S." meant Green Swash, and "N.P.

pr." "North Pacific, preferred," and many other things.
Claudius thought it an ingenious contrivance, but said it must be very wearing on the nerves.
"It is the pulse of New York," said Barker.

"It is the croupier calling out from morning till night 'trente-sept, rouge, impair,' and then 'Messieurs faites votre jeu--le jeu est fait.' When stock goes down you buy, when it goes up you sell.

That is the whole secret." "I think it is very like gambling," said Claudius.
"So it is.

But we never gamble here, though we have a ticker to see what other people are doing.