“Itcan’tmatter。”Ireplied，makinghimhearwithdifficulty，forIwasunusedtospeakinsuchababel，“sinceitisallfun。”
“True。”saidhe；“andyoumustalwaysbearinmindthattherealprofitisinthebook-keeping。Itrust，Dodd，tobeabletocongratulateyouuponyourbooks。Youaretostartinwithtenthousanddollarsofcollegepaper，averyliberalfigure，whichshouldseeyouthroughthewholecurriculum，ifyoukeeptoasafe，conservativebusiness。Why，what’sthat？”hebrokeoff，oncemoreattractedbythechangingfiguresontheboard。
“Seven，four，three！Dodd，youareinluck：thisisthemostspiritedrallywehavehadthisterm。AndtothinkthatthesamesceneisnowtranspiringinNewYork，Chicago，St。
Louis，andrivalbusinesscentres！Fortwocents，Iwouldtryaflutterwiththeboysmyself。”hecried，rubbinghishands；“onlyit’sagainsttheregulations。”
“Whatwouldyoudo，sir？”Iasked。
“Do？”hecried，withglitteringeyes。“BuyforallIwasworth！”
“Wouldthatbeasafe，conservativebusiness？”Iinquired，asinnocentasalamb。
Helookeddaggersatme。“Seethatsandy-hairedmaninglasses？”heasked，asiftochangethesubject。“That’sBillson，ourmostprominentundergraduate。WebuildconfidentlyonBillson’sfuture。Youcouldnotdobetter，Dodd，thanfollowBillson。”
Presentlyafter，inthemidstofastillgrowingtumult，thefigurescomingandgoingmorebusilythaneverontheboard，andthehallresoundinglikePandemoniumwiththehowlsofoperators，theassistantteacherleftmetomyownresourcesatmydesk。Thenextboywaspostinguphisledger，figuringhismorning’sloss，asIdiscoveredlateron；andfromthisungenialtaskhewasreadilydivertedbythesightofanewface。
“Say，Freshman。”hesaid，“what’syourname？What？SonofBigHeadDodd？What’syourfigure？Tenthousand？O，you’reawayup！Whatasoft-headedclamyoumustbetotouchyourbooks！”
IaskedhimwhatelseIcoulddo，sincethebooksweretobeexaminedonceamonth。
“Why，yougaloot，yougetaclerk！”crieshe。“Oneofourdeadbeats——that’sallthey’reherefor。Ifyou’reasuccessfuloperator，youneedneverdoastrokeofworkinthisoldcollege。”
Thenoisehadnowbecomedeafening；andmynewfriend，tellingmethatsomeonehadcertainly“gonedown。”thathemustknowthenews，andthathewouldbringmeaclerkwhenhereturned，buttonedhiscoatandplungedintothetossingthrong。Itprovedthathewasright：someonehadgonedown；
aprincehadfalleninIsrael；thecornerinlardhadprovedfataltothemighty；andtheclerkwhowasbroughtbacktokeepmybooks，sparemeallwork，andgetallmyshareoftheeducation，atathousanddollarsamonth，collegepapertendollars，UnitedStatescurrencywasnootherthantheprominentBillsonwhomIcoulddonobetterthanfollow。Thepoorladwasveryunhappy。It’stheonlygoodthingIhavetosayforMuskegonCommercialCollege，thatwewereall，eventhesmallfry，deeplymortifiedtobepostedasdefaulters；andthecollapseofamerchantprincelikeBillson，whohadriddenprettyhighinhisdaysofprosperity，was，ofcourse，particularlyhardtobear。Butthespiritofmake-believeconqueredeventhebitternessofrecentshame；andmyclerktookhisorders，andfelltohisnewduties，withdecorumandcivility。
Suchweremyfirstimpressionsinthisabsurdplaceofeducation；and，tobefrank，theywerefarfromdisagreeable。
AslongasIwasrich，myeveningsandafternoonswouldbemyown；theclerkmustkeepmybooks，theclerkcoulddothejostlingandbawlingintheexchange；andIcouldturnmymindtolandscape-paintingandBalzac’snovels，whichwerethenmytwopreoccupations。Toremainrich，then，becamemyproblem；or，inotherwords，todoasafe，conservativelineofbusiness。Iamlookingforthatlinestill；andIbelievethenearestthingtoitinthisimperfectworldisthesortofspeculationsometimesinsidiouslyproposedtochildhood，intheformula，“Heads，Iwin；tails，youlose。”Mindfulofmyfather’spartingwords，Iturnedmyattentiontimidlytorailroads；andforamonthorsomaintainedapositionofinglorioussecurity，dealingforsmallamountsinthemostinertstocks，andbearingasbestIcouldthescornofmyhiredclerk。OnedayIhadventuredalittlefurtherbywayofexperiment；and，inthesureexpectationtheywouldcontinuetogodown，soldseveralthousanddollarsofPan-HandlePreferenceIthinkitwas。IhadnosoonermadethisventurethansomefoolsinNewYorkbegantobullthemarket；
