“Got what?” asked the merchant, not over-pleased at the interruption. Phil stared so wildly that his employer continued, “Not the smallpox, I trust. What is it? Can’t you speak?”
“I should think you’d know,” said the young man, looking somewhat aggrieved.
“Exactly that,” said Phil, removing his hat and holding it just as he remembered to have seen a conqueror’s hat held in a colored print of “General Scott entering the City of Mexico.”
“Hurrah!” shouted the merchant, dashing to the floor the cards he held. This movement eliciting an angry protest from the table, Tramlay picked up the cards, thrust them into the hand of a lounger, said, “Play my hand for me.--Gentlemen, I must beg you to excuse me: sudden and important business,” seized his hat, and hurried Phil to the street, exclaiming,--
“Sure there is no mistake about it? It seems too good to be true.”
“There’s no mistake about this,” Phil replied, taking a letter from his pocket. The merchant hurried to the nearest street-lamp, looked at the written order, and said,--
“My boy, your fortune is made. Do you realize what a great stroke of business this is?”
“What do you want me to do for you? Name your terms or figures.”
Phil was silent, for the very good reason that he did not know how to say what was in his heart.
“Suppose I alter my sign to Tramlay & Hayn, and make you my equal partner?”
“Well,” said the merchant, “it seemed to me that was a fair offer; but if it doesn’t meet your views, speak out and say what you prefer.”
“Mr. Tramlay,” said the young man, trying to speak calmly, but failing most lamentably, “they say a countryman never is satisfied in a trade unless he gets something to boot.”
“Millions,--everything; that is, I wish you’d give me your daughter too.”
The merchant laughed softly and shook his head. Phil started, and his heart fell.
“I don’t see how I can do that,” said Tramlay; “for, unless my eyes deceive me, you already have her.”
“Thank heaven!” exclaimed Phil, devoutly.
One of the penalties of success (according to the successful) being the malignant envy of those who have not succeeded, it is not surprising that in time there began to creep into Wall Street some stories that E. & W. was no better than it should be, nor even quite so good, and that there was no reason why the stock should be so high when solider securities were selling below par.