Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1854-04-20
AN INCIDENT AT BoLoGNE.

OF france, When debts and the like
mishaps render their own country some.
what too hot to hold them comfortably
causes Boulogne and other towns form.
ing the chief places of rendezvous or
such occasions, to present, for the mos
lpart, a strangely assorted society, and
to witness, at times very curious scenes
We do not precisely ask our readers to
believe the following romantic story in
all its details. though there is nothing
very improbable in any part of them.
Sir George Tindal was young baro.
net of good English family, who came
to Boulogne some years ago under rath-
er peculiar circumstances. He had
been left very young with command Of
good patrimonial estate, but had given
way SO far to the fashionable follies oi
the young in high life, as to allow near
ly the whole of it to fly away on the
turf as fast as race horse could carry it.
He had still good expectations, how
ever. A maternal relative, merchant,
and one of the richest in the metropolis,
was likely, in the due course of things,
to leave Sir George his fortune, as his
nearest heir. He was fond.of the young
man, but had been greatly and perilous-
ly alienated by the conduct and reverses
of the latter. 1t was while meditating
on this subject that an idea struck the
nearly ruined baronet. How success
full, thought he, my uncle has been by
his speculations in the fundsl Might
not l cast in my poor remnant of means
into the great lottery, and pull out
prize? I may as well try it: all that l
have now is scarcely worth thinking
twice about. 1 shall try at least
Poor Sir Georgel He forgot that
though some seas may be deep, there
are others which cannot be sounded at
all; that however deep one may be in
the mire, there is a chance of getting
deeper. He did venture his all in the
stocks. He was successful once, and
even twice. Getting inspirited by bis
good d-fortune, he thought he had but to
venture further and win more! Alasl
he was novice, merely in the hands of
veteran gamblers. Some of the very
worst members of the body who specu-
late in these matters got him into their
hands; and knowing well what his ex
pectations were, and where they lay,
they led him on by a nibble or two, un-
til, by series of ruses, considered not
infamous only on such field of trans
actions, they at length got him placed
under load of debt which even all his
uncle's means would with difficulty
tighten. Holding him bound by sigma
lures and bonds, they then waited coolly
for his accession to his prospective in
heritance, knowing well that the same
prospect would keep their victim also
within reach of their grasp at any time.
Sir George wandered about town for
some months after these mishaps, like
man with a rope around his neck
During that time he had many reason
ings with himself on an important point.
This point affected his whole prospec-
tive fortunes. The young baronet was
naturally possessed of good sense: he
was educated, and it may be said that
his heart was good, and his intentions
fair towards all men, under ordinary
circumstances; but his course of life,
and the associations he had formed, had
relaxed his moral principles. This ac-
quired defect came into play. The
point which he canvassed with himself
was, whether or not, after having most
distinctly ascertained that he had been
the dupe of his creditors, his engage
ments with them were binding upon
him. His good sense said yes, for
they had acted within the law; his sense
of honor said the same, for they had
his bonds; but then,' said the other in
ternal aguers, they got these by base
means, and they have not lost a shilling
by me. The article experience was what
my folly bought them at the price of a
fair fortune, and with it came no penny
out of their pockets. Besides, if 1 pay
these harpies, Ishall be beggared.' The
end of the whole was, that the uncle of
Sir George died; the young baronet
was left heir; and within few hours
almost after being put in possession of
his fortune, which was the portable one
of an old monied hoarder, the young
baronet was on his way with it to Bou-
logne. The creditors stormed and VOW
ed revenge; but they at first knew not
wither he might f1y, and there are great
difficulties attending the recovery of
money from creditors on the continent
in any case.
Sir George fixed himself in small
country-house near Boulogne He had
been able to carry thither a suficiency
for permanent maintenance--about eco,
600, nearly the amount of his funded
embarrassments, after what he called
fair debts were privately settled. He
lived for some time in great seclusion,
only occasionally appearing in public.
The society which he then met was not
of character to trouble itself much
about what he had done, or was doing,
or was about to do, so long as he main
tanned fashionable appearance and a
gentlemanly department. So Sir George
led very quiet and undisturbed ex7
lstence. for a time, always excepting
some little twinges from sense of vio-
lated honor, until love, the universal
busybody, came in the way to overthrow
the runaway's repose A Jadv made