The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-09-07
.AsHLAND ASHLAND COUNTY. OHIO WEDNEsDA AY.M .MoRNIr

My imagination was fred at once, : No NOR,
chance of letting out my money at aipaltry si1
per cent. when such golden harvests were t.
be hadfor the gathering.
"I suppose" said I, hesitatingly, "that sucl
opportunities are of rare occurrence" IeR
"Rare occurrence, my dear sir p Not at all
admit that it requires tact and Judgment tc
make choice of such as most eligible. (. o.
course, one who is familiar with the busines:
has great advantage" a' r,ia &c :&'"f
40 "But am not:'' - '',.1i
."Certainly not. Permit me to say, however
that am, and that / shall be happy to assist
you to the best of my ability. In fact, de-
vote the chief part Of my time to an agency
of this description, and have the great salts
faction of knowing that 1 have placed more
than one young man of small means on the
road to fortune"
I began to have high idea of the abilities
and benevolence of Mr.. Lynx, which was not
materially diminished when he ack nowledged
that he was in the habit of receiving certain
commission say ten per cent.-for efecting an
investment.
"Have you, any favorite chances for invest
ment now on hand 7" I inquired, with some
anxiety: E4 @
"Tempting, sir, tempting" was the reply of
Mr.. Lynx. 81 have some lots in CONSTANT
nople."
ssConstantinople repeated, in some un-
certainty. The only associations which the
naue recalled were of certain city lying be-
tween the Sea of Marmora and the Bosphorus.
OF course, Mr.. Lynx could not mean that, or
if he did, / had two little confidence in the
Turks to venture my money there. My doubt
was removed by the further remrak of Mr..
Lynx.
"Constantinople is town in Minnesota,
which, venture to say, in the course of ten
years will contain twenty-five thousand inhabi-
tants., 4 5laE
81 do not think ] ever heard of it."
s'That is not surprising. Thirty years since
Chicago was mere trading post amid the wig
vans of the Indians. Now it bids fairto rival
our largest Eastern cities I might point you
to many other examples, but it is needless
Yes, sir, do not need to be informed of the al
most magical growth of our Western towns
and cities. Never was truer stanza penned
than this by Bishop Berkley:
'swestward the course of empire takes its way /;
The four first acts already past,
The ffth shall close the drama with the day
Times noblest offspring is lis last"
''Of course you are familiar with it,"
replied in the affirmative, and ventured to
inquire more particularly respecting the town.
of Constantinople.
Fortunately replied Mr.. Lynx, "I have
q plan of the town in my pocket"
He drew out a large sheet containing the
plan of town regularly laid out into streets,
lots, &C., with here and there public building
indicated. -.elr
'sThere, he said Indicating the central part
with his finger, sare two churehes-l lethodist
and Baptist-and it is proposed to offer the LOT
contiguous to the C0ngfegatio; alists, on condi-
ton of their erecting handsome church edi-
fee upon it. In the Immediate vicinity some
ten acres are reserved, as you perceive, for a
public park. This is thing which ought ne
yer to be forgotten in laying out town"
L looked out of my Office window upon the
brick wall opposite, and cordially agreed with
Mr.. Lynx in this remark
''This little black mark" he continued, Gin
dicates the bank. Near by is the CONSTANT
nople Hotel. Those little dots stand for work
shops of various kinds. BY the way, 1 forgot
apart for public purposes is Hyde Park"
"Isn't that rather an imposing name for a
village common? 2" 1 ventured to inquire.
"Well, perhaps So said Mr.. Lynx, hesita-
tingly, "but our principle is to take good names
whenever we find them. For that reason
knowing that the place was destined some day
to become large one, we gave it high sound
ing name Years hence (of course 1 do not
pretend to fix the time,) I believe, the Con-
stantinople of the Eastern continent will dwin-
die into insignifcance by the side of that in
our Western world
e'You are sanguine, Mr.. Lynx"
need not detail the conversation which fol-
lowed. tits sufficient to say that the eloquence
of Mr. Lynx fell not upon stony (albeit upon
Flint-y) ground Within one hour l was the
legal possessor of one hundred and sixty acres,
situated in Constantinople. Forty acres were
in the centre of the town-the remainder on
the outskirts. These, together with commits
sion to pay Mr.. Lynx, just swallowed up my
aunt's bequest. ,.t
When walked home, it was with a proud
cons sciousness that 1 was landed proprietor,
and on the high road to wealth.
ssIn two or three years, at most" [ reflected,
ri shall be able to sell my land for such sum
as, with my moderate desires, will place me
above the world. l shall at once resign my
the bank of the North River, and, being then
quite able to give her competent support, |
shall offer myself to the adorable Eliza.
The prospect vas an agreeable one-deci-
dedly so, and L could not avoid wishing that
my fortune were already made ,However two .,
years would pass rapidly, and then my castle
in the air might assume more substantial
form. I did not acquaint my friends with the
precise nature of my investment, but intimated
exceedingly fortunate disposal of it.. Natural
ly, their curiosity excited, but, l intend
ed by and by to surprise them, 1 was proof
against their inquiries.
Some weeks since, having brief respite
from business, prepared, as usual, for sum-
mer trip. Where should 1 go? To Saratoga,
Nahant2 =, ~ -- -
This question was propounded by my friends
81 shall go to neither of these places" re-
HYou go to the White Mountains, then, or
to Niagara !'
NStill wrong" zg
sWhere, then, are you going?"
ITO Constantinople, 1 replied firmly -
Ny friends looked at each other in blank
and believe had serious doubts
as to my sanity, until assured them that
did not mean the ancient Byzantium, but a
fourishing town in Minnesota They manifes-
tod considerable surprise at the singularity of