FIRST DAYS IN WALL STREET 43 



it, and when asked for the envelope which con- 

 tained the bill was compelled to admit that I had 

 torn it up and scattered the fragments in the 

 streets as I went about my business of collecting 

 rents, this being my method of disposing of waste 

 paper, not having a waste basket near my desk. 

 Through that curious provision by which mem- 

 ory makes notes of things unobserved at the time 

 I recalled that I had difficulty in tearing the en- 

 velope. My employer did not scold, though he 

 was greatly disturbed and talked of giving up a 

 business in which the risks were so great. 



I bear the spiritual scars of that fiery ordeal 

 to-day, and during the more than half century 

 that has passed I have not once thrown away an 

 envelope without tearing it open. Through this 

 habit I have saved a few papers of importance, 

 received messages I should otherwise have lost, 

 and rescued something less than a million postage 

 stamps. 



Application was made to the railroad company 

 for a duplicate certificate of stock, legal forms 

 were complied with, which included affidavits, ad- 



