Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1859-11-02

you remember your school nick All
Eyes!'
10 be sure do: and deserve it. Still,
as you say, l am not naturally speculative.
| make the most of things in a regular way
of business. but no needless risks. Above
all. hold that he who endangcrs pound
more than he actually possesses, commits
!. breach of the command, Thou shalt not
steal yet have speculated desperately;
and it is Of my one gambling transaction
am going to speak. l had made such
satisfactory progress under old Stanley's
tuition, that at length he proposed l should
invest my capital. and become his partner
to the amount | have named above. Well
do | remember leaving home on the NOR
ming of the day on which he made me this
proposition. As passed through the gate
which led into the little shrubbery-you
recollect the place, James, for you spent
many jOvial day at our house when We
were lads-I was attracted by the beauti-
full appearance of a hop-vine which twined
lightly round sapling hard by. l had
watched its growth, and now, as its flow
ers trembled in the soft wind, l paused to
admire it before passed on my way. Be-
fore returned in the evening, had made
arrangements for becoming partner, in
the great house of Stanley & Co., and my
little capital was, may say, in my hands
ready to re-invest.
Any person would suppose that, under
such circum stances, should be too much
absorbed in meditating on my commercial
prospects TO notice small external Objects
But such was not the case AS usual, l
was all eyes and when | reached the lit
tic shrubbery gate, noticed that the plant.
which in the morning looked so beautiful,
was now shru. k n. and appeared as though
scorched and withered. Curious to know
the cause, | went Immediately to the libra
ry, and took down a work which would, l
thought, enlighten me. In it l found
deserlrrtt'on OF what IS termed the hop
blight ana on ccuDaring my own small
experiences with it, l could scarcely doubt
that my favori,s plant had been thus sud
denly struck with the disease. Still.
was not quite satisfied; so | consulted the
garlaer. who happened to be a. work on
the lawn. He shook his head wher he
saw. the vine. 1t is the blight. sure
enough said he. Very few hops will
there be this year. 1t comes in this way, ,
and covers great extent of country all at
once. just as though fame had passed
over it
Then. you think said I, that the crop
will be spoiled!' +
Not bit of that SIR
That will do; thank you. 1 felt anx-
iOus to know what had spoiled my vine SO 7
suddenly T
The man returned to his work. and /, f.,
never waiting for dinner, hurried back to v
town, to purchase every poe ct of hops 1 8
could lay hold on. 1t was a desperate !;
game, for l risked everything l possessed, q
Jut no more. Hops were then particular f
ly cheap, for the preceding year had been
one of remarkable plenty. and few hours G
before l began to buy, there was as good a II
prospect for the coming season. Thanks Il
to my all eyes l was first in the field. / .,
made no cOnfdant When old Stanley al a
luded to the partnership. l quietly reques- h
ed permission to reconsider the matter l.
His face told that he deemed me fool. for h
,is offer was certainly thing to jump at, is
md he informed Nelly in nay presence and Q,
With a perceptible sueer, that was consid- h.
ring whether partnership with him weuld hi
II would not be advisable. The dear girl p,
herself seemed almost hurt about it; but | /.
to her that she must trust me en- h
irely. and she said no more. Nelly had
faith in my infallibility then. 1t as
rould have been great comfort to me to as
ell her all about that venture of mine, for W
had grown quite haggard with keepingit pr
0 myself And how | watched that soli- n
ary plant. If l saw the least signs of tn
mendmcnt in its appearance, | treInbled; n
nd the more the leaves dropped, the more en-
id my spirits rise was like fellow by "
he sick bed of one from whom he expects ce
rich legacy You see l embarked not
My my cash, but all my future prospects n
D this one venture If lost the money, co..
should be sure to loose Nelly also. The IN
nccessful speculator is feted as a shrewd sir
I'm. and his fellows talk of his talent for ,b
usiness; the unlu,ky one is stigmatized as 81,
gambler ana a madilan' otl
But my anxicties did not last long de-
he certainty of failure in the crop of III
ops became known, and there was an out pa
" in the market. Nobody knew where er
ne hops were gone to. The brewers, cal wi
Mating on diminished prices. had but few en-
/ hand when the blight came. and now VIII
,ey eagerly sought to increase their stock. prc
ou will guess how | held back, and then
mt in my precious commodities in small tiy
uantities, and how my capital was quad tru
lpled by the transaction in
i soc it all now. interrupted l. you wa
Stop. and let me finish. Don't be rude iJe
nd SPOIL my story; it'snearly done. When all
had parted with my last parcel of hops, a
nd found myself the pOssessOr of twelve, cal
lstead of three thousand pounds. march Hi