, during which the price of the rapid transit stock had advanced to 70, and each side had - secured about 3,000.shares more. . Then the following advertisement appeared in a promi- nent part of the “Wall Street News”: HUDSON RIVER RAPID TRANSIT. STOCK. ey For Sale to the Higest Bidder. ial A Large Block of H. . T. Co. Stock. Richard Merriton, ogee * | Ray Pye Building. ‘He inquired the cause ‘of 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 stenographer, and suggested that he’ had better send for the police. A ; The superintendent believed the story, and, rushing down- . stairs, telephoned to the nearest station the apparent state of ae in the Globe Building. Wor and the news bureau, as a matter of course, heard about it. In five minutes the intelligence was ’phoned to every 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 extra through its presses and the newsboys were soon yelling: “Murder and suicide in Wall Street. A broker shoots his stenogra- pher and then kills himself.” In the meantime Dick sprang upon his desk and addressed~ his visitors. He said he had 40,000 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 73 for 30,000 shares. : Barker raised his bid to 7344, and Westlake saw him one- half point better. The bidding became spirited till Westlake offered 75. | As nobody believed that the stock was worth much more Ban or 60 at the outside, great excitement ensued in the crowd. “ To add to the confusion 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. a dias Four policemen also appeared at the same time. : The superintendent, who returned up-stairs soon after send- ing for. the. cops, had discovered by this time that he had been hoaxed, and he tried to square himself with th lice. was sent to the Central Office on Mulberry street, Dick, after receiving 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 up Dick’s desk phone and communicated : with his principals. The reply he got caused him to throw up the sponge, and then Westlake agreed to take the 40,000 shares. *L, 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 de- livered C. O. D. The profit of the deal amounted. to $900,000, of which - amount Dick collared one-third. — : It was some little while before matters could ened out, but for two hours at least there was Wall Street, and the brokers didn’t get over talking about it, nor of Richard Merriton, who had engineered the deal in the rapid transit stock, for a week. he ‘tekighecte a het tine ae big —- “a 4 ‘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 procession of brokers on the bi Ae Dick’s little office. : : boy, guessed what would happen and was on hand “yas ww tS Barker, Dick’s old boss, was the first comer, _ ~ He had learned from Broker Withers, at the time of the _Peck-Burnside episode, that his former messenger had pan nee out as a trader, and the fact had greatly aston- _. He wanted to know something about this block of rapid stock, for he was one of the brokers employed by nanagement to get hold of 20,000 shares. hardly got into conversation with Dick before Mr. ers came in on a errand. top of them came Mr. Westlake, the head of the rival A pede BABY ar Re B E's 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 t, the price going up to $1.50 a share. 4 It subsequently went to $3, at which’ price Dick sold his — 5,000 shares. ae V4 As soon as the Hudson River Rapid Transit Company stock — had been paid for Dick handed Bob Browning $15,000, which — was five percent of his profits. a ee From that day Dick jumped into prominence as a clever — young broker, and had to hire a suite of rooms | Bed down in the building, and a force’of clerks, to acco his rapidly-inereasing business. Ps: A few months later he asked Nelile Grant to marry } ‘and she consented. é fox ns S$ The happy event, however, has not yet come off, but — certainty of the near future, as soon as Dick has made th million he is aiming at. . S, Stele Although he is doing a prosperous business to-day in ter, while the corridor outside| Globe Building, he says test time of his life it srs interested what was go-| when he had A rip on the Market. 20 Se y within reach of Dick tried to get his ear, ‘and| of <NoEY OR FROM itS1d ’ ‘- uch prop tion: : SS- | — - —— esa a +, 4 ; ip the)
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FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY - CURRENT NEWS 19 _ An exposition of guns, ammunition, motor trucks, _trailmobiles, cycles, boats and camp equipment and Supplies, including foodstuffs, will be one of the ' Sections of the preparedness bazaar, to be held in _ the Grand Central Palace in New York city, Dec. 14 to 21 under the auspices of American patriotic 2 aa societies. Motion pictures will be shown of Army, Navy and National Guard maneuvers and Patriotic preparedness and historical films. A con- -Yention or conference on military and industrial Preparedness will also be held. __ Jerome J. Hayes, a farmer of Sutter County, was ‘in Marysville, Cal., recently on business and pur- hased a ten-cent plug of chewing tobacco. Hayes took a big bite off the plug and his teeth came in Contact with a very hard substance. He investi- gated and discovered a solitaird’ diamond in the cen- ter of the chew of tobacco. The diamond is said ‘to be valued at $100. It is presumed that some fair Southern maid working in the tobacco factory accidentally lost the diamond setting from her ring. ee — Government agents reached Nashville lately with en Haddock, an aged and respected citizen of den, Tenn., whom they claim is “the king of Tennessee Wildcatters,” or moonshiners. Had- k was arrested, the officers said, as he finished ing a prayer in the Linden Church, of which is a pillar. For forty-two years, according to Government’s agents, he has been one of the respected members of the community. sad of one of the biggest moonshine distilleries in moonshine belt. = ‘ ot from school in Brooklyn; he boarded a tips amount to from $10 to $20 a week. Summers expects to go into business another year, he says. ; res 1A ¢. nd; forty years, they charge, he has been at the ohn Summers, a seventeen-year-old bellboy in a el in Ann Arbor, Mich., says he has $500 in| ink the result of saving his tips for a year. Fol- g a prank, which threatened to result in ex- train and started West to make his for- He received $10 a month and his board, his first savings he bought a typewriter, he rents to traveling men. He also receives ssion from a local tailor for work brought for him- to rid the farm of H. M. Tilford, million- n, in Monroe Village, near New City, unty, N. Y., of: destru e arrest of Superi ctive muskrats,| dowry, plus compound interest for 448 years, wou endent Leslie W.| amount to perhaps laws. The muskrats, by burrowing tunnels, were undermining buildings, and one of Mr. Tilford’s valuable horses was injured by thrusting its legs into one of the burrows. So the employees got out firearms and set traps for the muskrats. Mr. Pyle was asked by Police Justice Gregory of Monroe in his home: “How many did you trap?” When Pyle replied “Tw,” the Magistrate concluded: “Twenty- five dollars Sicce.” Pyle paid the fine. Church people at Bryan’s Cross Roads, Del., lis- tened faithfully for the church bell for prayer meet- ing one night recently, and, failing to hear it, went their various ways. In the meantime the Rev. Mr. Williams was on hand for the first prayer meeting after the summer vacation. No one attended, and after he had waited for some time he went: home without the meeting. Investigation disclosed the fact that some one had wrapped the church bell with cloths, and while the sexton, old and deaf, had pulled the rope with his accustomed power, the bell gave forth no sound, and no one knew that there was a meeting. y . The London Times reports that there is a great . decrease in the prison population of Great Britain since the war began. The latest report of the Com- — missioners of Police and of the directors of convict prisons states that 114,283 were in restraint laste year, but only 64,160 this. According to this report’ three main causes are responsible for the decrease: (1), The enlistment of many habitual petty offend- ers; (2) the restrictive orders issued by the liquor control and those made by the justices and by mili- ~ tary authorities, and (3) the great demand for labor, rendering employment easy and well paid and resulting in ability to pay fines. This accords with — American experience during our Civil War. : The Orkney Islands, says Pearson’s Magazine, do _ not really belong to Great Britain in the sense that — they were ever ceded by treaty or acquired by conquest. They were simply transferred by Den- mark to Scotland in 1468, in pledge for the payment of the dowry of the Princess of Denmark, who was married to James III, King of Scotland. In the deed © of transfer, which is still in existence, it is specially mentioned that Denmark shall have the right to redeem them at any future time by paying the © original amount of the dowry with interest to date. — There is no likelihood, however, that Denmark will | ever attempt to exercise her right of redemption, because 60,000 florins, the original amount of t 4 PE ge cos. Peg ia
