The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-02-05

| certainly not, L SAID.
"I look upon my family" William
went on, Gas my capital. The children
I've brought up and educated, they
rperesent an immense fund, but it is at
present sunk-unavailable, in fact"
Yes, I didn't see how they could be
turned to account.
"Then," went on William, I" the
question arises, how Is the thing to be
met ? Clearly by somebody advancing
the requisite capital-putting himself,
as it were, in the place of the original
investor, sharing his profits without
sharing his risks; but that advantage"
said William, "I'm quite content he
should have. Now the question is,
where to find the man p
eyes, there it is; there must be
plenty of men who'd be glad of such q
chance; but I can't think of anybody at
present"
CT thought of you once" said Will
liam; "but dismissed the idea. No;
it wouldn't do for you"
"Oh, don't see that" 1 said, elf
the amount were reasonable one."
Reasonable p' said William it's
ridiculous. Fifty pounds. The half
share in a fortune for fifty pounds !
Bah the things absurd"
Now it so happened that I had lit
tie more than fifty pounds to my credit
at the London and Westminster Bank,
on deposit, and they'd just reduced the
interest to two per cent, which was
disgusting; but still I'm such a
cautious bird that wouldn't give Will
liam an answer till I'd an opportunity
of consulting an old friend of mine, a
lawyer of large practice in the city.
And, strange to say, he didn't think so
highly of the scheme as William did I;
and yet they were both clever men
but sometimes these lawyers are over
cautious.
"Don't let him have the money with.
out good security" he said personal
would do-one good name beside his
own."
I told William this, and he didn't
raise any difficulty at although it
quite a proper, though needless pre-
caution and he named to me q man,
one Wilks, whom knew very well, and
to be good responsible man. There
was no doubt of his consent, but as
matter of form it would be as well to
ask him. In the course of the next day
had note from William, saying
laconically: "All right-will come to-
morrow night" So I withdrew my
deposit, and waited at home to meet
Master William.
He came next night in the highest
spirits.
"Well, I've succeeded admirably !;
better than 1 could have expected. In
point of fact, shall no longer want
Ill, ,l,o11 I l.
full to you and some other time I may
have another good thing OPEN"
"Then you've got the money!" I
said. "Well, William, I'm glad OF it.
1t has put me to little inconvenience
Withdrawing my deposit, and so on
but never mind that-Im glad your
friends have such confidence in you"
"I haven't got the money yet. but
I'm to have it tonight in fact Wilks
entered into the matter at once in the
handsomest way. Look here, he
said Il dare say our friend Malam
hasn't any too much cash at his bankers,
but know him to be a good, honest fell
low; now he said, 'I'U advance the
money"
"That was very good of Wilks," I
said.
"Wasn't it?-no consulting my law
yer there, Malam Come, old friend,
only my joke, you know; but he says,
'Tll advance the money, and Malam
shall be security 1t comes to just the
same thing, you see."
els it the same thing ?" 1 said doubt
fully.
Haven't got mathematical head,
and these commercial transactions gen.
orally bother me. 1t seemed very much
like the same thing, only reversed, but
then-was it?
"But is it the same thing, William ?"
I said again.
cts precisely the same thing to
me-" cried William.
eyes but to me ?"
"Oh, it's much better for you-you
don't have to part with the money, you
see."
eyes" said, "it seems very much
better, as you say. but then it isn't
quite what we agreed to. don't sup
pose the difference is material, but as 1
have consulted my friend, the lawyer in
the extensive practice in the city, about
it, I don't think it would do for me to
alter the arrangement he pointed out
without asking his opinion as to the
alteration.
Now could see William was good
deal annoyed about this, but what could
do?
William took away his paperssin a
huff, and L didn't see him again for
year. Yes, it was at least a year after,
that Wilkins the messenger came into
my room when was having my lunch
eon-half a pint of porter and an
abernethy-and gave me little bit of
crumpled paper done up into the form
of a note. "There's young person in
the waiting-room says she'll wait for an
answer"
"Dear Malam," said the note, "will
you send me sovereign by bearer, my
daughter Annabel, your god-daughter,
for particular purpose? Don't fail y
"I'll see her myself, Wilkins" I re-
marked to the messenger, and went out
into the waiting-room. There are gen.
orally good many people in the wait
ing-room, and SO there were on this
occasion-people waiting for an inter-
view with the heads of departments
and there, perched on the table, swing
ing her legs with the greatest nom
chalance, was my granddaughter. Anna.
bel Brown. 1 must say that felt lit
tie twinge of remorse to think how I'd
my duties towards her, never
having troubled myself to see whether
she was confirmed, or anything of the
sort. But she was a fine, well. grown
girl of seventeen or so, and indeed
showed how fast she had grown taller
and broader by her garments, which
uera rather short and disnlaued raoro