one does not hear so much of.

Before I went home that day I had bought five hundred shares of stock
and had deposited as a margin five thousand dollars. I was told
that the margin would surely be ample to carry the stock through
any possible fluctuations, that I was not to feel alarmed if I saw
the price go off a point or two, and that I was certain to see a
twenty-point rise within a few weeks.

On my way home that afternoon I, for the first time in my life, read
in the paper closing prices at the Stock Exchange, before reading
anything else.

My stock was up half a point above the price I paid and I experienced
a feeling of jubilation that was very pleasant. I saw in my mind
my five thousand dollars transformed into fifteen thousand.

It was great!

At first I thought I would tell my wife about it, then decided not
to do so, but to wait and surprise her with the good news when the
money was made.

Fatal mistake.

Had I told my wife, as I should have done, she would surely have
advised me to sell out the first thing the following morning and
to let speculation entirely alone.

The following day the price receded a full point Then, for a week,