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20 FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. ON TOR” THE BOY WHO GOT THERE By ED KING aie (A SERIAL STORY.) CHAPTER VIII. (Continued). “Ah, Mr. Clark,” said the lawyer in a business- like way. “I am glad to find you. -I have brought a client of mine to see you regarding your Montana land. This is Mr. Johnson Horner.” ' The tall Westerner bowed with a suave manner. Tiff nodded stiffly. He felt an instinctive aversion to the man. _ “Happy to meet Mr. Clark,” said Horner affably. - “Tm a stranger in the East. Own a ranch up in Montana. Want to buy a few acres adjoining so that I can make a corral. Came East to see the owner, Mr. Moses Fiske, and find that he is dead, and has bequeathed the land to you. I am willing , to buy at a fair price.” .. “I shall only charge a small commission,” said Lawyer Reed nonchalantly. “You must regard this _ immediate appearance of a customer as fortunate.” Tiff was for a moment startled. This quick op- rtunity to sell his inheritance might have seemed ee a splendid chance but for a strange eagerness in the stranger’s manner. Tiff was only a boy, but he was possessed of rare perspicacity in many - things. . For a moment he was silent. Tug was perhaps es more astonished one. ~* Are you ready to sell?” asked Lawyer Reed. *T had not given the matter thought,” said Tiff x confusedly. “T have owned.the property only a few hours. In fact, I have jhever seen “4.7 A “Well,” said Johnson Horner, with a slight sneer, “it might be better for you to take a trip out there _ and see it. I think you will be very ready to sell.” “Perhaps so,” said Tiff. “I think I should prefer to see it first.” “Why, that seems fcolish,” declared Reed. “You - would spend a hundred dollars to run out there and back. As I understand the land is worth only about _ three times that sum.” _ +The valuation is excessive at that, ” said Horner, es ‘Stroking his chin. “It is only valuable to me as a £ “Exactly, ” said the lawyer in a smooth way. another chance to Ov bat i own it prenty years, Clark, before bs declared. vi - |eireumstances, Neither will I sell my land ape ey saa the tes tien, For a moment a ey it, Tam bound t ig lars. To him, in his. present circumstances, it seemed like a princely fortune, All things seemed possible with the sum of three hundred dollars at his disposal. - It looked indeed an easy and logical matter to accept that sum without further trouble or the ne- cessity of visiting the land. Perhaps he might never receive such an offer again. But a sudden recollec- - tion came to him. ““Oh/? he exclaimed quickly, “I cannot sell it at’<s any price.” * Lawyer Reed gave a start, and Horner’s face i turned dark with angry disappointment. : Fe CHAPTER IX. OFF FOR THE WEST. “You can’t sell at any price?” exclaimed Horner ; in a thick voice. “What do you mean?” se: “Just what I say,” said Tiff quietly. “I have no oe right to dispose of the property. It was one of ae 3 conditions of the deed of: gift.” = Horner looked at. the lawyer, who rubbed his hands briskly and said: “Oh, that is only a slight technicality. You to not feel bound by that. I can easily break the a ih gation for you if you wish.” “Tf you decide at once I will be even more libe cae said Horner. “I will add one hundred dollars fe ‘ the price. It is not worth it, but I need it badly ae for a corral.” % “Not for ten times that sum,” said Tiff firmly. “This property was left me in good faith by a man who had confidence in my honor. I shall not oa that confidence, even though he is dead.” “See here,” said the lawyer impatiently. easy to see what your circumstances are. ae probably penniless, This land is of no value to y whatever, and you can never do anything with a. Now I advise you to set aside your fooiish pring and sell.” * “That is your advice : asa lawyer?” asked Tift. “Tt j is!” - 23 fe “Then I think you area mighty poor lawyer, “T canot accept your advice under . ieee apt H : rata to menting end a am < “© 4
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“Good for you, pard!” cried Tug, as he slapped Tiff on the back. ‘Don’t ya sell! Keep it as long is ye can! I’m with ye!” “You’re a fool!” gritted Horner. “T can tell you t you’ll be sorry for it. What would a ncurses e you do out there in Montana?” the matter rest, Horner,” said the wary : “He will change his mind when he sees “That he will!” cried the Westerner, accepting ‘the cue. “Go West, young fellow. Go to Maatana, and see what you will make out of it. You'll be glad y sell then at a sacrifice.” _ Lawyer Reed took his client by the arm and ished him out of the room. He bowed suavely and ‘Said: “We will await your decision, Mr. Clark. I shall pect to hear from you later.” The door ‘closed behind the two visitors. For e moments Tiff and Tug were silent. They were deeply impressed with the incident. _ “Well,” said Tug finally, “I never was so glad of ything in my life as that you did not sell that d, Tiff.” tke couldn’t sell it,” said Tiff. ‘“Didn’t the deed ba “Wel, perhaps so. But there isn’t one in a hun- d who wouldn’t break that agreement now that e old man is dead. 3 on conditions I mean to respect those condi- tions every time.” é “Good for you, Tiff. I think you're right,” de- C d Tug, “but it’s curious why that sharp-eyed r got so mad when you wouldn’t sell him the - “Tt is evident that he wanted it bad.” : ey tell you, Tiff, there’s something back of it all. ?m dead onto that old chap, and he’s a bad one. te’ll try and make trouble for us when we get out ame two boys were too excited to sleep much that ni ‘The next morning they were astir early.|. at once began their preparations to leave Hill- ras found upon patible their resources that could pay their railroad fare as far as Buffalo. 1 there they would have to work their way as best they could. e’s one thing about it,” said Tug. “The fact w father was accused of forgery won’t be t up against you in the West, and there’ll be for both of us.” ‘ were gleaming -with a light of new e future seemed opening before him in a g way. The old life was passing, ras entering upon a new one, Mullins expressed her deep regret that the to leave, and wished them the best of the new enterprise. _Tug bought the rail- aa | FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. 21 As the boys entered the car and seated themselves Tiff glanced through the window and then clutched Tug’s arm with an exclamation. “Look! There is Horner!” It. was indeed the Western ranch-owner. He looked up, and, seeing the boys in the car window, glared at them in a savage way. Just then the train started, and as it rolled out of Hilldale, Tiff Clark entered upon a career des- tined to be as strange and exciting as any that ever fell to the lot of a youth of his age. The next morning early the train rolled into Buffalo.. The boys alighted in the great railroad station and for a moment were buffeted about aim- lessly in the crowd. But Tug caught sight of a lunch counter. The boys patronized this to the extent of a couple of sandwiches. With this frugal meal they fell to a discussion of the next procedure. Their plan as formulated in. Hilldale was to seek work in Buffalo, and as soon as they could earn money enough for railroad fares to go on to Chi- cago. Thus they would work their way from one big city to another, until Montana would be reached finally. Just what they would find to do when they got there they had not yet considered. But they believed that there would be a way provided. The two boys set out at once to find employment. “Well, I wouldn’t,” said Tiff sharply. “If I accept) They walked down the business streets and entered stores and shops one after another, They did not seem to meet with any great degree of success. The merchants, one after another, turned them away. When the hour of noon came, the boys were glad to sit on a bench in a little park and rest. They were footsore and discouraged. . “I say, Tiff,” said Tug ruefully, “it doesn’t seem to be any easier to find work in Buffalo than in Hill: dale.” CHAPTER X. ON A NEW CAREER. Tiff Clark knew something. of the trotting turf and its habitues. There was a track in Belmont where trotting races were often held. He had seen many of Sailor Jack’s type, and oudes stood their nature well. Rough and at times dissi- pated, the boys who follow the trotters over the cir- cuit are, nevertheless, as a rule,. large-hearted and generous to a fault, after the manner of sailors.. It was not a life that could appeal to Tiff, or even to Tug. But on the instant Tiff had recognized the fact that here might be a chance for temporary bet- ° terment. Sailor Jack had hoard their conversation, and had seemed to be ready to help them. This disinterested ae pe be mates) Ss spel ¢ of kindness, despite its source, ssteimnets to ha 4 us a at noon they took the train from Tiff. . So
