The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-01-20


there one-no person could tell how he
managed, yet his busy brain controlled
their action and prevented the collarse of
a sing e scheme. He seemed to find time
for everything pleasure, business, phi
lanthropy.
"A master mind" observed spectators,
admiringly watching the game, and not
understanding in the least how it was
played.
Well, yes, one may 80 far agree with
the opinion of the world; but then, in
his way, the late Mr.. Peace must be con-
sidered q very clever gentleman, and
Messrs. Benson and his associates and
Messrs. Mieklejohn ct Gle. possessed tai
ents of a high order.
The daring and capacity, however,
possessed by> respectable thief, who
pursues his calling in grand counting
house in the City, can scarcely be re-
garded as equal to that possessed by his
humber brother, who has not the pres
tige of good commercial reputation,
who has no known Office anywhere, who
lives just where he can, and steals as
chance favors and occasion offers.
The spectacle presented by Mr.. Peace
driving amiably round the suburbs, and
contemplating houses where he meant to
operate, is more extraordinary than that
of the promoter. who robs by virtue of
an Act of Parliament, and collects the
pence Of widows and orphans with an air
oflofty superiority as though. he were the
great O'Connell.
The man man who drove into the City
on the especial Friday could have built
many Cancellation Halls with the money
which had, throughout England, been
posted in answer to his many appeals;
but he did not court that publicity. He
was modest and content-satisfed with
his Office in Throgmorton street, his
house in Palace Gardens, and a little
villa on the Thames. He had not any
other place-he was not shooting man,
or a riding-man, or a fishing-man or
yachting-man. He felt pleased to see his
friends about him at "the Gardens" as
he abbreviated the name of his place
of residence, and he would have liked,
he said, ito get away. if he could, to
Switzerland every year," but then he
never could SO get away, and there was
mo use thinking about such holiday
making"
Yes" he had a partner; he could
leave, but with himself it was different.
And people admired "that master mind"
and bowed down before the colossal in
tellect.
When the crash came many under
stood why he had not been able to leave.
They comprehended if one Of the balls
had touched the ground it would have
been all up with the player.
Sitting in his Office all in the fine sum-
mer weather, there came a thunder-bolt
across the great leather-covered table.
"Overends have gone, sir" said the
head clerk, rushing into the room with
out knocking, and literally gasping for
breath with his hurry and the greatness
of his announcement.
Nonsense" retorted his employer.
"It is is fact, sir. I have run all the
way back to let you know. Cornhill is
blocked up, and you might walk on the
heads Of the people in Finch-lane."
The great fnancier rose little un-
steadily, as if he had taken at luncheon
more than his accustomed three glasses
of sherry, which just at that time cele-
brated surgeon, now, alas, dead, was pre-
scribing for all the ills flesh is heir to
rose, took his hat, looked into it as if he
beheld some wonderful secret within the
lining, and remarked:
"Well, it is sad pity; but, one COM
fort, it does not affect U.S."
After this observation he went out
and joined the crowd gathered around
the Corner House, great with every like
lihood Of its becoming greater.
"We have not got them yet from the
West end and the suburbs" remarked
Of police, touching his hat de-
to the commercial potentate.
They'll have to order out the mill
tary, sir, ," observed 4 fussy old gentleman,
who went on to add, she did not approve
Of new ways of doing business; stick to
the former paths and you can't 80 very
far wrong" he said, as we'll as the lack
Of teeth would let him say anything.
"Ahl" answered the happy individual
whom the failure did not affect, 'but |
what about the South Sea BubbleT
Scarcely q person be met who did not |
look dazed and bewildered. Millionaires,
Is they hurried by, waved their hands
with despairing gesture, as though to |
signify the end Of the world was at hand. !
Panic was writ large on the faces of bank |
directors and bank managers. He was
about to stop principle in order to ask
him some question; but that gentleman
hand only time to shake his head in to-
ken Of the ruin which hung over the de- |
voted City ere he, too, passed out of
night. !
"No," remarked an honest country
squire, who stood contemplating the
SHOW; ri wouldn't be the men who have
wrought this ruin for all the gold in the |
Bank Of England"
"I wonder they could sleep in their
BEDS" cried forid individual dressed
in clergical style. "Ah, there is nothing
like honesty-here we see the end of the
Tho rich man who was p,assasaed of a