Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1874-12-26
NV Western Estate.

AAO" w AoPPCu W AuNo III OSIoIe
at the West? The question is a rea.
sonable one, and I proceed to answer it.
About year ago, my good Aunt De-
borah-bless her generous soul!-being
under the necessity of leaving the world
bequeathed me in her will the sum oi
five hundred dollars.
"Let that serve as nest-egg," rec.
commended one of my prudential friends
your salary is quite sufficient to support
you. There is no reason why this
should not be we'll invested, so that by
the time you have occasion to use it,
instead of paltry five hundred dollars,
you will have twice or thrice the sum"
This advice seemed to me sensible. I
had no present use for the money, and
there was something exhilerating in the
idea of being capitalist-with money to
invest.
One morning, on entering my place
of business, I found waiting for me a
slick parsonage, with sharp, restless
eyes.
"Mr. Flint?" he inquired.
"That is my name."
"And mine is Lynx. I am happy to
make your acquaintance, sir" and he
grasped my hand with unexpected
fervor.
Thank you," I replied, in some
little surprise at this cordiality from a
stranger.
After a few preliminary remarks
about the weather, which, if I remem-
Der rightly, were not particularly origi-
nal, Mr.. Lynx remarked; "I am
told, Mr.. Flint, that you have some
money which you are desirous of invest
ing"
"But q small AMOUNT answered
modestly.
cit is precisely these small sums
which so often serve as the foundation
of large fortunes" returned Mr.. Lynx,
with animation.
"But, really, five hundred dollars
-" continued, desirous of drawing
out my visitor.
Give hundred dollars, sir! Think
of Wilmington and his venture. What
is cat to five hundred dollars? And
yet we are told, sir, that he made a CO.
lossal fortune, and even became Lord
Mayor of London"
II always regarded that story as ap-
ocryphal," said I, smiling.
Possibly it may be so. But what
of that ? Is it not the illustration of q
great principle? p? Since you object to
the illustration, however, let me give
yon another that came under my own
observation: A friend of mine had two
hundred dollars-a mere bagatelle. He
came to me and asked my advice as to
the mode of investment. I gave it.
What is the result? Two years have
passed, and he is worth to-day twenty
thousand dollars--all through a lucky
investment"
Indeed" said I, pricking up my
ears and considering that at that rate
my five hundred dollars would have be-
come fifty thousand. May 1 inquire
how the money was invested to produce
such return ?"
Certainly; I was about to tell you.
With the two hundred dollars I pur-
chased for him quarter section of land
in one Of our Western towns. Ofcourse
you have heard of their astonishing
growth. This land was centrally locat-
ed and was required for building lots.
It rose in value astonishingly, and my
friend made snug little fortune, as I
have said"
My Imagination was fired at once.
No more chance of letting out my mon
ey at a paltry six per cent. when such
golden harvests were to be had for the
gathering.
II suppose" said I, hesitatingly,
"that such opportunities are of rare
occurrence"
Rare occurrence, my dear sir Not
at all. I admit that it requires tact and
Judgment to make choice of such as are
most eligible. OF course, one who is
familiar with the business has great ad-
vantages."
"But am not"
Certainly not. Permit me to say,
however, that I am, and that shall be
happy to assist you to the best of my
ability. In fact, I devote the chief part
of my time to an agency of this dis
cription, and I have the great satisfac-
ton of knowing that I have placed
more than one young man of small
means on the road to fortune"
1 began to have high idea of the
the abilities and benevolence of Mr..
Lynx, which was not materially di-
minished when he. acknowledged that
he was in the habit of receiving q cer-
tain commission-say ten per cent-for
efecting On investment.
"Have you any favorable chances for
investment now on handY / inquired,
with some anxiety.
Tempting, sir, tempting" was the
reply of Mr.. Lynx. II have some lots
in Constantinople."
" Constantinople!" I repeated, in
some uncertainty. The only associa-
tons which the name recalled were of
q certain city lying between the Sea of
Mormora and the Bosphorous. OF
course Mr.. Lynx could not mean that,
or If he did, I had too little confidence