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4 FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. INTERESTING ARTICLES I 4 4 : oi u NEW COINS ARE HELD UP. Issue of the new half-dollar designed by Adolph A. Weinman, creator of the new dime, and the new quarter, designed by Herman A. MacNeil, both con- sidered by experts coins of great beauty, was or- dered deferred by the Treasury Department until the beginning of 1917. _The extraordinary demand for small coins—cents, nickels and dimes—is taxing the facilities of the _mints, and officials believe calls for the new quar- ter and half dollar would swamp the mints if they were issued now. PANAMA BIDS FOR BIG LEAGUE CLUBS. Baseball fans of the Isthmus of Panama are booming that séction as an excellent location for one or.more training camps for the big league teams. {t is claimed that the sanitary conditions of the Canal Zone, under the care and direction of the army and canal officials, are excellent, and that with the dry season extending from December to April the major league baseball players could not find a . more satisfactory location for rounding into shape for their pennant battles. _ . Baseball is exceedingly popular, and the teams - would be sure of good gates at any exhibition games Foe might be staged during their stay in the Canal me. , . CAN OF MONEY FOUND. _ Three small boys, whose aggregate age is twenty years, playing near San Francisco’s new City and ; County Hospital, unearthed the “end of the rain- bow” in the tangible form of a tomato can stuffed with real money. ; Five thousand dollars in $5 notes—Federal Re- serve bills of the issue of 1914—the boys pulled forth and then began an onslaught upon neighoring _ candy stores. They did not count the money, but exchan zed sheafs of the bills for bags of candy. In all they passed out $3,000 for fifty cents’ worth '- of sweets before they were observed by a: police officer, who took the femaining $2,000 in charge. In the opinion of the police the money was buried by a thief. The money will be returned to the boys if it is‘not claimed and identified. BREEDING CATTLE ON MILLION-ACRE FARM _" © "Phe Consolidated Land Company of Jacksonville, |education, and the club wants funds for ay the largest independent landowners in the State| housé, d NE da, have entered in the cattle raising’ and eng on a extensive Ot pre Sabine ~ of ensive scale. The company has}Fifty-seventh street, marked “For Labre head of cattle to stock a 1,000,000- os ae ee care next summer. owns in southern Florida. '$500 is nee and naval stores. W. F. Coachman, vice-president of the company, in an interview with Fhe Manu- facturers’ Records, said: ; “The price paid for the cattle to stock our land was something over $500,000, and we expect to in- crease our herds with blooded bulls, in which way we will soon have a hardy, high-grade strain of cattle that will bring a good price in the Northern and Middle Western markets.” Ld The cattle were purchased from Parker Bros., of Arcadia, Fla. 4 : Until recently this land was exploited for its timber q RUMANIA A GREAT GRANARY. As far back as 1900 Rumania ranged third among the grain-producing nations of the world; an though several countries have since passed it, its annual contributions to the world’s supply of food have steadily increased, says The Argonaut. Its average exports of corn during 1911, 1912 and > 1913 were second only to those of Argentina; in wheat exports it stood sixth’ among the world’s - nations, and in oats exports fifth. This is aceom- plished with a total area somewhat less than that of the State of Arkansas. Rumania also has enor-— mously rich oil wells, operated to a considerable - extent by the American Standard Oil Company. STUDENTS EARN $155,976 IN YEAR. In the past year 718 Columbia students earned. $155,976, mostly in jobs got for them by the Stu-— dents’ Appointment Committee. Since the bureau was organized in 1898 undergraduates have earned $1,514,384. The earnings ranged up to $1,800. The occupations! included those of chauffeur, artist's oe ip ed model, athletic coach, dancing escort and magazine writer. ial Paul C. Holter, Chairman of the committee, w that no prospective student come to Columbia less than $300. In the last year 293 graduates positions through the committee, as against 169 year before, and 113 reported earnings of $109 The P. A: 8. Club of the School of Physiciai Surgeons of Columbia University of No. 346 Fifty-seventh street, announced that it has aver the summer care of the several thousand sea fishermen of Labrador and their fam Indian Harbor, Spotted Islands and Battle There are hospital accommodations, but the | need clothing and a place for social recrez v’s residence and storeroom. | Any clothing sent to the club at No, for running expenses for Og XB re * mh, om ~ Vy a, _—
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GOOD AS WHEAT |). THE Boy WHO WAS’ ALL RIGHT By GASTON GARNE ~ CHAPTER I. t-faced, manly-looking young fellow, perhaps en years of age, was walking along a lonely ain trail in Southern New Mexico. youth in question had blue-gray eyes, a firm curly hair and was brown as a berry. was dressed in strong, ‘serviceable clothing, heavy pair of shoes, suitable for walking over ugh trails in the mountains, and on his head cap, set well back on his curls. : ler his arm was a violin case. FS athe was whistling softly as he walked 1 wound and twisted this way and that, rs , on rounding a bend, where a large ed out in the way, the youth found him- ew!” he said. “But this is a surprise party!” . Figo I guess you-are right, youngster. ~ / - - Z 4 nts Want. it?” h ran his thumb and Porenniger into his -as-though to bring forth the dime, and such a whimsical look on his face that the ed. right, young eg ”” said the spokes- Hee 2s ood. as whett me way (A SERIAL STORY.) “Especially in the winter time.” The leader of the trio of masked men made a “A violin.” “What do you expect to do with a violin down here in this country? Dig with it?” “No, play it, of course.” “What good will that do you?” “Lots. I make my living that way.” ‘ “J don’t understand how you do it.” “Easy enough. You make your living by holding up travelers with your revolvers. Well, I hold peo- ple up with my violin. I play it and then take up a collection, see?” “Yes, I see. But I shouldn’t think you would be able to make much of a living that way.” “Oh, I haven’t starved to death yet.” “That is evident. By the Way, do you know any- one in Silverton?” | “Have you got a home?” { The youth shook his head. “Nary home,” he said, and thie was a sad an Ci tion to his voice. “You travel around and play the fiddle for a liv- ing, eh? ” 3 “Yes.” : -“You go first one place, then another. All places are alike to you, I suppose?” “Yes, only of course I like a place where I make a good thing out of my music better than a place where I get a water-haul.” “Naturally. But I suppose saat don’t make a ia = deal anywhere.” “No, I manage to carry my money without mueh trouble. Don’t have to have a pack-horse.” — “J suppose not. But you would like to ee good money, wouldn’t you?” “Sure. | It’s ‘good: you.” money or none with me. No wos THE BOY WHO WAS ALL RIGHT. gesture. ; ; ' “That'll do,” he said. “What have you in that , 2 in the afternoon, of a pleasant day in June| box?” : onted. by three masked men, in the hand of| “No.” 3 ¢ a cocked and leveled revolver. “Entire stranger there, eh?” . cried one of the masked men sternly.| “Yes. Ka uy)
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“Well?” : “You refuse, then?” “T can make it honestly.” Z “Lor The men laughed hoarsely 1n unison. “Hear that!” from the leader. “He’s a good boy, hain’t he!” from one of the others a4 ég’lar Sunday school teacher! haw!” from the third. “Money secured any other way Tee honestly won’t do any good,” said Bob Hardy. “Bosh!” sneered the leader. “But say, kid, I’ve got a good proposition to make to you.” “Go ahead with the proposition,” coolly. “T will. But first, we are toll-gatherers—road agents, you know.” The youth nodded. “Yes, I know,” he said. | “We hold up stages and travelers.” , “Exactly—like you have done with me.” ; “That’s it. But you understand that we could do ! much better if we had advance knowledge of when gold is to be sent out of Silverton by-stage. We miss lots by not having this information, see?” “Yes. That’s too bad, isn’t at? ?” drawled the young ; traveler. yy “Tt is.’ And now for the seouitiaibiaae If you will go down into Silverton and act as a spy for us, and let us know when the express company is going to make a shipment, we will make it worth your while. You shall have a share of the winnings, under- stand?” _. The keen eyes of the young traveler flashed. “Say, do I look like that?” he asked secctelie: ike jwhat?” age nd I would do such work as that. iy “Well, why not? .There’s money in it.” ' _ “Not for me.” -. . “You won’t do it?” _. “Not on your life!” ‘4.- “You’re a fool!” -“You’re another!”” . hits haw, of the trio of ruffians. __. “Say, kid, don’t get sassy,” he said warningly. - the country.” “Oh, I’m not scared.” wa { ou are either bseye. or else you’re a fool, that’s “Well, I may bea fool, but I don’t ballene Fs Se : } chance to make money, eh, sas ” tY?. FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. | asked. .