Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1853-02-12
q Rich IIan Dead.

The Paris correspondent of the Boston Ala
gives US the following interesting matter:
One Of the wealthiest private capitalists o
Paris, NJ. Pellapra, fell dead in the office of ar
insurance company, of which he was a director
within the last few days. He was worth be,
tween $6,000,000 and $4,000, OO0-all excel
lently invested; and he was the father-in-law OF
a Belgian nobleman.of great rank, who modest.
ly consented to adulterate his Crusaders blood
that his feudal estate might be more lordly.-
For $6,O00,O0O NJ. Pellapra figured in the Ale
manach de Gotha-the cred Book" of the Con-
tinent-as the tather-in-law of the Prince de
Chimay:
AT my ambition is to have my daughter
Right honorable; which my lord can make her;
And might | live to dance upon my knee
A young lord Lowell, born by her unto you,
write nil ultra to my proudest hopes"
He had but one child; with the annoying te-
nacity of life which disgraces rich kin and cats,
M. Pellapra persisted in living until he attained
his eighty-second year.
As wealth is generally attained only by those
who push economy to penuriousness, NJ. Pella-
and the bare mention of his name in a salon.
was the signal for a brisk fire Of anecdotes
about the old mans a~varice. Eugene Guinot
has the best story | have heard.
A stock broker, says he, was fond of repeat
ing a good joke about him. This broker, when
the adventure happened to him, was but a sim
pie clerk in the house of NJ. Pallapra's agent
He was invited to 4 ball the millionaire gave
in his hotel on the Quai Malaquais. He owed
this fl~attering distinction to the especial care he
took of M. Pellapra's business, which he busted
himself about with . zeal as active as it was in
terested. The ambitious clerk hoped his rich
patron would aid him to purchase "charge," as
the license of q stock broker is called, and occa-
sionally in conversation with him he glided in
some words which he thought would bear fruit
one day. The invitation to the ball gave new
foundation to this hope, and he consequently
amused himself highly at the fete, which was
very beautiful. The young clerk, anxious to
have himself observed, danced as long as the
ball lasted, and then when the persons were
about to leave, he got his hat and was following
them out. NJ. Pellapra took him by the arm.
"Stay a minute my young friend, | have some-
thing to say toycu." The young clerks heart
leaped for joy. Fortune had come, said he to
himself, It's the plant hour; the rich host, salts
fed with the success of his party, is satisfied
with me, and the satisfaction is about to be ex-
hib'ted by a generous offer; he is going to pro-
pose advancing me the money necessary to buy
my masters 'charge."
AS soon as every body had gone, and they
were alone, NJ. Pellapra opening a door, said to
the young man. "Will you help me bring these
steps into the saloons" "WilIingly, Sir
"Good! now help me blow out the candies
"What a queer old horse you are" said the
clerk to himself. "Certainly, sir" said he aloud.
"Blaze away, then, as quickly as l do" and the
opulent ~financier flew nimbly and spry from
candle to candle, extinguishH1g all of them in
less than half the time the old servants would
have required. When every candle but the
one he held in his hand was extinguished-
snow, my young friend" said he, 81 Shall keep
you no longer good night, good night. am
very much obliged to YOU"
The young clerk stood gaping with astonish.
ment; he never heard word about the CHARGE