The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-07-26
The Little old ee.tlsna..
(From An the Year Round. ]

crisp white hair and face like q red pippin
such a face as is hardly ever seen out Of thi
country, and even here rarely save anon
farmers, gsmekeepers, or others who are muc
in the open air, and at all seasons. This little
for he was very small indeed as to sze-thi
little old gentleman, was encountered in first
Railway.
Curious trial that before the lord chief JUS
tice," continued the old gentleman, as if h
wished TO promote further conversation ~ wa
smile Yes" said the little old gentlem an
and" Cooking pleasanter than ever "verl
nearly hung too. did not get of free. / wa
sentenced to transportation for life wen
through seven years of it; and then they par
ooned me for what had never done. -
"1ou see," said the little old gentle
man, smiling more than ever, as the five
other smokers in the carriage stared a.
bmI"you see, | was for many years a
cattle merchant in London. NV bushes,
consisted in receiving from abroad-from HoI
land, Germany, Normandy, or wherever could
form connection-oxeD, cows, sheep, pigs some
on my own account others to be sold on commits
sion for correspondents who sent their animals 10
me for sale. The trade was a profitable one.
Every beast sent over on my account was fully
insured, SO that. if it died on its passage, came
upon tie insurance company. l had very few
bad debts; and taking one thing with another. I
may fully have calculated upon realizing at least
twenty-five per cent on my capital every three
| months. In other words, got profit of hun.
| Gred Ier cent. per annum on the money had
| commenced business with.
| " But with money comes the desire for more
| There was time before began to deal 10 cattle
! when thought myself rich if, at the end of a
| year, had couple of hundred pounds in bank
over and above my expenses for the past twelve
| months. Now it was otherwise. latnented that
had not always an idle balance of fifteen hun-
bred or two thousand pounds. l 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 little In the loan and
dlscouDtiDg way.
1t IS nearly twenty years ago, and have gone
through deal of trouble since. My system was
never to put too many eggs in one pot-neyer To
lend very much to any single person-but 20 lend
many small amounts to various people. used to
answer the advertisements of tradesmeu in din.
euines, and II found that borrower had good
security TO offer, would lend him perhaps thirty
or forty pounds taking ten pounds for the accom-.
modauon, ana much more in proportion for longer
periods. One of my clients was printer with a
small business, near what was then called the
New Road, now Msrlebone Road He had often
borrowed twenty, thirty and once as much az
sixty pounds from me, and had al ways repaid me
10 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 10 delicate state of health, always suffering
from MS chest, and IN severe winters he used to
De laid up for weeks together with bad cough.
de was widower, without children.
One day Strange came to me and said that he
mad very excellent offer 10 enter into partner.
snip with printer who had been established in
business several years. The sum required 10 be
pald Tor the partnership was three hundred
POUNDS, and be asked me to advance him that
amount upon the security of policy of insurance
Tor one thousand pounds upon his own life Ga
inquiry, found that, years before, Strange had
Wheh young and healthy man, effected an insur-
anee upon bis life for five hundred pounds. and
afterwards increased it to one thousand pounds
his policy be had always managed to keen mn
and still wished that il should not relapse IA IL
had been running on for nearly twenty years, and
as he paid very small premium, and was now ia
bad health, the insurance company would have
been glad TO purchase it back. Therefore, after
looking at the affair in every possible way. |
came TO the conclusion that the security was
good, and that might safely advance the sum of
three hundred pounds upon the security of the
poley being Endorsed over to me. This was done.
ana advanced the money Gentlemen, the
worst days business | ever did in my lfe
" In general, creditor sees but little of hi. /
debtors, whether they are few or many The man |
who owes money generally avoids the individual |
10 whom he owes il. But il happened otherwise |
with Strange and myself. With the new business |
anst De had 6ought, he was not expected, nor
even wished, by his partner to interfere; aad his
own indifferent health made it very desirable that /
ne should be as free as possible from the confined
ar OF the close prntingrO The partnership he
hao purchased secured him certain amount OF in
come which, together with what he had besides.
allowed him TO go about in divers parts of the coun.
n.y. travelling being much recommended by his
medical attendant. Knowing that had 70 make
Weeky trips TO hsrwich, and that had often to 90
10 ROTTERDAM In the way of business when looking
alter 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
lor TINS he was to keep my accounts, write
and copy my letters. and make himself |
generally useful. The bargain was a good one
or Dolh parties. On the one hand my business |
Vas increasing every week, and having to knock
loont great deal at fairs, and to see a great
many dealers, had no time to look properly after
ny accounts, which sometimes got rather com.
'ncated. On the other hand, Strange had enough
o i've upon, but not enough to pay travelling ex.
lenses with comfort. Having been friends for
several years, when we travelled together we |
ways had our meals in common and in conntrv
'iaces, or where the inns were very full we gen. |
rally took double bedded room between us.
Aiter time found Srange's assistance of |
ucn Naiue 10 me that was able to increase my
oDDecuons very materially indeed. Being a |
hreWed man, be was able at the end of a twelve. |
lonth 10 make purchases and conduct my bust.
ess as well as could. This led naturally enough.
o partnership being formed between ia bv the |
erms OF which was to lend him five hundred
ounds TO put into the business, of which he was
have fourth of the net profits. As surety for
pc I'VE hundred pounds, he insured his life for an.
ther thousand; Thus, when we commenced
'oTklng together as partners, Strange owed ,
re eight hundred pounds, and held policies of ,
lsurance on his life for two thousand pounds.
Our business trips used generally to last from
week 10 a fortnight. Sometimes we were de.
lined at the port to which we had brought the ,
aimals, for four or five days, awaiting the means !
shlpplnR them to England, for il is not every J
Gamer that will take bullocks, or sheep or pigs '
cargo. Sometimes one of us would remain in :
ondon conducting the sales of such animals an :
is partner sent him from abroad. And this had !
sppened when the event of which am now GO | /
q to tell you took place. '
i" AS Strange could speak French very well, | =
ten sent him alone to the fairs in Normandy I
ID Brianny, nearly always going myself to those n
Hoilsnd and the north OF Germany. Il was | !
mewhere about the end of a certain May that +
went over TO France, intending to remain there h
bout six weeks, and go from one fair to another b
! certain round. Three or four consign. II
ents of beasts had reached me in London |,
I'd the last was to come over in a day or v
70. My partner had visited all the fairs n
} intended to go to, and was to join me. | e
rote him at Southampton, where be was to land :
yiDg that would meet him there, take look o
the cattle he had bought, and send some to
'ndon and go with the rest to some of the south 2
u counties, where there was likely to be mar. :,