‘music hath power to soothe the savage fee _A growl of anger escaped ta lips of the leader “I’m not., But I usually say about what I think.” “People who do that prints live long in this sonst of “I do. No one but a fool would throw away such yn| had finished they drew ops, Pepi : wie Es ie The three masked men glared at the young magi- / cian a few moments in silence. He met their gaze nonchalantly, and it was plain that he was noky wor- , ried, or at least, he did not seem to be. “I’ve a good mind to put a bullet rough you! hissed the leader of the gang.. “That would be throwing away ammunition,” ; coolly. “It would do you no good.” : “You make me tired.” “Do.lte “Yes. ” “Well, I can chase away that tired foaaas Just wait a moment.” The young man opened his case and drew forth % 4 violin and how. “What are you going to do?” the masked. men “Going to play some for you. They cavithint oo E know, and I’m going to try it on you fellows.” _ Then the young fellow placed the violin under. his i chin, drew the bow across the strings, and bes playing as not one of his auditors had ever ‘h anyone play before. . vn They listened first with curiosity cod then \ undoubted pleasure. - So interested were they, so carried away by wonderful playing, that they lowered their ae ) and stared, spellbound. long-drawn-out sighs. “How do you like it?” pr eee Bob Hardy. “s - “Et’s all right!” from one. eae “Thet beats ennythin’ I ever heard!” other. “You certainly are all right, Bob Hardy clared the leader. \ &, “Yes, I know it. I’m as good as wheat, n how you take me.” CHAPTER II. | HOLDING UP HOLDERS-UP. phe “Play sumthin’ else,” requested. one of t masked men. Bob Hardy aeeip placed the violin u and played. Truth to tell, the young, canaielan was the instrument, and his playing was § -|derful. - His hearers, ids ‘ruffians though re tened intently and with evident delight, ar
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FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. as TWO RABBITS COST $120. _ Two rabbits on which Joseph and Albert Argen of Northvale were making a meal in Palisades, Rock- ‘land County, N. Y., cost the brothers $60 each when arraigned before Police Justice Oswald Bauer ‘in Sparkill. _ Game Warden Knapp found the defendants roast- ng one of the rabbits and skinning the other. They had no hunting license. KILL WHITE-FACED IBIS. - A party of hunters were near Stafford, Kan., some weeks ago, when a long-legged bird, which looked like a crane and flew like a duck suddenly rose and s ed toward Oklahoma. _ Six guns spoke at the same time. The bird gave up the Southern trip. The men did not know what they had killed. They guessed everything from a -mudhen to a wild turkey. George Stansfield made a sectet trip to Lawrence d conferred with some of the professors. They abeled the kill a White Faced Glossy Ibis, a species of waterfowl, very rare in Kansas. The coloring is very delicate and changes continually. It is one the snipe family but is unfit for food. — U. S. MAY BUILD OWN SHIPS. - In connection with the pending awards to success- ‘ful bidders on the first ships in the new naval build- ¢ programme, it is said the Navy Department seek an additional appropriation to equip navy is for capital ship building, and proceed with the construction of the programme itself if a satis- factory agreement cannot be reached with private ers. The department already has $6,000,000 able for the purpose. department has had under consideration the he es Yard. Because it is near vi center of labor the structural steel district, that yard might ie the navy’s greatest building yard should the nment undertake a wholesale construction Wilson was sent to the Cottage Hospital, nt bara, Cal., in a critical condition recently. r >| had a life and death struggle with a huge jelly- fis] . Four hundred feet from shore, off Serena, ils eet seddenly attacked. eee. w before him what he later said looked like heet of butter and eggs. Suddenly the and extend tc of reach when the creature threw its ten- fi =>. tt} : uction of at least ten ships at the Philadelphia | TIMELY TOPICS tacles about him and the mad fight was on. In the struggle Wilson broke the mass into fragments, but reached the shore exhausted, and his face and shoulders stinging as though from scalds. At the hospital it was said that the patient would recover. His pain at times was so intense that morphine had to be administered. His shoulders and face resemble one mass of poison oak burns. SHIP SWARMING WITH STOWAWAYS. Within three days from the time the Spanish liner Montserrat, which arrived the other night, sailed from Cadiz, seventeen stowaways) all young Span- iards, were discovered. Four were pulled out of lifeboats before the Span- ish coast was out of sight. The next morning an- — other was discovered who had stowed himself away in a spare oven in the galley. The smell of cooking proved too much for him and he gave himself up. Two were dragged out of ventilators. The follow- ing night five more appeared on deck. The next morning the ship’s officers decided that they would make a systematic search before chang- ing the manifest again and a stowaway, hunt was organized. It resulted in five more being found. ' The Montserrat is en route to Vera Cruz, and one of the stowaways determined to go there. The other sixteen chose to be put ashore here and apply for admission to the United States. They were taken to Ellis Island. PLAYS VIOLIN AND PIANO AT SAME TIME. In addition’ to directing the political destiny of Moscow, Ohio, Mayor Harry L. Suter is the town’s one-man orchestra. He has devised an apparatus which makes it possible for him to play the piano and violin at the same time. It takes both of Mayor Suter’s hands, as well as his elbows, feet and eyes to keep the two instruments going in the same musi- cal time, but the results are worthy of his efforts, when one considers that he is an orchestra all by himself. When the two instruments are under the spell of the mayor, says Popular Science Monthly, the right hand plays the solo part while the bass part of the. piano is operated by the left foot coming in contact with a series of pedals similar to those of an organ. The violin bow is held on a smal] standard which moves along a groove. A double vise holds the vio- lin, and the part through which Mayor Suter passes his left arm controls the violin, so that the proper ie string will rest against the bow. The bow is con- — yellow and white began to separate from| trolled by the right foot, while the fingers of the ward him. He turned to'left hand press the strings. The elbow operates the Pa loud pedal. tae OP og Pigs te. aw a2 Se
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> - oe . FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. « at the university, has compounded a solution which — Fame and F ortune . Weekly was under test. A piece of wood one-half inch thick : was saturated with it, and after being. immersed NEW YORK, DECEMBER 29, 1916. in running water for forty-eight hours, was dried — ——===| and submitted to the action of the flame from a — Bunsen burner. After an hour the: wood was un- — affected except for a slight charring at the point of contact. The temperature of the flame was be- | TERMS TO SUBSCRIBERS Single Copies ...+-.+.cesseesesees <fisasestgvathas 05 cents || tween 700 and 1000 degrees F., a much higher tem- | One Copy ned eer Pe ey) Pe 65 Cents perature than would be experienced in a conflagra- : fon ap nao mi eas ane eM a SS tion. Mercury salts which have been used for the purpose are so costly as to make their use. almost prohibitive, and zinc chloride washes out after ex- — iposure to the weather; but the new solution is said ~ to have none of these disadvantages. - Grins and Chuckles The customer—Do you think you can make a ; ag really good photograph of me? The artist—Well, — ; Good Current News Articles sir, I’m afraid I must answer you in the negative. — , POSTAGE FREE HOW TO SEND MONEY—At our risk send P. 0. Money Order, Check or Registered Letter; remittances in any other way are at your risk, We accept Postage Stamps the same as - eash, 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, Pres, | FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher N. Hastings Wolff, Treas. ; _ Charles E, Nylander, See, 168 West 23d St., N. Y. Russian troops near Sarny, southeast of Pinsk, have brought down a large Zeppelin airship. The crew of sixteen was captured: With the crew were taken two machine guns, three other guns and 600 pounds of bombs. Scene (a boarding-house) —Wife—Why do you al- — ways sit at the piano, David? You know you can’t. play a note. David—Neither can any one else while I am here. aoe “ar ; 2.3% ‘ 4 : Sis—What are you fishing in this stream for, 4 John Magginni was escorting a woman friend) piny? Billy—Why, I want to get a fish like father — | down a local street in Belgrade, Mont., when a) -,y¢ht here last year. It grows a couple of inches