The Romance and Tragedy

The Romance and Tragedy
by
William Ingraham Russell

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Title: The Romance and Tragedy
Author: William Ingraham Russell

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[Illustration: THE WOMAN]
THE ROMANCE AND TRAGEDY OF A WIDELY KNOWN
BUSINESS MAN OF NEW YORK
BY HIMSELF (WILLIAM INGRAHAM RUSSELL)

TO MY WIFE Who, after more than forty years of married life, is still
my sweetheart

TO MY READERS

A true story of a life I give you; not in its completion, for it is still
unfinished. The romance of youth has lingered through all the later
years and the tragedy of these years could not destroy it. In the
manuscript tears have fallen on some pages, smiles on others, and still

others have been scorched with the fire of indignation.
Why is it written? To bear testimony to the love and devotion of a
noble woman; to set straight before the world certain matters now
misunderstood; to give evidence of the insincerity of friendship that
comes to one in prosperity only to vanish in adversity; and also, in the
hope that an appreciative public will buy the book.
Not all the names used are fictitious, and where they are so, no effort
has been made to conceal identity.
No spirit of malice has animated the writer. Although his wounds have
been deep he knows now no feeling save sorrow and regret that they
should have been inflicted by his "friends"
WILLIAM INGRAHAM RUSSELL.
February 1, 1905.

AUTHOR'S NOTE TO SECOND EDITION

This narrative, first published in an author's autograph edition, limited
to one thousand copies, was privately circulated, the entire edition
having been sold by the author through correspondence.
A second edition is now offered to the public. The original narrative,
except for the correction of a few minor errors, is unchanged, and
added to it are two chapters disclosing a remarkable sequel and also
setting forth a lesson for the younger generation of business men,
showing clearly how different would have been the conditions had my
wisdom come before my experience.
This latter chapter was written at the suggestion of an eminently
successful New York business man, president of one of the largest and
oldest concerns in the United States.

WILLIAM INGRAHAM RUSSELL. "CHESTNUT RIDGE" Jessup,
Maryland,
February 15th, 1907.

AUTHOR'S NOTE TO THIRD EDITION

Why is it published?
The second Edition--long out of print, still orders that could not be
filled were continually received. These have come from nearly every
State in the Union and as the book has never been advertised other than
by press reviews and the favorable comment of readers, this demand
means something.
Perhaps if you read the narrative you will discover the answer.
WILLIAM INGRAHAM RUSSELL
CALVERT BUILDING, Baltimore, Maryland,
August 23rd, 1913.

CONTENTS
CHAPTER
I
The First Round of the Ladder II I Meet My Affinity III A
Co-Partnership Dissolved IV And the Answer Was "Yes" V Wedding
Bells VI A First Reverse of Fortune VII The Coming of the Stork VIII
The New Partner IX Suburban Life X My Partner Retires XI A Year of
Sunshine XII An Ideal Life XIII Prosperous Days XIV Near the Dark

Valley XV A Successful Maneuver XVI "Redstone" XVII Our
Neighbors XVIII An Uneventful Year XIX The Stream Broadens XX
Retrogression XXI The Dam Gives Way XXII The Calm Before the
Storm XXIII "A Few Weak French Speculators" XXIV Exciting Times
XXV "Come and Dance in the Barn" XXVI An Importer and Dealer
XXVII Sad Hearts at Knollwood XXVIII New Faces XXIX A Short
Year and a Merry One XXX