Jacob Little originated the dashing, daring style of business in stocks, by which fortunes are made and lost in a single day. In 1817, he came to New York, and entered the store of Jacob Barker, who was at that time the shrewdest merchant in the city. In 1822, he opened an office in a small basement in Wall Street. Caution, self-reliance, integrity, and a far-sightedness beyond his years, marked his early career. For twelve years he worked in his little den as few men work. His ambition was to hold the foremost place in Wall Street. Eighteen hours a day he devoted to business; twelve hours to his office. His evenings he spent in visiting retail houses, to purchase uncurrent money; he executed all orders committed to him with fidelity; he opened a correspondence with leading bankers in all the principal cities from New York to New Orleans. For twelve years Mr. Little was at the head of his business; he was the Great Bear of Wall Street; his mode of business enabled him to accumulate an enormous fortune; and he held on to his system till it beat him down, as it had done many a strong man before. “For more than a quarter of a century,” writes the author of “Sunshine and Shadow,” in New York, “Mr. Little’s office, in the Old Exchange Buildings, was the centre of daring gigantic speculations. On ’Change his tread was that of a king. He could sway and disturb the street when he pleased. He was rapid and prompt in his dealings, and his purchases were usually made with great judgment. He had unusual foresight, which, at times, seemed to amount to defiance. He controlled so large an amount of stock, that he was called the Napoleon of the Board. When capitalists regarded railways with distrust, he put himself at the head of the railroad movement. He comprehended the profit to be derived from their construction. In this way he rolled up an immense fortune, and was known everywhere as the railway king. He was the first to discover when the business was overdone, and immediately changed his course. At the time the Erie was a favourite stock, and selling at par, Mr. Little threw himself against the street. He contracted to sell a large amount of this stock, to be delivered at a future day. His rivals in Wall Street, anxious to floor him, formed a combination. They took all the contracts he offered; bought up all the new stock, and placed everything out of Mr. Little’s reach, making it, as they thought, impossible for him to carry out his contracts. His ruin seemed inevitable, as his rivals had both his contracts and his stock. If Mr. Little saw the way out of his trouble, he kept his own secrets; asked no advice; solicited no accommodation. The morning dawned when the stock would have to be delivered, or the Great Bear of Wall Street would have to break. He came down to his office that morning, self-reliant and calm, as usual. He said nothing about his business or his prospects. At one o’clock he