riend's
dinner party he abruptly turned to a lady who occupied the next chair,
saying, "If you, madam, will entrust me with L1,000 for three years, I
will employ it advantageously." The speaker was well known, and his
offer accepted; and at the end of the three years, to the very day,
Atkinson called on the lady with L10,000, to which, by his adroit
management, her deposit had increased.

In general (says "Aleph," in the _City Press_), a stock-jobber's
pursuits tend to shorten life; violent excitement, and the constant
alternation of hope and fear, wear out the brain, and soon lead to
disease or death. Yet instances of great longevity occur in this class:
John Rive, after many active years in the Alley, retired to the
Continent, and died at the age of 118.

The author of "The Bank Mirror" (circa 1795) gives a graphic description
of the Stock Exchange of that period. "The scene opens," he says, "about
twelve, with the call of the prices of stock, the shouting out of names,
the recital of news, &c., much in the following manner:--'A mail come
in--What news? what news?--Steady, steady--Consols for to-morrow--Here,
Consols!--You old Timber-toe, have you got any scrip?--Private advices
from--A wicked old peer in disguise sold--What do you do?--Here,
Consols! Consols!--Letters from--A great house has stopt--Payment of the
Five per Cents commences--Across the Rhine--The Austrians routed--The
French pursuing!--Four per Cents for the opening!--Four per Cents--Sir
Sydney Smith exchanged for--Short Annuities--Shorts! Shorts! Shorts!--A
messenger extraordinary sent to--Gibraltar fortifying against--A Spanish
fleet seen in--Reduced Annuities for to-morrow--I'm a seller of--Lame
ducks waddling--Under a cloud hanging over--The Cape of Good Hope
retaken by--Lottery tickets!--Here, tickets! tickets! tickets!--The
Archduke Charles of Austria fled into--India Stock!--Clear the way,
there, Moses!--Reduced Annuities for money!--I'm a buyer--Reduced!
Reduced! (_Rattles spring._) What a d----d noise you make there with the
rattles!--Five per Cents!--I'm a seller!--Five per Cents! Five per
Cents!--The French in full march for--The Pope on his knees--following
the direction of his native meekness into--Consols! Consols!--Smoke the
old girl in silk shoes there! Madam, do you want a broker?--Four per
Cents--The Dutch fleet skulked into--Short Annuities!--The French army
retreating!--The Austrians pursuing!--Consols! Consols! Bravo!--Who's
afrai