Northern Pacific switch engine struck him and cut every time he talks about it. at . one of his legs in two. He will sue the railway * th . company for $35 damages, The damaged leg was wooden. a “Oh, dear!” sighed small Harry. “I wish I was — a clock.” “Why do you wish that, Harry?” asked ~ his mother. “ ‘Cause I wouldn’t have to wash my hands and face, then,” explained the little fellow. When a dog playfully jumped at John Helfrich at New Mahoning, Pa., the other day, it accidentally struck the trigger of his shotgun, which was dis- _. chgfged. The-charge entered his shoulder, and he Pe 4 id ina hospital. The accident happened while he was preparing to go hunting. Helfrich is in a ser* ous condition. ‘ Manager—Did the aor arouse the audienc Agent—I never saw the equal! Ifanager—V did they do?. Agent—Rose in their seats as « man and threw the movable furniture at him. Towne—So Dumley married a college w My! it must be fierce for him to be tied to a w who knows so much that he doesn’t know. Bro —Oh, that doesn’t hurt him so much as the fact she knows “how” much he doesn’t know. — Physicians at the Emergency Hospital, Oakland, - «Cal, were puzzled over the ailment of a man who was found by the Alameda police recently, standing _ on the street in a complete state of rigidity, with the exception of a pair of blinking eyes. The police sent the man to the Emergency Hospital. | He stood all night perfectly rigid. When pricked by pins the _. man showed no activity. ¢ He—Why did you keep harping all throug play on that woman who keeps drumming the tune over and over in your apartment house? didn’t. you forget it and enjoy the perform She—I didn’t want to. The woman I was about sat right in front and heard e erything } The shingle industry has been hard hit recently Tess—Yes; Mr. Sloman asked me for a said I could surely see how much he loved to =
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BOUND TO- BE A SAILOR By D. W. Stevens Wha induced me to go to sea I can but dimly remember. It is so many years ago, and my first yoyage was also my last. _ Probably it was a ° somewhat lively imagination fostered ‘by a course of reading, beginning with Robinson Crusoe, thence meandering through vari- ous shades of yellow-covered literature, and wind- up rather abruptly with Captain Kidd, which latter volume my highly indignant father snatched from my hand just as I had reached a most thrilling episode, and cremated before my very eyes. ~ However, the mischief was done. I was dispatched to college, but after a couple of years’ stay there Was ignominously expelled for conspiring against the faculty, inciting sedition and rebellion among my fellow-students, and setting up a rival govern- ment of which I was the chief, and, as the first executive act of my short reign, condemning my worthy professor of Greek to death at the block. I being thus sent home in disgrace, my father began to despair’ of ever making of me, his only child, an honorable member of society, and succes- sor in the tape and measurement business, in which he had accumulated a fortune. ’ _ As a last desperate resort our family physician, who, by the way, was a horeopathist, advised him to send me to sea and in search of pirates—on the well-known principle of curing like by like, and I May as well here remark that the remedy was a most effectual one. : - However, I was at that time in blissful ignorance of the reason of the wise physician’s counsel, and my delight can be imagined when one morning my father informed me that he had secured for me the appoitment of midshipman in the schooner Nancy Bell, which was to set sail the next day for the South Sea Islands on a general trading cruise, capturing whatever pirates they\came across on the voyage. Obtaining from my father a sum which I deemed fficient for my purpose, I, not without_some diffi- Ity, purchased an outrig, including revolver, cut- es, short swords, ete.; and thus fully equipped » manner to strike terror, not only to the soul of » most valiant pirate of the sea, but of everybody Ise, who must have looked upon me as some escaped unatic, I proudly strode the deck of the vessel that to be the scene of my glorious exploits. ; why linger over the fond, tearful parting ay parents; the unalloyed bliss of the first ‘yoyage out; the utter misery of the succeeding weeks, when I lay in my hammock, groaning and ing in all the agonies ef seasickness; the sur- that awaited me to find,.on my recovery, all y garments, my pistols, weapons, powder and tion gone, and in their stead a pair of coarse, ) .a blue navy shirt, a frieze jacket, J be FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. and tarpaulin, and a pair of cowhide vo 27° boots, in all of which I was obliged to array myself; the disgust that overspread my countenance when informed by the captain, into whose presence I was summoned, that we ware not going in search of pirates, and, in fact, would keep out of their way as much as possible; that my duty would chiefly consist in scrubbing the decks, wait on him personally, and assist the sailors generally, to the best of my ability, and that the slightest show of disobedience and in- subordination on my part would be met by summary and condign punishment. Weeks rolled by. We reached our place of destifia- tion, completed our traffics, and with a valuable cargo of gold, spices and ebony wood on board, set sail for home. I do not know exactly in what part of the South Pacific we were, when one night I was aroused from my sleep in the hammock by the cry of: “Pirates, pirates!” < “At last!” cried I, hastily scrambling into my clothes and rushing on deck. When I reached the deck, I found the pirate ves- sel lashed tightly to ours, while my captain was standing on board the strange craft, holding an ap- parently friendly conversation with a gigantic-look- ing swarthy-faced, heavily-bearded chap, whom I at once put down to be a pirate chief himself. The consultation was over in a few minutes, and then the captain returned with the, to me, startling information that the pirate had agreed:to accept one-fourth of our cargo as a condition of letting us continue our voyage unmolested. This was more than blood and flesh could stand. I leaped on the pirate’s deck, and snatching a cut- lass from the hands of a brawny negro standing . near, I flashed it before the chieftain’s eyes, and cried: “Come on, you shag-eared villain, you! I’m Young America, I am, and I’'ll——” - ; Before I could finish the sentence I felt myself raised in the’air by the muscular negro, and un- eeremoniously pitched into the sea, I opened my mouth to scream for help, but only swallowed enough sea water to suffocate me. When I awoke to my senses I found myself lying on a couch of soft furs spread on the sandy ground ofa little cave. _ My eyes were fixed on the blue vault of the sky. and the billowy waves of the ocean which gently rippled on the sloping beach close by. ; A slight sound ca me to turn my head, and there I saw a maiden clad in an Oriental costume as gorgeous and magnificent as she was lovely and beautiful. I now also observed a matronly-looking, middle-aged woman, evidently my bewitching com- panion’s attendant, standing at some distance off. ‘Senor is awake, Gracios Dios!” murmured the fair unknown in pure Spanish. My college educa- tion had given me a perfect mastery of the language. “Will senorita please tell me where I am, and I came here?” asked I, faintly. how ..
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28 “Senor must not excite himself by talking,” said the old lady. “The Princess Inez and myself were walking on the beach here two days ago, and found your body lying on the shore, where it had been cast by the waves. We brought you to the cave, and restored you to life. That is all.” She seemed unwilling that her mistress should re- main longer in my presence now that I was awake, and touched her wrist to draw her away. “Do not go yet,” cried I, raising myself to a sitting posture. “First let me thank the princess and you for your kindness to me. And pardon me, I feel hungry and thirsty.” _ _ “Here, senor,” eagerly interrupted the princess, uncovering a dainty repast and. a bottle of wine which she had brought with her. “You may eat and drink. Brigitta will bring you food and wine every day, but vou must not leave this cave. If my father or Sancho were to see you, they would kill you.” With these words shasomewhat. hastily departed ‘with her maid, leaving me alone, with food for my body and reflection for my thoughts. The day passed quickly enough in such pleasing oecupation, but when the morrow came, contrary to my expectations, it brought no Brigitta, with.a sec- ond instalment of food and wine, and news from her whom I already denominated my heart’s queen. This time the héurs passed slowly and restlessly by, and when, on the following morning, I was again left alone, I could endure the hunger ‘and suspense no longer! Had my fair rescuer snatched me from a watery grave only to leave me to die a slow death by starvation, or did they not dare to approach my place of