The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-08-20
Anecdotes Of Rothschild.

Out VI tilc OtOCA IACIdfiSc anu Ills COullt-
ing house, in st. Swithin's lane. When
Louis Spohr, the great German musician,
called on him in June, 1920, with letter
of introduction from his brother in Frank
fort, he said to him, "I understand nothing
of music. This" patting his pocket, and
rafting the loose coins therein, "is my
music; we understand that ON Change"
Money-making was the one pursuit and
enjoyment of Rothschild's life. He cared
less than many do for the money when it
was made "He had no taste or inclina-
tion," says one of his. friends; for what
every Englishman seeks as soon as he has
money to buy it-comfort in every re-
spect His ambition was to arrive at his
aim more quickly and more effectually
than others, and to steer toward it with
more energy. When his end was reached
it had lost all its charm for him, and he
turned his never -wearying mind to some
thing else" 1t was in the scramblings
and fightings, the plots and tricks of max
ing money, not at all in the spending, not
much in the boarding of it, that he de.
lighted.
"I hope" said dinner companion to
him, on one occasion, !" hope that your
children are not too fond of money and
business to the exclusion of more impor-
tant things. l am sure you would not
wish that" 81 am sure l should wish
that" he answered; "I wish them to give
mind, and soul, and heart, and body
everything to business. That is the way
to be happy. 1t requires great deal of
boldness and a great deal of caution to
make great fortune and, when you have
got it, it requires ten times as much wit to
keep it."
To all who were willing-to work in this
fashion, he was, after his fashion, good
friend. Some of the wealthiest CONNER.
cial houses now in London owe their, pros
perity to the readiness with which Rotiis;
child; Seeing good business qualities in the
young men around him, helped them on
with his great influence. There were
cases in which he went out of his way to
put exceptional opportunities of money
making in the way of his favorites. Even
his charities, according to his own confess
ion, were eccentric, and chiefly INDUCED
in for his own entertainment. "Some-
times, to amuse myself" he said, "I give a
beggar a guinea. He thinks it Is mis-
take, and, for fear should find it out, off
he runs as hard as he can. Iadvise you to
give beggar a guinea, sometimes; it is
very amusing"
A saying attributed to him gives evi-
dence, if true, of some humOr. Once, it
is said, German prince, visiting London,
brought letters of credit to the banker
He was shown into the inner room of the
famous counting-house in St. Swithin's
lane, where Rothschild sat busy with a
heap of papers. The name being an
nounced, ROthschild nodded, offered his
visitor chair, and then went on with the
work before him. For this treatment the
prince, who expected that everything
should give way to one of his rank and
dignity, was not prepared Standing a
minute or two, he exclaimed, "-Did you
not hear, sir, who I am? am'-repeat-
ing his titles. "Oh, very we'll" said
Rothschild, "take two chairs then"
At another time two strangers we're ad-
mitted into the same private room. They
were tall foreigners, with mustaches and
boards such as were not often seen in the
city thirty or forty years ago. and Roths-
child, always timid, was frightened from
the moment of their entrance He put his
own Interpretation upon the excited move
ments with which they fumbled about in
their pockets; and before the expected
pistols could be produced, he had thrown
| a. great ledger in the direction of their
heads, and brought in bevy of clerks by
his cries of murder" The strangers were
pinioned, and then, after long questionings
and explanations, it appeared that they
were wealthy bankers from the Continent
who, nervous in the presence of banker
go much more wealthy, had had some diff
Guilty in finding the letters of introduction
which they were to present.-Fdmous
| London Merchants.