Volcano weekly ledger., 1856-02-02

Profitable Walk.


Baron Rothschd sat in his Office counting
his gains and calculating the risk of sundry
loans which had been offered him, when
spruce, handsome young man entered, and
requested the loan OF two thousand pounds
What is the security" said the Baron with
out looking up. my note!' was the reply
The great money-ender turned and surveyed
his applicant, scrutinizing him from head to
foot There must have been something
honest in the young mans face, for the Baron
was evidently pleased with the result of his
scrutiny "Would two thousand be sufficient
young gentleman" said he. "I can let you
have ten as well as two" 1.-TWO will answer
my purpose now" said the would be borrower.
Though do not say / will lend it," said
the Baron. "but l can put you in the way
OF getting it, and even ten times that amount
If you know how to take advantage of your
opportunities" The young man trembed at
the unusual complasance of a man who in
money matters had the reputation of being
very severe. He feared that he was about
to propose some doubtful operation aid
stammered Honorable proposition?"-I
would make no other" said the Baron with
dignity. Come, well take walk up the
street" Instead of offering his arm to his
new acquaintance, he took his, and thus they
promenaded Lombard street. The Baron
learned the name and business of his COM
panion, and the object for which he wished
the money. Hundreds of people met them,
and wonder who could be his companion
Some of the richer and more influential den
liens of that moneyed street stopped to chat
with him and to them; the Baron introduced
them to his young friend, with the remark
that any favor they could do him would be
considered as personal favor to himself
Many of these were men whose wealth and
influence were so great that their very name
commanded the involuntary respect of our
young friend. He saw his advantage at
once Arriving at the end Of the street, the
Baron affectionately took leave of him, say
ing-that if he did not obtain the money
elsewhere, he might come in the afternoon
and with knowing wink he got into his car
riage and drove off, Our young friend
turned to walk back on Lombard street. He
met one OF the men--a very Cr9sus--to
whom he had been introduced by the Baron:
this man desirous of cultivating an acuuain-
tance which had such an auspicious introduc-
ton, held him in conversation, in the course
of which our friend plumr,y asked for the
loan of $4,000. The rich man could not re-
fuse-the applicant had been introduced by
Rothschilds, he bad been as good as endorsed
by him-and tren the sum would be doing q
favor to the great man. The notes were
counted out, and the young mans note taken
In exchange. The lender looked at the sgner
Tue he had never heard the name on Change,
but never mind; Rothschild would not have
walked arm and arm with him and introduced
him as he did if he had not been perfectly
good. So, with many assurances of distin-
guished regard, the two parted. A few
steps further the young adventurer met an
other of his new acquaintance, and while
halting with him he carclessly displayed the
bank notes he had just received, and observ-
ing that he had large amount to make up
for certain great opportunity, and not wish
ing, private reasons, to apply to his good
friend, the Baron, he would feel obliged if he
could lend him 100000.
The latter, actuated by such motives as the
other money lender, counted out the desired
amount and took q note, with the unknown
name, in exchange. And so the young man
went on borrowing from each of his new
friends, until he had accumulated an hundred
thousand pounds. All this he deposited
with Rothschild, reserving only the two thou
sand pounds, which he originally desired
The next day there was a great hutter
among the rich men on Change, and many
were the conjectures they made, as they com
pared notes" about the Baron's friend. Time
flew on, no one had seen the unknown money
borrower, and some of the lenders began to
think they had been victimized The Baron
was mute to all their inquiries, and they
knew not what to think, when just before the
time for payment arrived, each one received a
note from the strange acquaintance, to the
effect that if they would present their notes
at the banking house of Rothchild, they
would be paid. One who held a note of
twenty-five thousand pounds went there out
OF curiosity, as he said, when lol it was
cashed. The news went like wild fire. All
came with notes; and all, as soon as present
ed, were cashed; and upon this affair, Mr..
Couatts established credit, which enabled
him soon afterwards to establish the bank
ing house of Couatts & Co., whose credit
at the present day in England is equal to
that of the great Rothschild himself, to whose
affability its founder owed his fortune and
success.