Fred sold him five hundred shares to give him a starter, the shares
being for himself. In two hours the price went up to 70, and Fred saw
old Bowles growing fidgety. The next day Fred sold five hundred shares
more at 72, they going to himself. Then the brokers began to hustle for
the stock, and found they could not get it. It went up to 82 before the
day closed. Bowles was desperate.
"See here, Halsey," he said to Fred, the day before the ten days were up
on his 5,000 shares, "I want to settle that thing now. I can't get the
stock at all."
"Wait till it is due," Fred suggested.
"To tell you the truth, Mr. Bowles, I haven't got that option. I sold
it to another man."
"To whom did you sell it?"
"To Bryant."
The next day the stock wont up to 90, and at that figure Bryant called
Bowles for 5,000 shares of the stock. It is a rule of the Stock Exchange
that where the stock sold cannot be delivered on demand the difference
between the purchase and delivery prices shall be paid in cash. At 90,
the difference was $23 per share, on 5.000 shares, making $115,000. When
the settlement was made, Fred generously allowed Bryant one-half the
profits. It put him on his feet again. The day after the settlement was
made Mrs. Bryant and Eva Gaines called at the office and asked for Fred.
"I have come to pay my note," she said to him.
"It is not yet due," he replied.
"No, but I have the money and want to pay it," and she laid down a big
roll of bills as she spoke. Fred took the money and gave her the note
she had signed.
"Now, Mr. Halsey," she said, as she tore up the note, "I want to say to
you that as long as I live I shall always have a feeling of lively
gratitude toward you for your kindness to me in this matter. You are the
one in all New York who would have loaned me that money."
"I am not sure of that," he replied, shaking his head.
"I am glad to know that you and Mr. Bryant are friends again," said Mrs.
Bryant. "He said you helped him out in a deal against that odious Mr.
Bowles the other day."
"Yes, we did manage to give the old man the headache, I believe."
"I was so glad when I heard it, for he is the meanest man in New York."
"That's a pretty hard thing to say of any one," Fred remarked, laughing.
They left the bank and Fred was smiling all over as he returned to his
private office.
"What will they think when they hear of the double wedding, I wonder?"
said he to himself. "I ought to have told them all, but it won't make
any difference, I guess. Hanged if I don't believe Eva Gaines would like
to have me call on her. I wouldn't give Callie for a dozen of her. She
is pretty enough, sweet enough and all that. But I think Callie has the
best head of the two, and knows how to take care of money."
At the appointed time the double wedding took place, and the four
families drove to the parsonage in four carriages. The two brides never
looked so beautiful, nor were the young grooms ever so proud as when
they gazed upon them as they met in the parlor of the parsonage.
They drove from the parsonage to Delmonico's for supper, where they
remained two hours at the table.
Young as they were, they did not put on any frills, but drove home after
the supper, and began life like the sensible people they were.
Thus ends the story of how two boys made their fortunes in Wall street.
They soon became one of the strong institutions of the city.
Halsey & Company frequently met with reverses, but their gains were far
ahead of their losses.
By the time they were old enough to vote they were rated as
millionaires, and each was a father. They are now in the prime of life,
and yet still known as the boy bankers.
Next week's issue will contain "ALOW AND ALOFT; OR, THE DASHING BOY
HARPOONER."