The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1856-01-16

brisk seaport town, with Its houses struggling
to cover the hillside and barren pasture, and
not very successful in the attempt, there lived
a man somewhat celebrated in his way, rejoic-
ing in the name of Seth Thornton. His way
of celebrity was, and still is, peculiar one
honesty. Folks used to say that Seth was so
intensely honest, that he was accustomed to
set aside a percentage of his profits in trade for
the benefit of the poor, as an offset to any mon
feys he might by any possibility have become
unlawfuly possessed of without his becoming
aware of it. sl.
/ Whether this was SO or not, he was celebra-
ted for his sterling, undertaking honesty, and
without the reward that would have seemed to
have been his due. Seth was poor, and was
indebted for his comfort rather to his economy
/ than his success in business. He was thirty
years of age when the story commences, and
was regular, methodcal to nicely in his trans
actions, and from that had obtained the soubri-
luet of old Sol. aE5A ~EI
So much for premises, now for our story.
A dull. gloomy day it was without, cold
within, and cherries everywhere. The trade
was dull as the weather, and Seth was grub
Ding up old accounts with severe determination
when he was disturbed by the creaking of the
low door of his shop and the entrance Of an old
bowed down figure, who barely placing one
1 foot before the other, shuf1ed across the floor
through piles Of West India and dry goods,
hard ware, groceries and notions, for Yankee
land was even then full of them. and deposit
ting well filled bag upon the counter, with
the ejaculation, 'use for Ben Foula d sons, :"
suddenly shuffied away. Not comprehending
the nature of so unbusiness-like transaction,
Seth was sometime in muss before the idea
of examining the bag left occurred to his bewil-
| dered brain. as s.s. .tIo# . t- r.-
His first touch told him twas gold and upon
examination it contained the enormous sum of
FIVE hundred guineas in gold Of Spain. Hav
ing satisfied himself as TO the amount, he turned
to his day book and made entry: 'sReceiyed
this day 50Og., to be used for Benz. Fuller &
sons," and opened his account accordingly.
Years passed on, and year to year the pro-
perty invested in the name of Benjamin Fuller
d sons seemed cherished by fortunes self
Their ventures were successful by sea and land,
when all others were ruinous, their ships rode
safely through the storms that sunk the stout
est merchantmen, and their cargoes arrived in
safety when privateers had taken or driven
away Others So immense was this increase
that soon old Sol was known only as an agent
|
was of little account compared with the i'm
mense commission on their investment. His
warehouse became one of the largest in the
colony, and his ships passed in and out from
every port of usual trade on the line, laden
with the property of the unknown. Still was
the same account on his ledger preserved and
receipt and expenditures always kept waiting
the coming of the principal or his sons, and
their examination. r..sL a. S +. ~.
So time went on, prosperity to the mysteri-
Gus person and misfortune to the agent. A
new market was then sought for on the coast
of the Mediterranean, and vessel was dis
patched for Algiers with rich consignments.
The captain upon his arrival, waited upon the
principal merchants of the place, and all Of
the Foula's manifest was in demand, while old
Seth's produced but a nominal profit
A sale was finally effected of the whole car
go, and the merchant and the captain discussed
the subject of the new trade together. The
merchant expressed a desire to see the new
country, and by invitation of the other took
passage in his ship for America.
The day succeeding his arrival, Seth was
seated In his counting-room, engaged in his
usual examination of ledgers and papers, when
he saw before him the same bowed down figure
and the same shutting step approaching.
''Where is the money for Ben Foula?' With
out hesitation, and almost without surprise, the
account of the investment was read over, and
deeds of estate and evidence of property in the
name of Benjamin Fuller were produced. Hous-
es, ships and cargoes were placed over to the
rightfu owner, and a rigid account of expenses
and commissions was rendered, and with no
comment OF inquiry, the old man was left alone.
The day passed on, and old Seth again was
toiling in business, when captain arrived from
the Mediterranean, entered and placed into
his hands package. It was will bestowing
upon him all the property of the mysterious old
man. accumulated by himself as agent.
The true story of the mysterious visitor was
never told, but long afterwards it was recalled
to mind that a mohammedan merchant named
Hamet Ben Foula had been in America when
the first incident occurred, and the passenger
who came and returned in the yankee ship, was
called by the same name. This merchant con-
tinued his business with old Seth long after
ward and the latter never surmised that the
tall Arab was the old decrepit man who was
his benefactor, nor that he held his property by
will of one who still lived.
A STRANGE RUMoR.-A London letter to the
New York Journal of Commerce, dated Lon
don, November 80, says: .....s -..- .st-..
A rumor has been in circulation for several
weeks and is now believed to be well founded,
that but for the influence which Louis Napoleon
exercises upon lord Palmerston, the financial /
crisis in this realm would have been infinitely /
less disastrous in its consequences than it now
is. It is stated with positive confidence, that
when the bank Of France commenced the i'm
portation of specie from the bank of England,
the court of directors of the latter institution
sent deputaton to lord Palmerston, to OBJ
tain from his government an authorization to
issue one pound notes, in order to check the
drain of specie. The ministry declined giving
a defntive answer. until it could deliberate ma +
turely upon the subject. The cabinet at Paris
was consulted and an answer was returned,
that the measure would meet with the unqual-
fed disapprobation of his imperial majesty!
The bank of France required the precious me-
als for the sustenance of the credit of the en-
oire, and British interests were thus made to
conform to its exorbitant exactions i