Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-04-21


regard to matters out of my knowledge
could safely consult his own legal ad-
wiser, Horatio Chein.
Mr.. Chelm was the conventional idea
of successful lawre r-withered, non
colnmittnl and little fustv; but tech
nicalities had failed to harden his heart
or obscure his good sense. lie had Il
sunny smile. which refreshed my sad
spirit when | called upon him shortly
after the funeral to inform him of my
purpose, and made me feel that could
| cOnide in him
What, my dear young lady! take on
tire charge of four million dollars? ad.
mire your business ambition, but | must
tell you that such task is impossible if
you wish to have leisure for ANYTHING
else No, no! your father could not
have meant that. | knew him well, and
he WAS the last mnn to have wished TO
| make you slave to your good fortune.
With Al income of nearly two hundred
| thousand dollars YOU can afford to leave
to some one else the anxiety and drudge
cry attendant on the care of your prop
erty Your father wished You to enjoy
his money and Use it well. He has told
me so himself H. was very fond and
very proud of you, Miss Harlan"
But he was verv anxious to have
me understand business matters, Nil
Chelm," | replied.
and he was quite right too Don't
think for moment that | am diss,,ad-
ing vou from undertaking a general
! supervision of your property and trying
| to know ali about it. 1t is your duty
under the circumstances, ! fully agree.
But it would never do to have YOU spend
| ing the best years OF your lite cOoped ND
III an office cutting off coupons and
| worrying over investments. Not, to be
sure, that there is much to be done at
present Tor never saw cleaner list of
securities than yours, but you have no
idea OF the amount of watchfulness re-
CURED TO keep au estate like this unim-
paired A family of children are
nothing to it, ha! ha! No, Miss Har-
Ian, ! tell you what we will do,
you shall have a little office adion-
Jag mine, where You can spend one day
in every week transacting what is neces-
sary in regard TO vOur property Every
thing shall he in YOUR name. and nothing
done without Your full understanding
and consent will be at hand to be
piled with questions, and you will be-
come as wise III finance rs Necher him
self But | pray you to devote the six
remaining days to other things, and leave
to us dry, matter-Of-fact lawyers the de-
tails of Your business | have q great
many millions under my control, and the
percentage which should derive from
the care of yours is matter of indiffer-
ence to me; but ! an very much con-
C4rned that yen should not make the
fatal mistake Of becoming a mere fem
mime trustee"
yielded to persuasion; and in ac-
cordance with his promise n little room
adjoining his oNu private Office WAS al
looted to me- ana every Monday morn
ing | drove down town aud spent the
day in porting over the ledgers and deeds
and reports, and in taking a general
scrutiny of my affairs AT first il was
all very confusing, nut by degrees order
was reduced out Of chaos to my UNDER
standing, and learned to take IA keen
interest in the points submitted to me
for my decision. At first felt some
humiliation in perceiying that my opin-
ion was consulted merely from form and
courtesy-or, more roughly, because the
law required it, was forced to laugh
and shake my head and acknowledge
that | was not capable of Judging
mad hoped that knew enough to be
or service sometimes and the con-
seriousness of my ignorance spurred me
to determined cXerlious to overcome the
deficiency Contrary to our compact,
read and studied at home books relating
TO financial and economical matters;
concealed railway reports in LILY mutf
and tried variUnS articles to acquire
knowledge UnbeknOwn to M. Chelm
But ii Was chiefly to his kindness and
unwearying attention that | owed the
proficiency gradually acquired and
think it WAS rs genuinca Measure to Inn
) Is to me when at last was able. with q.
moderate degree Of confidence. to choose
for myself between two lines of con-
duct ! often ;aked myself what
should have done had attempted to act
alone from ;he start.
, But it was not long before another in
tereat incident to and growing ont of
this began to occupy my thoughts and
time The bulk OF my daily mail was
increased by subscription lists aud cir
culars soliciting my assistance 10 every
kind of charity and enterprise People
whom | had never seen came to the
house to ask aid for struggling talent
was inportuncd with bcgging letters
from victims to all sorts OF distress.
Jealous philant!IroplSls wrote that they
had taken the liberty Of putting down
my name ~ Il memb OF their societies.
and that the annual a. sessmcnt WAS
now due and payable. Here again had
recourse TO the counsel of Mr.. Cheln,
whose experience, as have limited, radi-
ated beyond the limits of his lucrative
practice, and who was not only liberal
toward the poor but familiar with their
needs.
From him obtained variety of
hints and suggestions that enabled me