Pan-Handlesroselikeaballoon；andintheinsideofhalfanhourIsawmypositioncompromised。Bloodwilltell，asmyfathersaid；andIstucktoitgallantly：allafternoonIcontinuedsellingthatinfernalstock，allafternoonitcontinuedskying。I
supposeIhadcomeafrailcockle-shellathwartthehawseofJayGould；and，indeed，IthinkIrememberthatthisvagaryinthemarketprovedsubsequentlytobethefirstmoveinaconsiderabledeal。Thatevening，atleast，thenameofH。
LoudonDoddheldthefirstrankinourcollegiategazette，andI
andBillsononcemorethrownupontheworldwerecompetingforthesameclerkship。Thepresentobjecttakesthepresenteye。Mydisaster，forthemoment，wasthemoreconspicuous；anditwasIthatgotthesituation。Soyousee，eveninMuskegonCommercialCollege，therewerelessonstobelearned。
Formyownpart，IcaredverylittlewhetherIlostorwonatagamesorandom，socomplex，andsodull；butitwassorrynewstowritetomypoorfather，andIemployedalltheresourcesofmyeloquence。Itoldhimwhatwasthetruththatthesuccessfulboyshadnoneoftheeducation；sothatifhewishedmetolearn，heshouldrejoiceatmymisfortune。Iwentonnotveryconsistentlytobeghimtosetmeupagain，whenI
wouldsolemnlypromisetodoasafebusinessinreliablerailroads。Lastlybecomingsomewhatcarriedaway，IassuredhimIwastotallyunfitforbusiness，andimploredhimtotakemeawayfromthisabominableplace，andletmegotoParistostudyart。Heansweredbriefly，gently，andsadly，tellingmethevacationwasnearathand，whenwecouldtalkthingsover。
Whenthetimecame，hemetmeatthedepot，andIwasshockedtoseehimlookingolder。HeseemedtohavenothoughtbuttoconsolemeandrestorewhathesupposedIhadlostmycourage。Imustnotbedown-hearted；manyofthebestmenhadmadeafailureinthebeginning。ItoldhimIhadnoheadforbusiness，andhiskindfacedarkened。“Youmustnotsaythat，Loudon。”hereplied；“Iwillneverbelievemysontobeacoward。”
“ButIdon’tlikeit。”Ipleaded。“Ithasn’tgotanyinterestforme，andarthas。IknowIcoulddomoreinart。”andI
remindedhimthatasuccessfulpaintergainslargesums；thatapictureofMeissonier’swouldsellformanythousanddollars。
“Anddoyouthink，Loudon。”hereplied，“thatamanwhocanpaintathousanddollarpicturehasnotgritenoughtokeephisendupinthestockmarket？No，sir；thisMasonofwhomyouspeakorourownAmericanBierstadt——ifyouweretoputthemdowninawheatpitto-morrow，theywouldshowtheirmettle。
Come，Loudon，mydear；heavenknowsIhavenothoughtbutyourowngood，andIwillofferyouabargain。Istartyouagainnexttermwithtenthousanddollars；showyourselfaman，anddoubleit，andthenifyoustillwishtogotoParis，whichI
knowyouwon’tI’llletyougo。Buttoletyourunawayasifyouwerewhipped，iswhatIamtooproudtodo。”
Myheartleapedatthisproposal，andthensankagain。ItseemedeasiertopaintaMeissonieronthespotthantowintenthousanddollarsonthatmimicstockexchange。NorcouldI
helpreflectingonthesingularityofsuchatestforaman’scapacitytobeapainter。Iventuredeventocommentonthis。
Hesigheddeeply。“Youforget，mydear。”saidhe，“Iamajudgeoftheone，andnotoftheother。YoumighthavethegeniusofBierstadthimself，andIwouldbenonethewiser。”
“Andthen。”Icontinued，“it’sscarcelyfair。Theotherboysarehelpedbytheirpeople，whotelegraphandgivethempointers。
There’sJimCostello，whoneverbudgeswithoutawordfromhisfatherinNewYork。Andthen，don’tyousee，ifanybodyistowin，somebodymustlose？”
“I’llkeepyouposted。”criedmyfather，withunusualanimation；
