Litchfield enquirer., 1837-09-07
From tIe Saturday Courier.
PETER, THE STORE IS roo LONG

foll-gatherer at Charles river, as he made his entrance into Boston. He walked about most of the forenoon, and finally ask ed gentleman near one of the insurance offices, if he wished in hire 2 Struck with the appearance of the lad, lie said yes, and Peter was provided comforia- ble home as a sort of do AlP in gentle mans family. To make lDng story short, Peter was no common ycjnt:,, and he grad- nalIy rose in the employ of MT. Parker, till for years and years he was his head clerk, and finally at the ago of % was ad- l mitied into the house as partner, at one third the profits. The well known house of Parker & Co., continued for good number of years, and became one of the largest establishments of the day. The senior partner then retired, leaving the l whole concern in the hands of the junior, and for thirty years the house coniinucd to grow with the growth of the city, under the prudent management of Mr. Brigham. He was esteemed merchant of the utmost in-' tegrity, and maintained a most enviable reputation during his long mercantile ca reer.
 One day, the. old gentleman said to Pe- ter, Jr. his eldest son, who had been brought up in the store
 Do you think you could manage busi- ness alone? leave you the store-a large stock of goods, and perhaps the bes. set of customers of any dealer in Boston: but remember Peter, ' paid ny last penny to the t0ll-man as entered Boston Tue elder Brigham retired to Water- 1 town, in a neat country abode. Peter went an in the business. The spirit dfimprove- ment got abroad, and Peter thought he must tear down the old store, and erect an elegant one, with granite front, and ot great depth to accommodate his business. When he got comfortably into it. with cle- gant fixtures to match, ,,the elder looked in upon Peter, Jr.
 sHow do you like the store, father2'
 'l'cter, the store IS too long.
 Peter, Jr. continued to extend his opera ,ions, and finally became the importer of the teas and coffee he sold at whoesale.- He was considered desirable match for most any young lady. and in the following year espoused Julia Wentworth, an hefress ] of thirty thousand. He purchased an ele- gant mansion opposite the Mall, and, of course, fitted 1t up in great splendor, be- coming the high circle in which his beau- tful bride would move. The father of Pe- ter claimed the privilege of presenting the mirrors for the dining room. They arri- ved from Liverpool ihe day preceding the nuptial dinner party. The old gen. tleman had personally superintanded their adjustment in the hall. All the Went worths and Brighams were around the fes- tive board, when speaking of the nuptial presents, the son in the joyousness of the occasion, exclaimed,
 Father, I've not seen the mirrors you gave us.'
 'They are suspended in the hall, my son. All eyes were turned upon them--when on golden tablet, crowning each reflector, they read-
 sPErER, THE STORE ls roo LONG, Peter recollected the remark of the old gentleman, when he asked his opinion on the store-and, although he had to laugh with the rest of the company, still he felt there was meaning in it, and he never went into tho dining hall but lis eyes would in- voluntarily revert to the mirrors. wiili- Peter, tue store is too long, However, Peter went ahead in business. He marri- ed a fortune, besides the excellent business left him by his faiher--and Brigham, Jr. was not n very small man on 'Change.- He fell into the speculating mania which seemed to have possessed the people of the age. His notes were as good as bank notes, and lis credit was A. No. IT. Ev- cry body was making forlunes in stocks-- and was there any earthly reason why lie should not He went into the fancy line pretty largely. The cotton speculation too was all the rage, and he went into the adventure as matter of fcourse. And why not add million or so. by purchasing lots in the west3 Mr. Dolbier made two mill- ions by the sale of his lots, where the city of Orient now rears it's aspiring head and Brigham, IT. went S2O.O00 into the lots of the intended city of Hamili0nia, the most beautiful sic. (situated on the confluence of six rivers,) in all the teeming empire of the mighty west. It was whis- pered on 'Change that he had made more than half a million in siocks, and western lots. and that lle was to make four hundred thousand in his Eastern Townships was written down as millionaire and at the next election, Peter Brigham, Jr. was made president of the Bank cf Exchange.
 Bnt there must have been race of Peter Briehams. Jr. in the days of Shakespeare
 'TIiere is hdein the affairs ofmen,.
 and Peter found his on the ebb, in the midst of ihe money pressure. Stocks down cotton diifo--western lots no sale-easiern townships ditto. As last resort Peter was obliged to visit the country seat of his father, at Watcstown, to solicit funds 10 help him through the pressure. or he must