The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-08-14

ing to our city. It is one of the most beau.
tiful in the country. He must be man oI
considerable property to build house like
that" $3.50 d tpisrss g.
"They suyhe is worth half million ~.
"Indeed 90 -aeH aaH
"Yes. Like yourself, he started, / am told
with nothing, and made his, own fortune"
The allusion to himself as having started
with nothing, was not entirely agreeable to
Mr.. Leary. He did not want people to know
that he had come up from the. lower classes
in society, and fondy inagiped that this
was secret known to but few A reference
to the fact, therefore, was like throwing
cold water upon him.
"Have you seen him." said he, because
it was necessary to say something.
"Yes he is plain, but very geutlemanly
man. There is nothing ostentatious about
him; nothing that marks the purse.proud
rich man, no arrogance in his character
wish could remember his name, it is O.
something o., Ono / cannot get it,
By the way, Mr.. Leary, believe he is a
countryman of yours and that reminds me
of first rate story heard of him. 1t is cap.
ital ! One of the best things that has,oc-
Cured for some time. Have you heard
it,"
"No, I think not"
| "Well it is first rate. Some twenty or
thirty years ago, this gentlemen arrived in
our country with his wife, green from Ire.
land. They came in company with another
young couple of the same grade in society;
one l believe was draper's clerk, and
came to seek their fortunes. A few sove.
reigns each was all they possessed. But
the men and their wives had been friends
from early years, and had been attached to
each other. In coming to this country, they
pledged lasting friendship and interest in
each others welfare, For time their way
in lite lay side by side; but there was some
thing in the conduct of the friend of this o.,
O',-what's his name! O'ShaDe Yes,
now have it. O'Shane is his name, Mr..
Leary.' 90
The merchant, who was so full of the
good story, did not observe the marked effect
the announcement of his name had made
upon his auditor. He went on
"O'Shane noticed some things in the
conduct of his friend that he did not much
like; as for instance when fortune smiled a
little upon him, he was distant toward
O'Shane, and said nothing about dividing his
last penny with him as before; but when
things looked dark with him and bright with
O'Shane, he was exceedingly glad to bask
in his friends sunshine. Sill notwthstand
ing this, O'Shane was attached to him, anC
their wives were like sisters. They started
in the world as pedIers, O'Shane loaned his
friend, who had spent all his money in sick
ness, enough to get a filed pack. In order
to lessen expenses, they rented small
house, and their wives lived together while
they were away.
"At length, the friend saved enough to Sc,
up a small grog, shop, and O'Shane accepted
an invitation at the South. They parted
and never met until six months ago-twen.
ty years having elapsed since they separated
The friends made enough money in u few
years by selling grog, to get into more de.
cent and respectable business. He became
wholesale dealer and is now, am told,
one of our most wealthy merchants. But
he is represented as being exceedingly
proud of his position in society, at the same
time that he is naughty and overbearing to
those in humble circumstances. With him,
I suppose, as with too many others, money
not worth, makes the man.
"O'Shane being far worthier man, push.
ed ahead at the south, not by selling rum,
however--he was above that-but by fair
and honorable trade. Two years ago he
went to New Orleans, having amassed
about fifty thousand dollars in Charleston,
and entered into the cotton brokerage bus-
ness, from which he retired with half mil
lion dollars honestly made But now for
the gist of our story. O'Shane had not
seen or heard direct from his friend for ff.
teen years; but he understood how he was
getting along, and ascertained, ON his arri-
val in Baltimore, that he knew nothing OF
his altered fortunes. So what do you think
he does? He knew if he came as the pos
SCISSOR of half million, he would be receiv-
ed with open arms, and he would not know
whether spark of true regard remained--
He therefore determined to test his friend.
In order to do this, after his arrivalin the city,
he called, in company with Blddy, his wife,
at the store of the merchant and claimed ac-
quaintance. Two or three persons happen
ed to be present at the time, and, am told,
they described the scene as rich beyond
anything they had ever seen, The mer
chant did not know them, and O'Shane, to
re fresh his memory, reminded him in an as
sumed brogue, Of old ireland, and what they
had been there, and their early struggles in
this country. But the outraged merchant
bid him begone in towering passion.
"After that, DISTANCES wife called to see
the friend of her early years, hoping that
she might not be SO badly changed as her
husband. She sent up her name, and re-
Il = \ g. .