“Ididnotknowitwasallowed。I’llwireyouintheofficecipher，andwe’llmakeitakindofpartnershipbusiness，Loudon：——Dodd&Son，eh？”andhepattedmyshoulderandrepeated，“Dodd&Son，Dodd&Son。”withthekindliestamusement。
Ifmyfatherwastogivemepointers，andthecommercialcollegewastobeastepping-stonetoParis，Icouldlookmyfutureintheface。Theoldboy，too，wassopleasedattheideaofourassociationinthisfoolerythatheimmediatelypluckedupspirit。Thusitbefellthatthosewhohadmetatthedepotlikeapairofmutes，satdowntotablewithholidayfaces。
AndnowIhavetointroduceanewcharacterthatneversaidawordnorwaggedafinger，andyetshapedmywholesubsequentcareer。YouhavecrossedtheStates，sothatinalllikelihoodyouhaveseentheheadofit，parcel-giltandcuriouslyfluted，risingamongtreesfromawideplain；forthisnewcharacterwasnootherthantheStatecapitolofMuskegon，thenfirstprojected。Myfatherhadembracedtheideawithamixtureofpatriotismandcommercialgreedbothperfectlygenuine。Hewasofallthecommittees，hehadsubscribedagreatdealofmoney，andhewasmakingarrangementstohaveafingerinmostofthecontracts。Competitiveplanshadbeensentin；atthetimeofmyreturnfromcollegemyfatherwasdeepintheirconsideration；andastheideaentirelyoccupiedhismind，thefirsteveningdidnotpassawaybeforehehadcalledmeintocouncil。HerewasasubjectatlastintowhichI
couldthrowmyselfwithpleasurablezeal。Architecturewasnewtome，indeed；butitwasatleastanart；andforalltheartsIhadatastenaturallyclassicalandthatcapacitytotakedelightedpainswhichsomefamousidiothassupposedtobesynonymouswithgenius。Ithrewmyselfheadlongintomyfather’swork，acquaintedmyselfwithalltheplans，theirmeritsanddefects，readbesidesinspecialbooks，mademyselfamasterofthetheoryofstrains，studiedthecurrentpricesofmaterials，andinoneword“devilled“thewholebusinesssothoroughly，thatwhentheplanscameupforconsideration，BigHeadDoddwassupposedtohaveearnedfreshlaurels。Hisargumentscarriedtheday，hischoicewasapprovedbythecommittee，andIhadtheanonymoussatisfactiontoknowthatargumentsandchoicewerewhollymine。Intherecastingoftheplanwhichfollowed，mypartwasevenlarger；forI
designedandcastwithmyownhandahot-airgratingfortheoffices，whichhadtheluckormerittobeaccepted。TheenergyandaptitudewhichIdisplayedthroughoutdelightedandsurprisedmyfather，andIbelieve，althoughIsayitwhosetongueshouldbetied，thattheyalonepreventedMuskegoncapitolfrombeingtheeyesoreofmynativeState。
Altogether，IwasinacheeryframeofmindwhenIreturnedtothecommercialcollege；andmyearlieroperationswerecrownedwithafullmeasureofsuccess。Myfatherwroteandwiredtomecontinually。“Youaretoexerciseyourownjudgment，Loudon。”hewouldsay。“AllthatIdoistogiveyouthefigures；butwhateveroperationyoutakeupmustbeuponyourownresponsibility，andwhateveryouearnwillbeentirelyduetoyourowndashandforethought。”Forallthat，itwasalwaysclearwhatheintendedmetodo，andIwasalwayscarefultodoit。InsideofamonthIwasattheheadofseventeenoreighteenthousanddollars，collegepaper。AndhereIfellavictimtooneofthevicesofthesystem。ThepaperIhavealreadyexplainedhadarealvalueofonepercent；andcost，andcouldbesoldfor，currency。Unsuccessfulspeculatorswerethusalwayssellingclothes，books，banjos，andsleeve-
links，inordertopaytheirdifferences；thesuccessful，ontheotherhand，wereoftentemptedtorealise，andenjoysomereturnupontheirprofits。NowIwantedthirtydollars’worthofartist-truck，forIwasalwayssketchinginthewoods；myallowancewasforthetimeexhausted；Ihadbeguntoregardtheexchangewithmyfather’shelpasaplacewheremoneywastobegotforstooping；andinanevilhourIrealisedthreethousanddollarsofthecollegepaperandboughtmyeasel。