Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1878-07-05
Whole Number 1887.
Dividend Day at the Bank Of England.

One may see on these occasions a very
curious collection of people. Let ms
stand and watch them for while as they
come to the great counter and give in
their names and the amount of stock
which they possess, to enable the clerk
to hand ever the proper warrant for
payment in the rotunda. Here is an old
buck, probably a military man in years
past; his frock-coat is buttoned nearly
up to his chin, his scarf nattily arranged
within it; he has a heavy white nous
tache, and he bears himself up with con-
sequential but feeble air. With him
comes his wife, who, as he is deaf, wants
to direct him; but to this he will in no
wise submit, and repels her instructions
with irritated dignity. They quarrel au-
dibly as to the stock in which their mon
ey is placed; they quarrel about the
amount; about the name in which it is
invested, about everything concerning
which it is possible for them to quarrel.
He "puts her down" with pettish supe-
riOrity, but she as often RECEIVERS herself
and renews the struggle. Next enters
an old clergyman from a country parish,
surely; his large felt hat has an antique
and non-LondOnian aspect He is care
fully wrapped up against the cold. Most
likely the two elderly ladies who are
with him (are they not his maiden sis
ter?) have seduously attended to him in
this and in all other respects, and now
they have come to give the good un-
worldly man their counsel and support
in the business in which he is engaged.
The three consult together in loving
way p; there is no quarrelling in this case,
but the undertaking in which they are
busted is plainly, in their eyes, of much
difficulty and excitement. Again the
swing-doOrs are pushed back, and two
prim sisters mo one could doubt their
spinsterhoOd) come sharply through.
These know the ways of the place, and are
quite able to take care of themselves
under any circumstances. So their bus
mess is readily transacted. Here is a
different type of humanity, a rather i'm
pudent-lOoking, spruce young fellow,
certainly not gentleman, but with a
great deal of sham gentility about him.
1t is his first visit, and the stOckbroker
bears him company to show him the
manner of the proceedings, and @identi-
fly" him, since the bank officials will not
pay a dividend for the first time unless
the would-be recipient brings with him
some one personally known to them to
assure them that he is the right person.
Apparently he is heir to some property,
for his mourning is deep, although his face
is far from mOurnful; it is certainly not
money of his own earning of which he
is receiving the profits. He taps his
boots lightly with his cane, assuming an
air of easy prosperity, and one who is I
tOlerably sure that the money he receives |
will be but a short time in his posses |
sion. If face and manner are any indi- |
cations of character, we may be certain |
that this youth will not be long content
ed toreceive the interest only. After two
or three visits the broker will again be
with him, but this time they will go to
different department, and the broker
will pay him the cash for a portion of
his principal, which has been sold to |
supply his extravaganza. Indeed, it re-
quires no spirit of prophecy to predict |
that the whole amount will have quilted |
his keeping ere very few years have
passed.