, 1888-09-08
AN EPISODE"

A1LuOuRn MT. CHdTleS SlarenC0 est
bury was ar Englishman of the most pro-
nounced type, he was not possessed of
that hypercritical spirit with which so
many of his travelling countrymen regard
the institutions of these United States,
n the manners, customs and appearance
of the inhabitants thereof. On the con-
trary, Mr.. Westbury, during the pro-
tracted, and, as it is proved, interesting,
stay which he made in the city of New
York, exhibited a habitual condescension
and affability toward Americans, particu-
larly those who were in any way con-
nected with the line of business followed
in Wall street, while his reiterated eX-
pressions of admiration for all things
American aided him materially in gaining
that extensive acquaintance which it
seems was his chief object.
Mr.. Westbury was a young man of
most gentlemanly exterior and
He had a blonde mustache, rudy com
plexion and pair of blue eyes whose prin-
cipal quality might be termed their hon
esty."
He made.his appearance on this side of
the ocean per a Cunard steamer, and went
to an uptown hotel, like any other wealthy
tourist doing the states" Apparently,
however. Mr.. Westbury was not possessed
by the mad hurry which marks almost all
his visiting countrymen. He quietly took
up his residence in our midst and pro-
ceeded to become acquainted with Amer
lea and the Americans.
Courteous n affable, yet not without
proper dignity, he was not long in MAX
ing acquaintance, al, indeed, exhibited
remarkable discri' ltion in doing SO.
He talked of hi i without reserve,
stating that he W., the son of a wealthy
manufacturer in the north of England,
that he had inherited considerable prop
erty, but that he was so much charmed
with the United States that he had almost
resolved upon investing his money here
and remaining here permanently. 1t is
needless to remark that Mr.. Westbury
met all his bills promptly. and during the
whole of his American adventures was
never known to solicit n loan of any kind.
In fact, on his arrival here, instead of
the customary draft or letter of credit, he
seems to have been possessed of a consid-
cradle sum in Bank of England notes. In
a few days he took occasion to visit the
Office of u Wall street money broker, and
converted these into American currency,
while it was not long before Mr.. West
bury's funds were deposited with a prom
inent bank. to which in some way he had
secured an introduction. and to which q
balance of over $40, 600 secured a perfect
6NAe VI iNoPCtbdbLAly-
Of all the American institutions with
which Mr.. Westbury was brought into
contact, Wall street secured the largest
share of his admiration. He was not long
in gaining the acquaintance of a number
of brokers, and proceeding to familiarize
himself with the manners and methods of
the "street," making daily visits to sew
eral brokers Offices, where he very quickly
grew into high favor.
c. ..-s1 sl-l - "
this direction that before long he was
prepared to venture upon the troubled
waters of speculation. This he did by
drawing his check for So, 900, as margin
against the purchase of q couple of hun
dred shares of stock through one of his
broker friends. 1t seemed that his judg-
ment was sound, and the stock advanced
two or three points. He at once realized
his profit by selling his stock. Contrary,
however, to the usual custom of begin
ners in the "street," he did not go in fur
Their at the moment. but closed out his
account by taking a check for both his
profit and the original margin.
q only wanted to know how it went,
don't you know" was his explanation,
and this seemed perfectly satisfactory to
the brokerage house in question, with the
members of which the engaging young
Englishman was on the most friendly and
sociable terms.
At the same time Mr.. Westbury was
pursuing the same tactics with others.
Slowly and cautiously he watched the
market, and whether by luck or skill,
seized the moment when there was op-
p~ortunity for an almost certain profit to
open an account with one brokerage firm
or another. His profits were generally
small, but on the other hand he made
very few losses, and the checks which he
gave were always duly honored at the
bank at which he had deposited his
funds. Specializing as he did, in a desul-
tory sort of way, closing his account fire.
quently and transferring his operations
from one office to another, he succeeded
in extending his acquaintance throughout
the street and making as he did SO a
favorable impression. In short, after a
year of this, he was a welcome guest and
occasional customer in twenty different
offices, while the social qualities above
referred to doubled his popularity.
He was by this time a member of a cou-
pie of fashionable clubs, and made quite
a figure in society, where the wives and
daughters of Wall street regarded him
with as much or even more favor han the
masculine contingent.
1t, therefore, occasioned no surnrise
when Mr.. Westbury walked one morning
into the Office of one of his Wall street
friends. and after looking at the ticker
and talking a little about the market,
came to the point with the remark:
"Oh, l say, Jones, l have an order for
you have two thousand pounds-that
is, ten thousand dollars OF your one
to invest. | had it sent to me here. and l
wish you would. buy me ten Chicago and
st. Anthony first mortgage bonds. Can
you have them for me tomorrow about
noonf Ill bring you a certified check, for
know how particular you fellows are.
What will they cost2'
The order was accepted forthwith, and
executed, and Mr.. Westbury, having re-
ceived a memorandum of the amount he
was to pay for them, took his departure.
He only went, however, far enough to
drop into the Office of a n~eighboring firm,
where his business assumed the form of
an order to sell ten thousand of the same