Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1868-07-31
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THE LITTLE OLD GENTLEMAN.

"WouLD you like to look at the Times,
sir Singular trial that Of Risk Allah Bey
against the Daily Telegraph"
The speaker was curious little old man.
cleanly dressed, cleanly shaved with short
crisp, white hair, and face like red pip.
pin such face as Is hardly ever seen out
OF this country, and even here rarely, save
among farmers, gamekeepcrs, and others
who are much in the open air, and at all
seasons. This little-for he was very
small indeed as to size--this little old gen
tleman was encountered in first-class
smoking-carriage, on the Southwestern
Railway.
Curious trial that before the Lord Chief
Justice" continued the old gentleman, as
II he wished to promote further converse
tion. | was once tried for murder my
self" with pleasant smile. Yes" said
the little old gentleman, "and" docking
pleasanter than eYer) very nearly hung,
too | did not get off free. l was SEN
fenced to transportation for life; went
through seven years of ii and then they
pardoned me for what had never done.
You see," said the little old gentleman,
smiling more than ever, as the five other
smokers in the carriage stared at him:
You see, L was for many years cattle
merchantin London. My business consist
ed1n receiving from mabroad-from Holland,
Germany, Normandy, or wherever could
form a connection-oxen, cows, sheep,
pigs, some on my own account, others to
be sold on commission for correspondents
who sent their animals to me for sale,
The trade was profitable one. Every
beast sent over on my account was fully
insured, so that If it died on its passage
came upon the insurance company / had
very few bad debts; and, taking one thing
with another, may fully have calculated
upon realizing at least twenty-five per
cent, on my capital every three months.
In other words, got profit of a hundred
per cent. per anuum on the money | had
commenced business with.
" But with money comes the desire for
more. There was time before began to
deal in cattle, when thought myself rich
II at the end of q year had couple of
hundred pounds in bank over and above
my expenses for the past twelve months.
Now 1t was otherwise. lamented that /
had not always an idle balance of fifteen
hundred or two thousand pounds. / was
fond of money for moneys sake. could
not make money fast enough for my
wishes, in the cattle trade, and therefore
determined to do a little in the loan and
discounting way. @
ut is nearly twenty years ago, and
have gone through deal of trouble since
Mysystem was never to put too many
eggs in one potr-never to lend very much
to any single person-but to lend many
small amounts to various people, used
to answer the advertisements of trades.
men in difficulties, and if found that a
borrower had good security to offer, /
would lend him perhaps thirty or forty
pounds, taking ten pounds for the accom-
modation for month, and much more in
proportion for longer periods One of nv
clients was printer with small business,
near what was then called the New-road,
now Marylebone-road. He had often bor-
rowed twenty, thirty, and once as much
as sixty pounds from me, and had always
repaid me to the day. The security he
gave me was always the same, the Joint
note of hand of himself and his brother,
grocer up Hackney way. The name of
this borrower was Strange - Edward
Strange He was in q delicate state of
health, always suffering from his chest,
and in severe winters he used to be laid
up for weeks together with bad cough.
He, was widower, without children. =,
zone day Strange came to me and said
that he had avery excellent offer to enter
into partnership with printer, who had
been established in business several years.
The sum required to be paid for the part
nership was three hundred pounds, and
he asked me to advance him that amount
upon the security of policy of insurance
for one thousand pounds upon bis own
life. On inquiry, l found that years be-
fore, Strange had, when q young and
healthy man, effected an insurance upon
his life for five hundred pounds and after
wards increased it to one thousand
pounds. This policy he had always man.
aged to keep up, and still wished that 1t
should not relapse. AS it had been run
ming on for nearly twenty years, and as he
paid very small premium, and was now
in bad health, the insurance company
would have been glad topurchase it back.
Therefore, after looking at the affair in
every possible way, came to the conclu-
sion that the security was good, and that
| might safely advance the sum of three
hundred pounds upon the security of the
policy being endorsed over to me. This
was done, and / advanced the money
Gentlemen, the worst days business ever
did in my life.
"In general creditor sees but little of
his debtors, whether they are few OF many.
The man who owes money generally
avoids the individual to whom he owes it.
But it happened otherwise with Strange
and myself With the new business that he
had bought, he was not expected, nor
CNSn MlSnSu1 D( DdlbnCI w
and his own Indifferent health made it
very desirable that he should be as free as
possible from the confined air of the close
printing rooms. The partnership he had
purchased secured him certain amount
of income, which, together with what he
had besides, allowed him to go about in
divers parts of the country, travelling
being much recommended by his medical
attendant. Knowing that had to make
weekly trips to Harwich, and that had
otten TO go to Rotterdam in the way Of
business when looking after cattle, he
asked me whether he could be of use to
me as a clerk. He asked for no salary
only his actual travelling expenses and
for this he was TO keep my accounts
write and copy my letters, and malxe hi,n''
self generally useful. The bargain was
good one for both parties On the one hand
my business was increasing every week
and having to knock about great deal az
fairs, and to see a great many dealers, /
had no time 10 look properly after my ac-
counts, which sometime got rather com
plicated. On the other hand, Strange had
enough to live upon but not enough to
pay travelling expenses with comfort.
Having been friends for several years,
when we travelled together we always
had our meals in common and in country
places, or where the inns were very full,
we generally took double.bedded room
between us.
"Afera time / found Strange's assist
ance of such value TO me that l was able
to increase my cOhneetions very materially
indeed Being a shrewd man, he was
able at the end of twelve month 10 make
purchases aud conduct my business as
well as could. This led, naturally
enough, 20 q partnership. being formed
between us, by lhc terms Of which / was
to lend him five hundred pounds 10 put
into the business, OF which he was 10 have
fourth OF the net profits. As surety for
the five hundred pounds, he insured his
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