He was not disturbed by the cause of
slavery, or the talk of secession, or the general progress or decline of
the country, except in so far as it affected his immediate interests. He
longed to become a stable financier; but, now that he saw the inside of
the brokerage business, he was not so sure that he wanted to stay in
it. Gambling in stocks, according to conditions produced by this panic,
seemed very hazardous. A number of brokers failed. He saw them rush in
to Tighe with anguished faces and ask that certain trades be canceled.
Their very homes were in danger, they said. They would be wiped out,
their wives and children put out on the street.
This panic, incidentally, only made Frank more certain as to what he
really wanted to do--now that he had this free money, he would go into
business for himself. Even Tighe's offer of a minor partnership failed
to tempt him.
"I think you have a nice business," he explained, in refusing, "but I
want to get in the note-brokerage business for myself. I don't trust
this stock game. I'd rather have a little business of my own than all
the floor work in this world."
"But you're pretty young, Frank," argued his employer.
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