The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-02-12
Ir. Felix, who bowed and withdrew,
apparently enchanted with my ways

La s. cllAy WHO UOWeu aIu
: apparently enchanted with my ways
OF doing business.
A-draft upon Paris! The circum-
stance appeared SO unusual to me
that I thought / ought to send to
Paris to get it cashed. / wrote &C.
cordingly to Messrs. Flanges & Beige
ret, the only firm ] knew there. I
was in the habit of receiving through
them the interest of q small sum that
had been left me by an uncle. in
formed them that, having funds ut
my disposal, / wished for information
as to the best mode of investing them.
The significance of the word funds"
varies very much according to the
name and position in life of the speak
e. The umo Of my legacy had
reached Paris; SO that when l spoke
OF funds" it was evident that Imeant
a considerable sum. This was proved
by the following letter:
"Sir-We are i'll receipt OF your esteemed
favor OF the 18th current, which
reached us after the conclusion OF the last
loan negotiated by the Cortes, in which our
firm has an interest. DESTROYS that our
friends should have an opportunity OF par
ticipating in IN investment which we con-
slider profitable, we have taken the liberty
OF placing twenty thousand piastres to
your credit. Should that amount appear
too considerable, the rise OF those securi-
ties admits OF our selling out ut a pre-
MUM.
FLANGEs & Co"
To this was added a postscript by
the head of the firm:
1--WE have heard with pleasure OF the re-
cent good fortune that has fallen to the lot
OF our old friend and correspondent, and
beg to Offer him our services as occasion
III require"
Twenty thousand piastres! I let
the letter fall in sheer amazement.
What would have been my as
~tonishment if more conversant
with the terms of commerce
and more attentive to the enclosed
amount current. Ihadseent that what
Itook for principal was only theyear-
ly interest? lost no time in writing
to my correspondents to inform them
that the sum was much too large. g!
have received "Isaid, "from
Martinique, and it would be impos-
sible for me to meet my engagements"
An answer came by return OF post:
eve learn with regret that you have
~misgivings with regard to the Spanish
loan. Accordingto your order wehave
sold out all the stock assignedto you,
which brings III already a net profit Of
eighty thousand francs. With regard
to your property at Martinique, we
are too well acquainted with the de-
lays which requests al sucha distance
must necessarily involve to think for
O moment that youcan be Immediate
~. put in possession OF your
inheritance, but your signature
will suffice to procure you oil the
money you may require in the mean
time. We take the liberty of remind
ing you OF the advantage OF making
timely investments, lest. when helegel
arrangements are ended, you should
find difficulty in getting good interest
for SO large a capital. With the hope
that you may entertain a better opin-
ion OF German securities than you do
of Spanish, we hand you q prospectus
for establishing q bank at Grunningen.
You'will please to observe, sir, that
no deposits is required and that, as
calls are made at long intervals, it
will beeasyfor you to sell your shares,
should uchangeycur mind, without
you having any occasion to make any
payment. WE have placed fifty to
your credit, and have the honor to re-
MAN, &c.
Eighty thousand francs! the amount
was perfect mystery to me; no doubt
the clerk had made some mistakes in
thefigures. IMPOSITION was becoming
embarrassing. Congratulations pour-
edin from all quarters, especially when
| made my appearance in black from
head to foot. The Journal de Goub-
mouches thought it right to publish o
biographical sketch OF my cousin; and
the editor wrote to me asking for
further particulars. Ladies connected
with all sorts of societies begged that
my name might be added to their list
of subscribers, andthe money Ihadto
pay for hostages was something alarm
ing. To escape from this avalanche of
inquiries | hastily departed to Paris.
Directly l got there / called on my
bankers, by whom l was received as
heirs to a large property generally
are.
"Sorry that you have such q poor
opinion of the spanish stock" said
Monsieur Bergeret; "there has been a
great rise; however, we only sold out
hall your parcel"
Would you have the goodness to
let me know what the present valued Of
the remainder might be?" / replied.
Certainly, sir, ten thousand pias-
tres stock at seventy (the piastres,be-
ing at five francs, thirty-tive centimes),
the sum already paid being-if you
sell out to-day you will, with the pro-
ceeds of last sale, have from two hun
dred and ten thousand to two hun
dred and twenty thousand francs"
Very well. You said something
about a German bank / Think"
eyes; the government made some
difficulty about granting a charter,
but it is all settled now, andthe prom
ised shares have risen considerably"
"Can | sell out?"
Certainly; you have fifty, at four
hundred and fifty forms profit; that
will bring you in aboutsixty thousand
francs"
Without any calls to pay?"
aNone whatever"
"That, seems strange, but you are no
doubt well informed. should like to
find q secure Investment for those
sums; would you havethe goodness to
tell me what would be the best?'
"You cannot have anything better
than our own five per cents. Iknowof
nothing more secure; at the present
price OF that stock you get SIX per cent
for your money. can easily under
stand that you would be worried by
such trifing details as these; o will
soon have ,,ora hla cn,,e r n