Page:The Wizard of Wall Street and his Wealth.djvu/78

 always one of the elements of his success, soon perceived in Fisk the qualities which supplied his own deficiences. Fisk was the son of a Vermont peddler and followed the calling himself for some time, and in it learned the great art of driving a hard and shrewd bargain. Wholly uneducated, his natural ability in the line of making money was very great. Gould was timid and shrank from publicity. Fisk was bold and loved notoriety. Gould had many refinements of mind and was of a domestic nature. Fisk was coarse, sensual and fond of display. He became the colonel of a militia regiment, and with great delight used to put on his uniform and ride in front of his command. He used to create a sensation by riding in a carriage with six horses in questionable female company. He considered it one of the choisest prerogatives of his position of vice-president and comptroller of Erie to direct the theater that adjoined the railway offices in the Grand Opera House. While Gould did not have the inclination or courage to do these things he did not hesitate to use Fisk in every available way and to hide his own personality behind that of his partner. In those days Fisk seemed to play the more prominent part, and Gould, in public estimation, was a secondary character. When anything was done it was Fisk that bore the brunt of popular criticism and indignation. Yet the facts as they are now known show that Gould's was the master mind; Fisk was simply his right arm. "With Gould to plan and Fisk to