The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-12-29
A FIFTEEN-YEAR DRUNK.
CHAS. GUILLEMOT CELEBRATED
AN UNEXPECTED FORTUNE

AN ONI0E GSIED tORTUNE.
He Had Squandered $4,000 Mean
time, and Had Any Amount of What
He Called Fun--He Is Suing for An.
other Fortune He Thinks Slipped
AWAY Too Easily-A Romantic Ca
reer.
From the New York World
Forty-three years ago, in the city of New
York, Charles Guillemot began life at a
very early age. When he first began RI
make observations of his surroundings he
found himself living with father and
mother named Guillemot The woman was
less than 20 years of age, pretty and dark
complexioned, aud she spoke French usually
and English sometimes. The man was
young, too, very little older than the
woman, and be also spoke French haoituallv
and English only at times when he was ad.
dressing some one who could not talk
French.
There was another man who spoke only
English, and moved in a dignIfed wav In
and out of this very early life of Charles
He was tall and dark and strong-featured.
He did live in the house like Nine. and
Mons. Guillemot, but came about once a
week and was treated with great respect by
Charles mother aBc father. At these times
he would take little Charles on his knee and
talk to him. He always had q dime and a
little candy for the child. and, as he had
little to say to the Guillemots, it looked as
Il he came to see Charles.
And Charles heard that the tall man who
spoke only English and who paid SO much
attention to him was his godfather, and was
very rich and a famous awyer.
When Charles was years of age ne was
sent to st. Johns college, at Fordham.
where boys of all ages are taken, and he
stayed there for six years, coming home to
the Guillemots only at holiday times. Nine.
Guillemot petted and cried over him at
such times, and the strong-faced, famous
lawyer came TO see him, and patred him on
the head, and gave him big silver pieces,
and said he was q fine little fellow and
was growing fast When Charles was 10
year of age Nine. Guillemot died and
four years later NJ Gullemot shouldered
his musket and went to fight fer the con-
federacy, his affiliations with the Louisiana
creoles being too much for his love for the
north, where he had lived SO long. So
Charles went to live in Montreal with his
mothers sister, and his godfather wrote
ton was continued at big Montreal col
lege. At 81 years of age bis godfather's
gratuities ceased, and Charles went out to
seek his fortune. At "A years of age he had
made it-he was an So a week clerk in
Roses cigar store. One day Charles re-
ceived letter from his aunt In Montreal
that made him drop his work in q great
hurry and go and see Lawyer William c.
Wetmore at No. Z Nassau street.
10 (tberlac (Nni1lap1OtT
asked Mr. Wetmore.
Eyes, SIR"
swell, your aunt has informed you cor
rectiy. Your father, MIR. John Rowland,
who has just died, left you a fortune of
about $4,000"
"Was he my father' Thought he was my
godfather"
"He was your father"
'And Monsieur Guilleinotw
''No relation to you.n
"But Madame Guillemot was my motherY
"She was your mother"
Charles went away after having heard
from the lawyer that it would take long
time for the executors to settle up the estate
perhaps it would take two years. Mean
while he uld not get any of the $4,000,
and had better continue working in the
cigar store for s. per week.
To young man Of "a years who has
d1Wd1S Docu DlliCAiCO LII JIOUSduu
dollars looks like an inexhaustible sum of
money Why, Charles could have great
deal Of fun on $40. 1t would go a long
way. He had been used to spending only
about 81 on the designations of q whole
week. And eighty thousand! 1t took his
breath away.
And yet, though in sight of a land of
plenty, he was starving in desert Two
years, the lawyer had said, he might have
,5crht
have Teen Two thousand. What young man
of "a can wait two years to be rich!
Charles had another trouble. The bequest
seemed too good to be true. He would
believe in the money if he could only get it
in his hands.
Charles had one or two friends in the city.
Ona was Mrs. Howell, wife of Mr.. Howell,
and the other was nan who visited MIR.
Howell's family frequently and who was
relative of Mrs. Howell. President Bar
more. OF the KnickerbOcker les Company.
$50 you want your money right away,
DO your" said President Barmore, when
Charles had stated his difficulty. "Well,
you had better see a lawyer. They're all
rsscals, of course. the lawyers, but you'll
have to ask advice from one IN this mat
ter l think some old lawyers are bigger
rascals then the young lawyers, so see
young lawyer"
Charles sought out young lawyer and
was informed that be could get money I'M
mediately, but would have to pay high
rate Of interest, IS he might die before he
came into his inheritance, and then the man
advancing the money could not recover
cent. as in the event Of his dying before the
settlement of his estate his share would go
to the other heirs, Mrs. Adele de Serve
Rowland, wife of John Rowland; her
daughter and young Portuguese, to whom
Mr. Rowland had been godfather IN the
same manner as he had been godfather to
Charles. Nevertheless. the young lawyer
got Charles $1,000, for which he gave a
note for 81 500, to be paid on the settlement
of the estate.
'How will you have itr' asked the bank
clerk quite coolly, as Charles presented his
check to be cashed. Still feeling that there
was a mistake somewhere and his fortune
was too good to be true.
"Any way" he replied to the bank clerks
question.
He bundled up the bills he received and
walked hastily out of the bank. 10 his
lawyer he said that he would go to his frlends
in Canada and stay till the estate was set
tied. He went to Montreal and at first lived
very quietly among his French Canadian
friends But this did rot last long. The
story of his wealth spread, and his trlends
multiplied with astonishing rapidlty. lie
was q Croesus even among the richer French
Canadian Young men. and he soon found
himself the leader of as gay band or
shirts as ever rent the midnight air. Like
tha friends of Gargantua they we're all tall