The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-12-13
AN INSURANCE YARN.
How My Grandfather Made q
Fortune.


Copyright, 1891, by the I'm tied Press.)
New York, Dec 12.-There were four
of us chatting in New York hotel a few
days ago, and somehow or another the topic
of conversation turned to the subject Of in
surance. Among the number was an En-
glishman who told tale, and as it is true
it is, perhaps, worth recording.
Talking about insurance" he said, "per-
haps | can tell you story with which
am intimately acquainted. My old grand
father, and can use the adjective truly as
my own story will show you, was born over
100 years ago. He came Of a soldier family
and entering the army when quite a bow,
fought through the peninsular war and was
one OF the last half-dozen survivors who
fought at Waterloo.
Shortly after that battle where he was
seriously wounded. he entered into the
service Of the Honorable East India Com
pany and was, believe, the last survivor
Of the second Nepaulese war, and was
from that time in most of the frontier
petty wars In northwest provinces. and
found himself locked up in Lucknow when
the Indian mutiny broke out In 1857 He
came out very sick man from that great
struggle, and was given the generals
command of hill station. He came back
to England after over forty years In India,
and settled in London. Shortly after his
arrival, a company in which he was largely
interested failed and from being rich man
he suddenly found himself comparatively
poor. He had some strange infatuation
for insurance companies, aud to the
horror of his family he told US one day
that he had determined to insure for a
fixed annuity. Nothiag could dissuade him
from his purpose. He went to the Standard
7 70 I'M
much he would have to pay them down so
as to insure him 22, 200 year to the end of
his life. He was a man who loved comfort
and dreaded that the few thousands he mad
left might ba spent be died and he might be-
come charge on his relatives.
The company made inquiries as to bis
former life. When IL was learned that he
had been wounded nine times, and still car
ried about his body the bullets, that he had
been in India continuously for over forty
years and the medical examination proved
that he had a we'll developed tropical
liver, the company agreed to grant bin
the annuity on the payment of G6.OO0.
The old gentleman paid In the money
which we of his family thought
was simply gift to the insurance company,
for the general had been alllng and none OF
us expected him to survive the winter. L
went with him when he drew his first quar-
terS money Oh Wv. l. Aho
absence of all anscisty had
been wonderful antidote to him and he was
"a lively as a sparrow, but the knowing
ones Of the company thought they had
surely made a most paying investment.
They never made greater error. He sur
vived the winter and what is more, sur
vived eight an twenty more, dying In his
Goth year.
Il was one of the generals innocent
anusements TO get his coachman to drive
him by the Office of the company in Regent
street. and chuckle over the way be had got
the best Of the willy managers. Up to the
last month or two of his life he went every
day 10 his club, and died on Oct. last.
drawing altogether from the company
g56. 600 for his a6 900 invested.
The writer met one OF the managers once,
and he was telling the story of the generals
lucky investment. why we thought the
perforated old brute had foot and half
| in the grave when he signed the agree
ment"
father, sir :" and the manager amply apollo
n;vod J. @. G. GRAY.