Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1839-02-07
lFrom the Saturday Courier.
PETER, THE STORE Is TOO LONG?


PETER, THE STORE Is TOO LONG?
Peter Brigham paid his last penny to the
toll catherer at Charles River, as he made
his entrance into Boston. lie walked about
most of the forenoon, and GnaIly asked gen.
ileman near one Of The insurance Offices, II
he wanted "to hire 2" Struck with the up
pcarance of the lad, lie said "yes," and Peter
was provided comfortable home, as sor
of "do ALL" in a genlleman's family. To
make long story short, Peter was no com
mon youth, and lie gradually rose in the EN-.
ploy Of Mr.. Parker, ill for years and years he
was his head clerk, and finally at the age OF
% was admitted into the house as partner,
ut one third the profits. The well known
house of "Parker a. Co." continued for 0
goodly number of years, and became one OF
the largest establishments OF the day. Tie
senior partner finally retired, leaving the
whole concern in the hands OF the junior, and
for thirty Yeas the house continued to grow
with the growth of the city, under the pru-
dent management of Mr. Brigham. lie was
esteemed merchant ofthe utmost integrity,
aud maintained most enviable reputation
during his long mercantile career.
One day the old gentleman said to Peter,
Jr. his oldest son, who had been brought up
in the store
"Do you think you could manage business
alone leave you the store, large stock
of goods, and perhaps the best set OF custom
ers of any dealer in Boston: but remember
Peter, paid my last penny to the toll man
when entered Boston,"
The elder Brigham retired to Watertown
in a neat country abode. Peter went on IN
the business. The spirit Of improvement
got abroad, and Peter thought he must teal
down the old store, anl erect an elegant one
with a granite front, and Of great depth, to
accommodate his business. When he gol
comfortably into it, with elegant fixtures t.
match, the elder looked in upon Peter, Jr.
"How do you like the store, tather!"
Peter, the store is too long Z"
\ Peter, Jr. continued to extend bis opera
tions, and finally became the importer Of the
teas aud coffee he sold ot wholesale. lie
was considered desirable match for most
any young lady, and in the following year
espoused Julia Wentworth, an heiress OF
thirty thousand. lie purchased an elegant
mansion opposite the Mall, and, OF course
fitted it up in great splendor, becoming the
high circle in which his beautiful bride would
move. The father of Peter claimed the priv
ilegc Of presenting the Mirrors for the dining
hall. They arrived from Liverpool OH the
day preceding the nuptial dinner party. The
old gentleman hdd personally supcrlntended
their adjustment in the hall. All the Went
worths and Brighams were around the festive
board, when speaking OF the nuptlal presents,
the son, in the joyousness OF the occaslon,ex-
claimed,
"Fathcr, I've not seen the mirrors you
gave U.s."
"They are suspended in this hall my son.
All eyes were turned upon thcm-wben,
on golden tablet, crowning each reflector.
they read-"PETER THE STORE is TOO LONG y
Peter recollectcd the remark of the ole
gentleman, when lie had asked his opinion oi
the storc-and, although he had to laugh
with the rest Of the company, still he fell
there was meaning in it, and he never went
into the dining hall but his eyes would invol-
unfairly revert to the mirrors, With" Peter,
the store is too long" IIowever,Peter went
ahead in business. lie had married for
tune, besides the excellent business left him
by his father, and Brigham, Jr. was not ve-
ry small man OF Change. IIo fell into the
Specializing mania which seemed to have pos
sesscd the people of the age. His notes
were as good as bank notes, and his credit
was GA. No. l." Every body was making
fortunes in stocks-and was there any earth
y reason why he should moi, {? 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 course
And why not add million or so by purchns-
ing lots in the West? Mr.. Colbier had made
two millions by the sale Of his lots where the
city of Orient now rears its aspiring head
and Brigham, Jr. went $4,000 into the lots
of the intended city of Hamiltonia, the most
beautiful site, (situatcd at the confluence OF
six rivcrs.) in oil the teeming empire OF the
mighty West. it was whispered on Change
that he had made more than half million in
stocks and his Western lots, and that he was
to make four hundred thousand in his East
ern Townships;" he was written down as
millionaire: and at the next election, Peter
Brigham, Jr. was made President of the Bank
of Exchange.
But there must have been q race Of Peter
Brighams, Jr. in the days Of Shakespeare
'Thcre is tide in the afihirs of men,"
and Peter found lis on the ebb in the mids,
of the money pressure. Stocks down-cot.
ton ditto-Wcstern lots no sale-Eastern
townships ditto. AS last resort Peter was
ooIIgeC W 'iSil tnc COuuuy Scut VI nls iatHcI
at WATERFOWL, to solicit funds to help him
through the pressure, or he must fail. The
prudent old merchant sat down and took a
cool survey of Peters affairs. lie then call
ed the servant to bring him some bank checks,
one Of which he filed out thus.
"pay to Peter Brigham, Jr. one penny,
the amount possessed by his father when he
arrived at Charles River bridge, and the best
Inheritance n father can give his son to begin
the world with. PETER BRIGHAM"
The next day the failure of the house oil
Peter Brigham,Jr. was announced on Change,
for over million Of dollars. And when the
stock in the new store with granite front.
was sold, beneath the red lag,wild and head
long spectators had read to them an import
ant lesson Of prudence and sagacity, in the
emblem Of" PETER, THE SroRE IS TOO
LONG"
THE LEARNED BLAcKsMITH.-We pub
lishcd in our paper few days ago, some ac-
count Of q learned Blacksmith, who was nc.
st...,