The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1851-05-14

ais son William made their say Soufh-
ward until HEY arrived 10 lhe neigiii,ur-
hood Of Bury. in Lancashire. and there
found employment in q print work. ia
which William srrred his apprenticeship.
n is said IisaI n ben they resrhed ihr spot
near which they ultimately seliled, aud ar
rired al The ball near Walmesley. they
were in doubt rs 10 what course was neat
10 be pursued. The surrounding country
lay disclosed befare them. the river Irwell
making It's ciruiIous way through The val.
ley. What was 90 be dpne 90 induce their
decision as 10 the route lhey were 10 take
10 their future homef A stick was pnt up,
and where il fell. in that direction wouli
they beiake themselves. And thus ihrir
deeisiun was made. and they belook them.
selves towards ihe village OF Ramsbolham.
not Ear distant. ln-ihis place these men
pitched their tent. and in The coune of
many long years OF industry. enterprise.
and benesolenee. they accumulated nearly
million sterling OF money; earning. mean,
while, the good will of thousands. the gra-
iilude Of many. and respect Of all VII,
knew them. They afterwards erected Oh
the iop OF The hill overlooking wslmesIey
lofty tower. in commemora,ion OF the
fortunate choire they had made, and not
improbably as kind OF public thank
offering for The signal prosperity they
had reaped. Collon mills and print
works were built by them Of great extent.
employing an immense number Of hands;
and they erected churches. founded
schools. and gave new lie 10 the district.
Their well-direcied diligence made lie
valley TEEN with industry, activity, health,
joy, aud opulenee; they never forgot the
class from which themselves had sprung.
that Of workingmen. whose hands hal
mainly contributed 10 their aggrandize-
meni; and therefore they spared no ex-
pense in The moral, intellectual and phy-
sical interest OF their work people.
! A brief anecdoie or two will serve 10
show what manner OF men these Grants
were, and that Dickens. in his Brothers
Cheeryble, has been guilty Of no exagge-
ration.
Many years ago warehouseman pub
lished an exceedingly scurrilous pamphlets
against the firm Of Grant and Brothers.
holding up the elder partner TO ridicule
: as !" Billy Button" William was informed
by some :. kind friend" Of the existence
and nature OF the pamphlet, and his obser-
vaiion was, that The man would live to re-
, peni is publication. "0h," said the
liheller, when informed Of this remark,
!" he thinks that some lime or other shall
be in his debt, but will take good care of
that" II happens. however, that the man
} in business does not always know whp
shall be his creditor. ID turned out That
the llbellcr shortly afier became bankrupt,
!. and The brothers held an acceptance ofhls.
which had been endorsed by the drawer.
who had also become bankrupt. The
wan,only lbelled men had now an oppor-
tnnily Of revenging themselves upon their
I libelier, for he could not obtain his cer,ifi-
cate without their signature, and without
that he could moi again comm. nee busi-
ness.
But il seemed TO The bankrupt 10 be a
hopeless case 10 expect tina, they would
give their signalure-lhey whom he had
SD wanlonly held up 10 public rdiculc.
The claims Of the wife and children, how
ever, al last forced him to make the ap.
plicaiion. lie presented himself at The
counling-house duor, and found that Bill
/ ly Button" was IN. He entered. and W.
liam Grant, who was alone, rather siernly
bid him shu, The door, sir T. The libel
Ter lrembled before the lbelled. He told
his tale, and produced his certificate.
which was Instantly clulched by the in
jured merchant. I" You wrote pamphlet
against us 0nce," exclaimed Mr.. Grant.
The supplicanl expected TO see his parch-
meni thrown in The fire; instead Of which
Mr.. Grant took pen and. writing some.
thing on The document, handed j, back 10
The supplicant, who expected TO find writ
ten on il rogue, scoundrel, libeller," in
slcad of which, there was written only the
signature Of The firm, completing the bank
rupl's certificate. I'VE make il rule"
said Mr.. Grant, never TO refuse signing The
certificate Of an honest iradesman. and we
have never heard that you were any thing
else."
The tears started into the poor mans
Eyes. " Ali" continued Mr.. Grant, . my
saying was true said you would live
To repent writing that pamphlet. did not
mean il as threat; | only meant that
some day you would know US better. and
repent lha. you had tried 10 injure us; I
see you repent j, now" Il do, do,a
said The grateful man; ~ do. indeed, biz
terly repent H." "Well, well. my dear
i fellow, you know us nuw. How do you
get ont What are you going to do!" The
poor man stated that he had friends who
could assist him when his certificate was
Obtained. :" But how are you off in the
mean time!" and the answer was that,
having given up every fa,hing to his credi-
tors, he had been compelled to stint his
family Of even he common nrcessaries o
life that he might be enabled Ia pay ths
5 cost of his cerlifraie. Nv dear fellow
t.l. A a a. Il A.