The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1885-06-06
HUGH JENKINS LANDLADY.
An Episode in the Early Career of Fa-
nous Baltimore Merchant.


The Times.
"You know where the Church of the Messiah
now stands-southwest corner of Gay and Fay
cite streets |" said an old shipping merchant a
day or two ago. "0n that site once stood the
boarding-hous of Mrs. Wrinkle, an amiable and
intelligent lady. 1t was long, two-story, brick
building, which stood back from the building
line with well-arranged garden of flowers and
shrubbery facing on Gay street. The proprietress
of this celebrated establishment was a woman of
warm heart and large amount of common sense.
Her boarders were mostly swell clerks and old
bachelors, who lived quietly upon annuities or
the interest on stocks. The cookery was of the
highest order, and she furnished banquets for our
most noted citizens. She had to lovely daughters
amiable and well educated.
"0ne day young man from the north of Ire
land applied for board. He was in the flush OF
youth, with fine, manly figure, clear, open
countenance, bright, keen eyes, cultivated in
telect and any amount of latent energy. His
previous life had been spent among books and
pleasure. desire to see the world induced him
to leave his comfortable home and enter the arena
with the men of business, and, if energy and
perseverance could do it-make his fortune He
brought with him large quantity of books and
letters, strongly commencing him 20 prominent
residents of Baltimore. The young stranger met
in those early days celebrated for their hos
pitality. Through the recommendation of the
persons to whom he had letters, his application
to Mrs. Wrinkle was favorably received, and he
became an inmate of her house. She took great
fancy to the young man who handed her his card
on which was written simply, Hugh Jenkins. He
was shown to his quarters, with which he express
ed himself much pleased, and expressed desire
to remain in them permanently. He unpacked
his books and arranged them in library order
Every morning he took the papers and read them
carefully. Having little money, he took life
easily, not seeming to care much for the future
He read, chatted in the parlors, and made himself
exceedingly agreeable to the lady and gentlemen
boarders, but made no effort to obtain employ
mert. Mrs. Wrinkle observed this apathy on the
part of her favorite and was uneasy. She tool
the earliest opportunity to speak to him on thu
subject, for she felt mothers interest in him
She fatty told him that unless he exerted himself
to obtain some employment she would not board
him any longer. With some display of indigna
ton while the color mounted to his face, he asked
the question:
"'Madam, do I owe you anything?"
"'No,' she answered, but you sit around al
day reading and conversing and make no efor
to obtain situation. like you, and therefore
tell you that you can't stay in this house AM
longer unless you stir yourself and look for EN-
ployment.'
sThe young Irishman was cut to the soul. H
arose from his seat, threw his book aside and
taking his hat bowed himself out, saying that n
would look for another boarding house. Will
this intent he walked out, but had hardly gone
square before he began to think that the gooC
old lady was right. Perhaps the acquaintance h
had made with her charming daughters had, il
some measure, Influenced him. He called oil
those to whom he had brought letters of recon
mendation, and through them, before he returned
to Mrs. Winkle he had procured an humble posi-
ton with very small pay. He then went hom
and informed the old lady that he had secure,
the position of clerk in a wholesale mercantile
house.
"I knew you would succeed she replied, 'bu
you couldn't get work sitting home reading books
Now you can make man of YOURSELF
"Hugh Jenkins not the man to fail fol
want of courage. He devoted himself entirely t.
the service of his employer. His only relaxation
was on Sunday evenings at his boarding house
After awhile he was advanced to higher position
He began to make trifing ventures with the cap
tains of vessels sailing between Baltimore an6
Rio de Janeiro. When his profits had sufficiently
accumulated he bought a share in a vessel. ID
was judieious but prompt, sagacious yet bold
and his ventures were generally successful. After
a good many years of toll and anxiety he took
his place at the head of the leading house in thu
coffee trade of Baltimore. He married a daughter
of Mrs Wrinkle She was the mother of thu
lamented Col. J. Stricken Jenkins, and her deatt
was deeply mourned by all who knew her. After
awhile he married another sister of his departed
wife, who became the mother of Benjamin W
Jenkins, man universally respected for his bust
ness integrity and loved for his goodness of heart
Through Hugh Jenkins, though Protestant
Father Dolan, Catholic priest, was enabled to
secure the ground for the site of the Catholic
charitable institution near GOvanstown. He died
universally respected and esteemed on the LIST OF
December, 1868, in the 65th year of his age"
Mr.. Jenkins, who had fine country seat in the
1st district, near Gainesville, was brother oft the
late Robert Jenkins, who resided on his farm,
near Towsontown, up to the time of his death.