concealment? _ | The latter thought, instead of prompting caution, _ made me the more eager to sally forth and learn the worst, in spite of all danger, and I left the cave and set out for a number of cottages which I beheld some hundred yards inland. F __ Iwas still rather weak and pale, and my enforced ‘ tinence from nourishment made me somewhat tremulous in the legs; but I resolutely pushed for- ward ‘until I reached what I found to be a veritable _ pirates’ village. _ There was no mistaking the character of the place. pir aa building more ambitious-looking than the rest rt attracted my attention, and I advanced to the vine- cat covered porch and boldly peers at the closed win- dow. Suddenty, fhe wooden deatter was. ijdliably opened, a Sr »* _ anda fairy-like hand, which I instantly recognized sa as belonging to my princess, was extended to me. “Flee, senor,” I heard Inez whisper; “my father hee locked me.and Brigitta in the house here.” “Never, Inez,” cried I, impulsively. - _ Again she put out her hand and touched my shod as if to —_ oe ade and at that moment, swith tes ae -toward me, saber in e chief and. Baan dws alee IT had|— FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY ‘ who dared to defy me to my own face! Ha, ha! Sancho,” he added, turning with a grim laugh to the negro, “this youngster is the same chap you threw overboard. He wasn’t born to be drowned— ha, ha!” “Yah, yah,” ape the black fiend. him—yah!”’ Resistance on my part was useless, and, seized by the brawny arms of the negro, I was raised bodily — from the ground, and, with Inez’s terrible shriek ringing in my ears, éarried into the next hut. With that I was left alone, and it may be imagined that my thoughts were not.of a very pleasant order. I wished myself back again to New York, and would gladly have resigned the rainbow-tinted air-castle I had reared since I had seen and known Inez, and taken up any position behind my father’s counter. However, wishing did not help matters any, and as soon as daylight waned, Sancho came to fetch me to my funeral pyre. The bonds were removed from my feet but ‘not. from my hands, and I was marched out into an Ree space where there were about two score men al women. I was received with shouts and execrations by the assembled throng, and at once led to a pile’ of wood and brushes which had been erected. in the center of the plain. Sancho took up a flaming torch and was about apply it to the combustible material by which I wa: surrounded when the throng was parted and In ez, wild and breathless, came rushing up to me, a , throwing her arms around my neck, exclaimed: “Now, Sancho, light the pile. We will . together !” Pugs ' “On them; give them Hail Columbia!” The command rang out clear and distinct 4 the surrounding bushes, and the next instan many a shout and hurrah, there dashed tov no others but a detachment of the crew of the Bell, led by my own captain. : The pirates were taken at a decided disadvai Among the killed were Sancho, the negro, ar pirate chief, the latter confessing before his that Inez was-not his daughter, but an A girl, whom he. had taken from a capture when she was a child. . When Inez, Brigitta and myself, ime good part of the pirate’s treasure were s board the Nancy Bell, the captain told me compromise with the pirate had been ry: “We hang tain. aati: a ies ward I was never w and sagacity. . ity. _ First Co-Ba—Is he interesting | is sit at the |
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BULL DERAILS LOCOMOTIVE. Jumbo, a ferocious bull, matched his strength _ against that of a locomotive pulling a freight train _ Up a grade near Mason, Tenn., the other day. In _ 4 field beside the tracks the engine lies on its side, - only a few feet from Jumbo’s dead body. In a ‘_ hospital at Mason, John Burns, fireman, is seriously _ injured. The locomotive was hurled down a steep _ embankment when it collided with the bull’s head- _ long charge, but the animal continued so active that _ the train crew shot him. ; __ THE GLOBE IS NOT OVERCROWDED. There are on this globe about 1,500,000,000 in- itants. Most of us, who lack the sense of pro- portion, at the mention of this big number are apt ¥ ‘speak of the “overpopulation” of the world. Yet we spare a few moments’ thought, we shall bet- know what this represents. There is in my study room a geographic globe out 15 inches in diameter, writes L. H. Blakeland ‘Seribner’s Magazine. On that sphere there is irked a little spot about the size of the point of a icil—at any rate so small as to make it impossible _ to write the initials of its name, Lake Champlain, upon it. Yet whenever Lake Champlain freezes er there is ‘good standing for every one of all the nhabitants of the earth, and then this lake would e considerably less crowded than some of the busy ; 3 of New York. ed, strange as it may sound, every one, young old, would find about one square yard to stand . Nay, more, if the very young and the very would please to stand aside on the shores of ce, the remainder of the total inhabitants of id could arrange a skating party where they be less crowding than is seen on a busy win- x | FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. os. FROM ALL PGINTS waterproofed with resinous gums. for pleasure. Just ‘then Mr. Vennom awoke ahd grappled with the burglar, who leaped out of a window. The bur- glar had left his wooden leg under the bed. By following single foot-tracks the police pur- sued the peg-legged robber to his refuge. With the assistance of a pal, Jones made another wooden: leg, with which he went to has shanty in the woods. Suddenly the police arrived and Jones dived through the rear window. In the back yard the mud was deep, and the wooden leg sank so far in the mire it stuck firm, Jones hobbled on desperately without it, but was overtaken while hopping on one foot. Both the original and second wooden legs were exhibited as evidence. ‘ at INDIANS THE BEST CANOE BUILDERS. The North- American Indians have brought the canoe to its highest state of perfection. With the most frail material, birch bark, they construct a craft so light that it may be carried by one man, and yet so strong and buoyant that it will carry a very considerable‘ load. A framework of light but tough wood is.covered with sheets of birch bark, which are sewed together, the seams being They are 'pro- pelled by means of a single-bladed paddle, which is dipped on one side only (a slight twist correct- ing the tendency to swerve from a straight line), or alternately on either side. The use of the birch bark canoe by the Indians of the United States is rapidly becoming a thing of the past, asserts the Seattle Post Intelligencer, but the art of build- | ing them has been preserved by their construction as a pleasure craft. ; A form of canoe of recent invention is used solely _ About 1865 John Macgregor, im- — pelled by a love of adventure, sought recreation on the rivers and fjords of Europe as well as on the waters of Egypt and Palestine. He developed his model from the Esquimau kayak, and evolved © a clinker-built craft of cedar, about 14 feet long and 2 feet in beam, entirely decked over with the al court of Birmingham, Ala., brought} exception of a “well” in which the canoeist sits. ual incident of house-breaking. |This is propelled by means of a double-bladed pad- of the burglary and capture, as told|dle, but a short mast enables the carrying of a ce, showed that Jones, in his effort to| sail. In a canoe of this type, which he named the _ of Mr. and Mrs. E. P. Vennom, an|Rob Roy, Macgregor cruised on the Danube, the — : | Jordon, the Nile, the Seine and on Norwegian fjords, *: From this early model other forms have been _ evolved, notably the Nautilus and Shadow types. Watertight compartments insure permanent buo; 2 wind, The interior space is so ar on that skating pénd in New York’s Central on of Walter Jones, a one-legged burglar,
