The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-01-24

Sir John Moffat.
The trustees were pleased, naturally,
to get the purchase money; the solicitors
were pleased because they were enabled
to run up another nice little bill of costs;
the auctioneers were pleased, for they at
length received their commission, so long,
to their thinking, overdue; and the cred
tiers were pleased, as it seemed possible
they might get some small share of the
amount paid in hard cash by Sir John.
AS regards other persons-the outside
werid-the multitude who, had not the
the slightest occasion to busy themselves
about the matter, they rejoiced exceed
ingly. Those who felt their own held
upon prosperity to be eminently insecure
were glad to see one scare-crow removed
out of their sight. To them there had
been q terror, and yet fearful fascina-
ton about the empty house. It seemed
a matter of rejoicing, that henceforth
the place where such, . downfall had
been witnessed was to be inhabited by =
perfectly solvent man.
Concerning Sir Johns position, there
could be no question. He had not made
his money by any commercial coup
d'etat," by any juggling, or rigging, or
finessing. 1t was well known where he
came from, who he was, where he had
been born, how he climbed from height
to height, and grew in favor with all
those grave and notable persons in the
City whose favor is worth having.
Snondol h al =, ,ouor nLoJ I,,r.
herself could pick no flaw in his charac-
ter. Of him not a man in London could
say he was gluttonous or a wine-bibber;
those who had dealings with his firm
were unanimous in saying their word was
their bond, and that they would rather
trust John Mnfat's yea and nay than an
other persons solemn oath.
Generally there is another side to such
a reputation-one on which writer's
are somewhat fond Of enlarging; but, in
this case, the picture might have been
reversed and the canvass revealed with
out compunction and without fear. Sim
|ply, in himself, Sir John Moffat was ex-
actly what he apearped to the world-an
honest, honorable gentleman, who had
made his money fairly and hardly, who
entertained high idea of the RESPONSE
bility Of riches, who believed he should
be held answerable for all the talents in
trusted to him, and had most tender
conscience and a child-hke heart, who,
when he had done wrong, rested not by
day, thinking how he might repair his
error or make atonement for it; who,
educated the straitest of Calvinists, and
holding sin in the most deadly abhor-
renee, was yet merciful even in his
thoughtsjowards those who went wrong,
knowing, that sometimes the sturdiest
soldier may drop out Of thesranks, the
bravest sailor may make q mistake
which shall shipwreck the whole of his
after life,
Not in the possession of "City infu-
ence," or any of those adventitious aids
which often push very commonplace
person up the heights Of fortune, did
Sir John owe his worldly success and
the respect in which bis fellows held
him. -''- d '-' ''~- p
That he had done yell, and that he
was regarded with the highest esteem,
was due entirely to the weight and worth
OF his own character. Though he did
not possess the great modern advantage
of coming out Of a gutter, or rising from
the sweeping of Offices to the ownership
of them, he had worked very hard in
deed at his business. He came to it
early and left late; he did not waste
either his health or his money in the
pursuit Of pleasure, he did not leave to
subordinates the conduct of transactions
requiring thought and cautions Differ
ent from Mr.. Seaton, all his commercial
transactions were entered upon soberly
and carried on quietly. His offices were
plainly furnished, and their appearance
was unobtrusive. While getting on in,
the world he kept no carriage. or riding
horse, or expensive bachelor establish
ment. He lived in accustomed lodgings,
and generally walked to and from the
City; in his personal habits he was. econ
omical, and he had no laxurio,ls or glutI
tonous tastes IT, hs looked forward in
those days to any future, which might
hold a greater happiness than the present
supplied, it. was that at some. period, he
would perhaps be able to purchase q
a small estate il the country, and retire
there with a. competence, and g. pretty
wife; but he, had then special estate in
his mind'seye, was uncertain as to- the
exact amount competence should repre-
sent, and felt that the pretty wife must
as yet be considered as vaguesa quantity
al the special shire in which the house
and land he meant to buy were situated.
When at length he did take d; wife and
settle down, both Of which events hap
pened much sooner than he had intend
ed, he lived even more quietly that be-
forehis marriagessai ,fts s7E o. aayi,4, eas
He found, In the then suburb of
Isihgton, an lold-fashioned red brick
house with fine garden, where he loca-
ted himself and his belongipse apylre,
sided for ten years. During the whole
Of that time, it might be said5 he ssawn0
company, and did, not seek to make ae=
quaintancea His wife knew, a .few+-a
very, few, people iii the feighborhoods
aadasometimes paid q amorning cal, 5 and
60metiHies went out to tea: but of visit