The Opelousas courier., 1886-07-10
The Way to a Fortune.

wealth.
s'Why, sir, / knew him when he hadn't
a cent to his name!" At q remark like
that / always prick up my ears; and /
think the story which is invariably be-
hind a remark like that must be interest
ing to everyone. This, at least, is what
I said to my millionaire friend when he
told me that the history of his first start
IN fortunes road was not worth telling.
AT all events" he said, "you would
not be willing to make such a start as I
didr,
/ Am the reverse Of. rich myself, and /
told him any start would do if the result
were as desirable as in his case.
"Well, !" he whispered, ~ began with
a killing!'
ssMurder!" I cried in horror, stepping
back from him with a feeling of intense
~repugnance, as there flashed rapidly
through my mind the bloody tales / had
heard of the lawless times in the early
days of Frisco, when knives and pistols
were In more use than table forks.
IT will tell you how it happened, " said
my friend.
1T was during the gold fever that I
sailed from New York for San Francisco,
and I left with just money enough for
the trip, thinking, if I could only reach
California, / might soon make a fortune.
We had q fair voyage on the Atlantic;
but from Panama the vessels were a mere
tub and much overcrowded. There
were many women and children. / had
a berth in the ladies' cabin, and sold it
for a hundred dollars, and slept on the
upper deck.
well, / had not been in San Francis
q a month when found myself without
a cent, and was in a pretty bad fix.
Food was dear in those days. It cost
something to live. Flour was selling at
thirty dollars q barrel, and | have seen
apples bring q dollar each. It was a
poor time to be short Of money.
81 was standing on the street one day
feeling pretty well down in the mouth,
when an old italian organ-grinder came
along, and, propping his instrument on a
stick, began to grind out q tune. It was
not the miserable business in those days
that il j. now. The organ-grinders made
money In California at that time, hand
over fist. They used to go up to the
mines and bring back a fortune.
A soon as this fellow commenced to
play, / perceived that something was
wrong with his organ. The old Italian
would turn the handle, and for d short
time the air would sound all right. Then
Of q sudden the most frightful dis
cords would be heard.
1.-THE old mans face was conical to
see. He would stop, examine the instru-
ment, turn It around, shake Il, then with
4 scared expression on his face as if he
thought it was haunted, begin again with
the same frightful discords.
e stepped up to him, prompted BY
curiosity.
What's the mattera' I asked, music
very badg'
" No buano,' said the old man, with
d look Of great distress.
No buano,' T repeated, examining II.
The thought flashed across me that here
might be d chance to make sone money.
z i lit organs / said. You know I
make lots Of organs pointed from the
Instrument TO myself. Though his Eng
lish was very poor, he seemed to under
stand nearly all ! said
Were you not afraid to undertake
the joba'' Iasked.
well, no. I am pretty handy, and T
thought II / could have time / should be
able u figure il out. OF course Il was
j reckless undertaking, but 8 hungry
man il apt to be reckless.
4 explained that Il would cost much
money, but he said enough for me TO
make out that He wished to 20 TO the
mines directly, and would pay Whatever
| asked. The old man was quite d char
acter III his wy. he told me that he
often made from twenty to fifty dollars q
day, and that if his instrument could not
Dc repaired. Il would Dc i great loss, Al
il could not possibly Be replaced.
He appeared to have real love for
tho organ which be Ind brought from
Tie old country, md was very much as
tonished and distressed 1t the behavior
of bis favorise, which he said had always
made good music until two days past. 4
told him % bring the instrument along
inter- me to the room where i was staying,
and that IS IL would take ii least three
days 70 repair, Il must b. left with nc
for that length 81 time.
He covered Il carefully with green
cloth and seemed Ioath q leave. ssp-
posa ii was ths first time ~ had lost
sight ofitsinee HI purchase
soon i iii back WIS turned j be-
gals 81 examination. had not The
Slightest Mea what II sc, but NJ geat
need of nloaey urged nas ii make fhe II
tempt II hada ron nth
x. 3.X48 eE S