The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-09-07
SeIctt MlistflIanp
Ely WESTERN ESTATE.

= 1 have Just returned from visit to my West.
! ern -
How do I happen to have estate at the
/ West? The question is a reasonable ore, and
/ proceed to answer it.
| About year ago, my good aunt Deborah
| bless her generous soul being under the ne
cessity of leaving the world, bequeathed NE in
her will the sum of five hundred dollars.
"Lett that serve as est-egg," recommended
one of my prudential friends; E'your salary is
quite sufficient to support you. There is no
| reason why this should not be invested, so that
by the time you have occasion to use it, in
stead of paltry FIVE hundred dollars, you will
have twice or thrice the sum-"
This advice seemed to me sensible. I had
no present use for the money. and there was
something exhilerating in the idea of being a
espitalist-with money, to invest
My friends were very kind in the natter
Not less than twenty-five, at the smallest calcu-
lation, offered to take charge of the money for
me, aud pay legal interest But, after all, at
six per cent. or even eight, some years must
elapse before my money would even double
1 accordingly thanked my friends for their con-
siderate kindness but told them 1 had other
views-that 1 regretted exceedingly not being
able to avail myself of their generous proposals,
as under other circumstances should promptly
have done When pressed uptn the subject
of my plans, l maintained discreet silence
for the very good reason that they were not as
yet defined in my own mind. l was waiting,
like Micawber, for something to turn up"
Son ething did turn up.
One morning, on entering my place of bust
ness found waiting for me slick parsonage,
with sharp. restless eyes.
"Mr Flint Z" he inquired. -
"That is my name.
"And mine is Lynx. 1 sm happy to make
your acquaintance. sir, and he grasped my
hand with unexpected fervor.
sThank you,'' l replied, in some little sur
prise at this cordiality from stranger
After few preliminary remarks about the
weather, which if l remember rightly, were
not particularly original, Mr.. Lynx remarked ::
..I am told Mr.. Flint, that you have some
money which you are .desirous of investing.''
"But a small amount" I answered modestly
ssIt is precisely these small sums which-so-
often serve as the foundation of large fortunes"
returned Mr. Lynx with animation.
aBut, really, five hundred dollars, contin-
ued, desrous of drawing out my visitor
HFiye hundred dollars, sir Think of
Wilmington and his venture. What is a cat
to FIVE hundred dollars And yet we are told,
sir. that he made colossal fortune, and even
became Lord Mayor of London" ..sYJ
..I always regarded that story as apocryphal,
said 1, smiling. &' - -,
~Possibly it may be 50. But what of that
Is is not the illustration Of great principle
Since you. object to this illustration, however,
let me give you another which came under my
owr, observation A friend of mine had two
hundred dollars mere bagatelle. He came
to me and asked my advice as to, the mode OF
investment 1 gave it. What is the result?
Two years have passed, and he is worth to-day
twenty thousand dollats-all through lucky
investment" - s.,fs.ez1, $50 .tst.
"Indeed,' said /; iprricking up my ears, and
considering that tat any rate my fYe hundred
dollars would have become fifty thousand l.
"May I,inquire how the money was Invested to
produce such return p sssezzsss.
"Certainly I was about to tell you With
the two huhdred dollars I purchased for him
ter-section of land, IN one of the West
ern towns Of course. you have heard Of their
astonishing growth. This land was eeptrally
located, and was required for building lots
It.rose in value astonishingly, and my friend
made snug little fortune, ab have said 1