CHAPTER XVIII 



RISE AND FALL OF THE BANKERS AND MER- 

 CHANTS 



About the time one becomes convinced that he 

 is running his own affairs, Fate is apt to step in 

 and show him that he is merely a pawn in the 

 game. I had made up my mind to a quiet life, 

 with my studies, my books, my hunting excur- 

 sions, and just enough of Wall Street to take 

 care of my family, when an insignificant move 

 determined the direction of my energies for 

 vears. 



I was asked by members of the Stock Ex- 

 change who had Philadelphia partners to sub- 

 scribe to a company formed to build a telegraph 

 line between Philadelphia and New York with 

 a view to getting quick service between the Stock 

 Exchanges of the two cities. The project w r as 

 promoted by arbitrage dealers between the two 



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