Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-10-29
A Hod-Carrier's Fortune and the
Trouble Il Brought Him.

"NNA' ~ ~ A"NhtN AAAAs
A few days ago hod-carrier named
James Brown, working at the Tomb
Mills in Centreville, N. j., received n
letter, bOrderod In black, just as he was
ascendinga n ladder with bod Of mortar.
Upon opening the letter he learned that
he had fallen heir 10 S5l 900 through the
death Of his father. lie informed his
companions Of his good fortune; but, TO
their surprise, did not quit work and
was promptly on hand the next morning.
why, Brown" said the oVerseer,
amt you going TO knock ofrp''
OF course not" said he. Why
should Ip"
Well, but with such a nice little
fortune -"
"Poohl pooh! man." Brown inter-
rupted. II you had lost Sl5O,O 900 in
one day, as l have done, you wouldn't
be upset by little matter Of this kind. ="
Then he shouldered his hod and went
to work, and so a reporter for the Sun
found him yesterday carrying bricks TO
the roof of four-story factory in COM
pany with fifty other hard working men,
He is fine, athletic-loOking man, about
forty years Of age, with goOd-humored d
| expression, regular features, ornament
ed with closely y-trimmed side whiskers.
His muscular arms, barred TO the elbow,
are tanned and battered.
" Mr. Brown" said the reporter, edo
you object to telling how you lost $780,
900 in a single day?'
"Not a all. SIR" he replied. / was
born in New York and lived there near
ly all my life. My relatives in that city
are all wealthy. l was myself worth
over $4,000 at one time. was
broker in Wall and Broad Streets for
nearly ten years, but my fortune gradu-
ally dwindled away in risky speculations
until only $3.50, 600 was left. Every cent
of that went in one day in the panic of
'73. Oil did it. Well, my friends Sc
| cured a clerkship for me and 1 worked
hard for year or two till accumula-
ted little money and then I'd loose it
again in stocks l was in a constant
state of feverish excitement, my health
ran down and l finally gave every cent
had away and went to work as a brick
layer and hod-carrier. 1 have gained
forty-six pounds since began and am
contented and happy"
"Of course you'll quit this sort of
thing nowPn
by no means. If 1 90 back on the
street I'll lose what little money l have
and shatter my health Besides"
Here the dialogue was interrupted
by mason leaning out of a half-fnish-
ed window, yelling, Hay, Brownp I'm
blessed if here amt another"
"No" said Brown, with smile.
"Sure as you're born" was the reply.
And then the windows were black with
the heads of masons and bricklayers, all
looking in one direction. The reporter
followed their example and saw a wom-
an of a stylish appearance coming over
the road and making bee line for Mr.
Brown. She walked directly up to the
reporter and said: Where's Mr..
| BrownPh
"Here he is, madam but on turn
ing around no Mr.. Brown was to be
found. He had disappeared at her ap-
proach. She tapped the ground with
her parasol and said it was very pro-
voking. The reporter asked her why
and she said she had heard of Browns
| good luck and as he would probably
start an establishment she had come to
offer her services. She had been q ca
pable housekeeper in an English family
for fifteen years and she was sure she
would suit Mr. Brown. Would the re-
porter look for himP Ofcourse he would;
and behind the engine house he found
Brown making a line on a board beside
six other lines, while an admIring crowd
| stood around.
"Do you mean to say that this is the
seventh woman who has been hereP"
inquired the reporter.
81 assure you, sir, have been called
upon by seven women, all of whom
were total strangers to me, to-day, and
can prove it by these men,"
"And you don't want a capable En-
glish housekeeperPn
81 do not"
Just then the woman came around
the corner and Brown couldn't get out
of sight. He didn't make an engage
ment, however; so the applicant was
obliged to return to the city again.
The station master confirmed the
story that seven different women had
called to see the fortunate bricklayer
in one day; but they had all been dis
appointed T. Sun.