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30 BUCK ATTACKS CATTLE. A four-pronged buck has been annoying cattle on farms in Frankstown Township, Pa. It was first seen at the Bagshaw farm, where it mingled with the herd in the barnyard. When the kine objected to this intrusion, the antlered monarch gored several of them silently and disappeared in the mountains, A day later the buck joined the eattle in a field of the Eli Moore farm and, after an encounter with them, was driven off with diffi- culty. He did not seem to be in the least timid. > PREACHER BAKES HUGE CAKE. One of the attractive exhibits at the Door County Fair, at Sturgeon Bay, Wis., was a great ca’e, baked by. the Rev. James Deans, Congregational pastor here. He was a baker-in his youth. The cake is about ten feet high and contains forty pounds of sugar. The upper layers, of which there ' are three, are supported by silver pillars. The lower layer is seven and a half feet around. Bas- kets, wreaths, chains, scrolls and all sorts of orna- ‘ments are about it. The Young Men’s Sunday School Class was in charge of /the exhibit. CHAMPION MELON EATER, ~ Thomas S. Vanaszk, world’s chanipion, is in train- ing. Vanaszk, a senior in the College of Letters and Science at the University of California, says that next summer he’ll either break his own rec- ord or bust something trying. ,He holds the title _of world’s chanipion cantaloupe eater. Last sum- mer he worked in Imperial Valley. Before his tent he put a marker, and every time he ate a canta- ‘Joupe he added a notch. When he got through - there were 789 notches, an average of twenty-six a day. Now he’s practising on oranges and cup - custard, just to keep his hand in. “6 DOG SAVES OLD MAN. A pointer dog probably saved the life of William _ Hunt, eighty years old, who was lost in the Wey- mouth Woods, Mass., for thirty hours. — | . Mr. Hunt had started to walk five miles through . He the woods to the home of his daughter-in- d t & gh the underbrush, barking excitedly. efforts to call the animal to him failed, on going forward to investigate, he found ‘ bans lost the trail, and after struggling through the following day with his|sidered that insectivorous birds constantly _ thick underbrush for several hours, fell exhausted « imaclearinge Fate soe Be: , Dr, Louis Pease of Weymouth, was tramping through the woods the ; when the animal suddenly darted FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY, ARTICLES OF ALL KINDS ~: The aged man was helped to his home, where it is thought he would suffer no permanent illness from his experience. SANDSTONE FOOT DUG UP. F A curosity held by the Anderson Cottonwood Ir- rigation, District, Redding, Cal., is a human foot in sandstone that was dug up from the bottom of the main canal at the outlet: of the tunnel at the intake. The foot is evidently that of a woman. . The outline is perfect, even down to the toes, the ball of the foot and the delicate lines of the instep. - The specimen was dug up at a depth of twenty feet, or below tle glacial deposit of boulders and gravel that was made thousands of years ago, as geologists measure time. * ieee The explanation of the find is that, years and years ago, when the flat east of Redding was mud, an Indian maiden walked barefoot across the plain. Her feet made a well-defined imprint, that was | filled up later in some flood drift by sand. The — sand in time turned to sandstone and made the rare specimen now held by the irrigation district. VALUE OF BIRDS UNTOLD. ae The magnitude and importance of the wild-fowl of the United States is shown in these plain state- ments of facts given out recently by the Depart — ment of Agriculture: i a aed. “The State of Maine estimates the annual In- — come from its game resources at $13,000,000, of: which about 5 per cent., or $650,000, can safely be allotted to the returns from migratory wild fowl. “Oregon values the annual returns from its gar resources at $5,000,000. Of this amount about $1 000,000 may be attributed to migratory wild fowl. “It js evident that the actual annual returns from © this source in the several-States reach a very large amount, and the value of this resource to the nation — amounts to hundreds of millions of dollars. “4, “The benefits of the migratory bird law in « serving and increasing the wild life of the cou is not confined solely to the game birds. This also protects at all times throughout the Un States our insectivorous birds, which inhabit ¢ State. e ’ “The Bureau of Entomology has estimated insects injure agriculture and farm products to amount of $652,000,000 annually. When it is upon and devour myriads of injurious throughout the country, the benefit of these in maintaining the balance of nature and in lim V + <huh test fr _—- ye Ee « wading? 2 yee
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“tun with it, especially if you smoke it in the ~ placed in a hat and the performer removes his mouth. This is repeated until six eggs FAME, AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. 31 *\ MAMAS. . 2. to $600 EACH paid for hundreds of This int ti old Coins. Keep ALL money datéd_ be- one Of the iatooe nb tatige foré 1895 and send TEN cents for New out. It_is in great de- Illustrated Coin Value Book, size 4x7. mand. To operate it, the it may mean your Fortune. CLARKE The most. remarkable trick-cigar in tne <ee ee in wour COIN Co., Box 95, Le Roy, N. ¥. mou . ou can ow world. It smokes without tobacco, and never into it, and at the same HAPPY HOOLIGAN gets aller. Anyone can have a world ef time pull or jerk lightly presence of a person who dislikes the odor | 0” the string. The mouth opens, and it then “ * j in the tones of a of tobacco. It looks exactly like a fine per- cries ‘“‘Ma-ma,” just exactly fetto, and the smoke is so real that it is | Teal, sive baby. ‘The sound is so human that it would deceive anybody. bound to deceive Ls age pos it Price 12c, each by matt H. F. Lang,i815 Centre St. B’klyn, N.Y. | H. P. Lang, 1815 Centre St, B’klyn, N.Y. JOKER. With this joker in the lapel of your coat, you cen make a dead shot every time. Complete with rub- * ber ball and tubing. Price, lie, by mail, postpaid. - OF H. F. Lang. The Bot« NEW SURPRISE NOVELTY. 1815 Centre St., B’klyn, N. ¥ tle Imp.— Foxy Grandpa, Mr. Peewee = : The pecu- and other coed se me ret THE CANADIAN WONDER CARD TRICKS. " tistically colored, to whic tonishi : ai is attached @ long rubber cod perplex tat senna fia / oe SWI oa fied hiseen them? Any child can 2 c cannot be made to lie down, ber ball, w work them, and yet, what and yet by simply passing the hand over it, the per- former causes it to do so. This trick affords great with water, the rubber ball they do is so amusing that smusement, and is of convenient size to carry being carried in the pocket, the sharpest people on earth peat ah ei ~-.Price, 19¢ Postpaid. The results will startle your friends and ’ ] | a slight. pressure on the bulb al dled. We cannot tell causes 2 long stream, the re- | Zou pay chiry GG, or others C. Behr, 150 W. 62d S New York Cit é ‘ utterly mystify them. i od thing’, te eos ey Wolff Novelty Co., 29 W. 26th St. N. Ys ig you wish to nave bd Sad oe dausatnent: ~~ sult ¢an easily be seen. : dea get next and spoil the Price, 15¢., fun. Just get a set and read the directions. é Price by mail, 10« LAUGHABLE EGG TRICK: H. F. Lang,1815 Centre St., B’klyn, N. Y. Yhis is the funniest —_—_— trick ever cc eg ung BLACK-EYE JorRE. always produces roars N of laughter. The per- vietim is tole te noid the tube former says to the au- close to his a ‘ . 6y 19 as to exclude dience ‘that he requires all Nght from the back, and then some eggs for one of to remove the tube until picrureg his experiments. As no appear in the center. In trying EVIL’S CARD TRICK.—From, three spectator carries any, to locate the pictures he will re- D . held in the hand anyone is asked to | he calls his assistant, taps him on top of ceive the finest black-eye you ever . caked tat saw. We furnish mentally select one. All three cards are | the head,-he gags, and an egg comes out of ta cheaines ph A get Me of first the two that the audience did not select | are produced. It js an easy trick to per- Sactitcly eenaee Pap nage = and ng the hat to them their card has | form, once you know how, and always |" & will be caught ti mysteriously vanished. A great_. climax; makes a hit.’ Directions given for working | lutely harmless. Price every time. Absoe highly recommended. Price, 10e. | jt, Price, 25 cents by mail, postpaid st - is acs sod or Wolff Novelty Co., 29 W. 26th St., N. Y. ' H. F. Lang, 1815 Centre St., B’klyn, N.Y. "H. F’. Lang, 1815 Centre St., B’klyn, N.Y. WE WANT YOU “Moving. Picture Stories” F A Weekly Magazine devoted to Photoplays and Players. Absolutely the finest little publication on the news-stands | mmg- PRICE 5 CENTS A COPY — pq : ISSUED EVERY FRIDAY . + «+ «© + * © + «THIRTY-TWO PAGES ___-_ BEAUTIFUL COLORED COVER DESIGNS - + + FINE HALF-TONE FRONTISPIECE _ New portraits of actors and actresses every week » Get a copy of this weekly magazine and see what it is ; EVERY NUMBER CONTAINS Six Gripping Stories, based on the latest and best films, each profusely illustrattd with fine half tones of scenes in _. the plays. es : or ae phs and Biographies of the most celebrated Photoplay actors and actresses. al Articles relating to Moving Pictures, written by the | gene authorities in the film business. : s Notes from the studios about the doings of everybody of prominence connected with the Photoplays. senario Hints and the names of all the companies who may buy the plays you write. ms, Jingles, Jests and every bright feature calculated to interest both young and old. : 7a y GET A COPY NOW from your newsdealer, end us 5 cents in money or stam mail you the latest number issued. wei gene nige oney or postage stamps, and we will s a “ MOVING PICTURE STORIES,” Inc. West 23d Street a |
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ee ._=——= © 8 ee OS SS See . . ~ Way . Price 5 Cents. LL; “ide & ~* eS cigs * , WERTHER TTQRIES Or HAY, Ped CLD Si fs 5 » \ a a . * SS = SS eR 3 8 tee SO s . OYE 4 MS ARE ESS BS NEW YORK, DECEMBER 29, 1916. & > et id ° ” 4 a 4 e = Q =“ & ® a R 3 2 | Q x on Fal a wo =) ° & | ; i) : 2 = S is ia : 0 4 S 5 : iS Ga = 3 = c= » Tarn Oe ye . patie tt Se Cone i Mint CS Pt at Nae iat ot
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FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY LATEST ISSUES—— $46 Playing the Market; or, A Keen Boy in Wall Street. $47 A Pot of Money; or, sige Legacy of a arn Me NE 548 From Rags to Riches; or, A Lucky Wall 8 649 His Merits; or, The a Boy Alive. 550 g the Brokers; or. A Game Wall Street Boy. 651 A on in Gold; or, The Treasure of Santa Crus. pn om to Make Money; or, From the West to Wall Street The Boy yunenate: or, Making Baseball Pay. 8 e- Lager fi or, A Wall Street lameness Luck 55 A of Gold; or, The Buried Treasure of Coral Island S56 Yeo Curb; or, Beating the Wall Street Brokers. 557 Freak of Fortune; or, The Boy Who Struck Luck. 558 rince of Wall ‘Street; or, A Big Deal for Big Money. 559 His Own Business; or, The Boy Who Sangpe On. sat ge ia x in Stock; or, The Wall Street Boy Who 561 First inthe Field; or, Doing Business for Himself. 562 at Eighteen: or, Roy Gi'bert’s Wall Street Career 663 @ Dollar; or, From Errand Boy to Owner. 864 & Co., Boy Brokers; or, The Young Traders of Wali i to Lope ng Risk; or, The Boy Who Made Good. a Dime to a Million; or, A Wide-Awake Wall Street S67 The th to Good Luck; or, The Boy Miner of Death Valley. 568 Mart Morton’s Money; or, A Corner in Wall Street Stocks. 569 Tips to Fortune; or, A Lucky Wall Street Deal. 570 Striking His Gait; or, The Perils of a y, Engineer. 671 From Senger to Millionaire; or, A y's Lack in War 872 The Boy Gold Hunters; or, After a Pirate’s Treasure. 673 Tricking the Traders; or, A Wall Street Boy’s Game w ance. 574 Jack Merry’s Grit; Making a Man of Himseif. 575 A Golden Shower; or, The Boy Banker of Wall Street. 576 Making a Record; or, The Luck of a Working Boy. 577 A Fight for Money; or, From School to Wall Street. 578 Stranded Out West; or, The Boy Who Found a Silver Mine 579 Ben Bassford’s Luck; or, Working on Wall Street avd 580 A Young Gold King; or, The Treasure of the ves. 581 Bound to Get Rich; or. How a Wall Street Boy Made Mones. pos Friendless Frank; or, The Boy Who Became Famous. 3 $30,000 Tip; or, The meg, 3 Weazel of Wall Street. Sa lucky Bob; or, The Bey Who Won Success. 585 From Newsboy to Banker; or, Rob Lake's Rise in Wall Street. 586 A Golden Stake; or, The Treasure of the Indies. , 687 A Grip on the Market; or, A Hot Time in Wall Street. 588 Watching His Chance: or. From Ferry Boy to Captain For sale by all newsdealers 4r will be sent to any address on receipt of price, 5 cents per copy, in money or postage stamps, by FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher, . 168 West 23d St., N. ¥. IF YOU WANT ANY BACKe NUMBERS ef our weeklies and cannot procure them from newsdealers, they can be obtained from this office direct. Write out and fl] m your Order and send it to us with the price of the weeklies you want and we will send them to you by return mai POSTAGE STAMPS TAKEN THE —— AS ey FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher 168 West 23d St., N. ¥. OUR TEN- CENT HAND BOOKS Ne. NAPOLEON’S ORACULUM AND 2 pOOK.—Containing the great oracle umes destiny; also the trne meaning of apy kina of dreams, together with eerémonies, and curious games of Ne a HOW TO DO TRICKS,—The great sigan and card tricks, containing on all the leading card tricks oe a... aot popular magical our leading~magi- obtain a copy of dans; aad parse boy. "oboul Skis Book. =e. % mOoW TO FLIRT.—The arts and oe girtarios are fully explained by this idea the various methods of fan, glove, parasol, window het Airtation, tt contains a full list of inaguage and sentiment of flowers. ‘e. ‘OW TO DANCE is the title of book. It contains full instructions ‘a the ef dancing, etiquette in the ball- won at parties, how to dress, and full re — ealling off in ail popular Ne. Ng now TO MAKE LOVE.—A com- le to love, courtship and marriage, rs wi geméible advice, rules and etiquette to a with many curious and interest- lag mot generally known. No, 4, BOW TO BECOME AN ATHLETE. Gt instruction for the use of 2umb Indien clubs, parallel bars, hort- ntal bars and various other methods of lowiag a good, bealthy muscle; contain- ‘ag orer sixty illustrations. Me % HOW TO KEEP BIRDS.—Hand- iustrated and containing full in- the mana py Men training 5 Bema cahary, mockingbird, link, black- parequet, ‘ot, ete. We, B.- £O BECOME A VENTRILO- QUIAT. Kennedy. Every intelli- gent ber reading this book of instructions “as warker art, and create any amount = fae for himself and friends. It is the grertest book ever published. Ne 12 HOW TO BOX.—The art of self- defenses easy. Containing over thirty \ilustrations eof guards, blows, and the differ- ent a good boxer. Every boy Socks cehtain ane ot cod cet and in- stra books, as it will teach you how to box wt t an instructor. Ne HOW TO WRITE LOVE-LET- tere for youn, Ne. 12. HO ° WRITE LETTERS TO ai scue.-civing . complete instructions for writing letters to ladies on all subjects; also ‘etters of introduction, notes and requests. Ne. 13, HOW TO DO IT; OR, pam sg Br ATIQUETTE.—It is a great life and one that beg Beara nye Alege to ail abont. in it. aemadealern or wl be eat to any addons on receipt f Dries. 10e. per copy. Yor sale b PRANK TOUSEY, Publisher, Ne. 4. HOW TO MAKE CANDY.—A com- plete hand-book for making all kinds of candy, ice-cream, syrups, essences, etc., etc. No. 18. HOW TO BECOME BEAUTIFUL, —One of the brightest and’ most valuable little books ever given to the world. Bvery- body wishes to know how to become beauti- Also containin authors of pro HOW TO BECOME A SPEAK- pn _fontaining fourteen illustrations, giy- ing the different’ positions inite to come a good speaker, reader and elocutio’ g gems from all the popular se and poetry. No, 32. MOW TO RIDE eave, erie aad dimen dadtion The secret_18 | containin instructions for begix No. 20. HOW TO ENTERTAIN AN EvE- | 9% ® machino, hints on ¢ nae. NING PARTY.—A complete compendium of pomplete book. ull of practic games, sports, card diversions, comic recita- tions, etc., suitable for parlor or drawing- room entertainment. It contains more for No, 35. HOW TO PLAY : contaiaing pie plete and useful little poo, con rules and regulations of billiards, croquet, dominoes, No, 36. HOW TO SOLVE 0O ai age i ding =e ng curious HOW TO rful bee YouR a wonde aa ractica! in: mation in teed the money than any book published. No. 21, HOW TO HUNT D FISH.—The | backgammon, most complete hunting and fishing guide ever published. It contains full instructions | _ Gon tainin about quand, hanting dogs, str traps, aps, trappin the rao ad an shin oge escription 0! , + maidingoaen pe oy and witty sayings. No, 22. HOW TO DO SECOND SIGHT.— No, 88. Heller’s second sight ance by his for- | DOOCTOR.—A mer assistant, Fred Hunt, xplaining | useful how the Compo <caees we pee; on be- | ment tween the rae and the boy on the] mon caer stage; also giving all the eaves ans avecete and pa o. "28. OW TO EXPLAIN DREAMS This little book gives the Srolanation to ay kinds of Fata mogpther with lucky’ an eo #4. HOW Ww To * WRITE LETTERS TO GENT oe ee item) full instructions TRY 40. HOW TO MAK mary diseases roe {iments family. Aboun in ‘ective recipes for general » Ba No. 389. HOW TO RAISE BOGS, PIGEONS AND RABBITS—A u a {natructive book. Handsomely tll AND for writin ntlemen on all subjects. RAPs—1 No, 25. TO BECOME A GY AS ae Fe ng Boge saiulrzele aii full instructions for all kinds birds. xeonks how to cure aidan pi smbacne Coty ae Hiuattatone. By se: | uusrated Saaheuct ed SHE BOXS OF NuW TORK Bie tereT ae. HOW TO ROW, SAIL AND Pans ais ew ee Instructions ave given it this ilitie took, to, | Famous end men. No. te eas gether with instructions on, erinnios and | complete without this wonderful little ng, companion sports to boat NEW No. 27. HOW TO RECITE AND BOOK Pe Sa” fey ed A! a E or omy (Taney .—Containin 2 stump speech ‘egro ular selections in use, comp ute Kislect, French dialect, Yankee and Irish dia. | 224 Irish. Also end men's joxea. Fuse lect nai pe together with many standard No. os. HOW TO TELL FORTUNES — Everyone is desirous of get what his future life will pene 3 tenth, w rage happi- et oo 48. sass ness or misery, weal roars You can tell by a glance at this iit z Buy one and be convinced. ye 4. HOW TO WRITE IN nd collection of Album Verses em Reape TO BECOME A So dest the fitstons ever plaeed before a Also tricks with cards, incantation= AN AL No. 29. HOW TO BECOME AN INVEN- | pow —aA gra TOR—Every Brig should know how inven- | guitable for any time an tions originated. This book explains them | ing Lines of Loy all, giving examples in electricity, hydraulics, mor, Resp optics, pneumatics, mechanics, + et sea toners No. 30, HOW TO COOK.—One of the most instructive books on or. cook ever published. od ones pas A for coo mE meats. fish, and Kinds at woke pee and = inds ds of a Saker collection ge Be strel troupe. or $: for 2c., in BOYS OF tution roe MIN. STEEL: “GUIDE AND JOKE tag thing new and very instructive. should obtain this instructions for organizing an amateur book, aa i contain "168 West 280 St. N ¥.