The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-11-20
Auaersoa gntelttgeueer.
Two Odd Characters.

A man told yesterday the story of
him who was called Lord Timothy
Dexter. He had seen in his youth
the castle, as it was called-wooden
castle, since torn down-of Lord Dex-
ter, at Newbu1yport, Mass, and had
heard the story of this mans life, and
seen some of his letters.
He was speaking Of the knack Of ac-
quiring wealth, and he used the same
word this paper has often used in this
connection, calling it "a gift And
he instanced the case of this New
buryport oddity. He was the son Of
a ship owner, witless fellow: or not
more than half-witted. His father,
dying without will, left him an estate
that was large for those days-s10O,-
600. And the neighbors all said,
CHOW that property will be squander-
ed" for Lord Timothy, beside having
no, or few, brains, had no experience
in business. But when he died the
estate was worth $375,0OO. No un-
profitable servant, he.
One of his ventures has often been
told-that Of the shipment of warming
pans to Cuba. He had ship in port,
destined for Cuba, from where it was
to bring back sugar and molasses, to
be converted subsequently, into the
rum Of Medford, celebrated in those
days possibly more than now. Lord
Dexter, meeting an acquaintance on
the street one day, asked what he
should ship to Cuba, and the acquain-
tance answered in way of jibe:
warming pans" So this foolish
lord bought up the warming pans of
New England, with their long handles
and bright copper bodies, with lids
securely fastened, cornering the mar
ket.
The captain was in rage at this
witless man. Cuba was as promising
a market for warming pans as Iceland
for ice. But he took his cargo and
sailed over the salt seas to the tropical
island. And 10, when he landed, the
Cuban who came on board said, exam
lining the long handles aud the pans:
"These are the finest sugar scoops l
ever saw; but what did the fool want
to put on covers for?" Then the cap.
tain, loyal man that he was, knocked
off the rivets that held the covers in
place and sold the cargo at q great
profit, all of which went to the man
they said would be the improbable
servant:
So Lord Dexter once sent a cargo Of
millinery to Iceland, and again the
blind goddess smiled on him, and the
fair 1celandic maidens and the homely
Icelandic women. bought his bonnets
and his laces and all his her.fripper-
les and once more did the foolish man
add to his great and increasing store.
Perhaps the man was made rich in
spite of himself. But he seems to
have had sense enough to keep his
money after it had come to him-and
any rich man will tell you that re-
quires larger ability, gift, than to
make it.
Then our friend, being in reminis-
cent mood, told the story of Stratton,
of Cripple Greek. s:Many is the
time,nn he said ,"that I have built my
campfire by that ledge and never
thought of gold" But Stratton, a
poor old carpenter, fifty years and
moresof age, worn out with fruitless
prospecting, said one day: I am 60
ing. to, try the LEDGE" He admitted
last month that in four months Of this
year he had taken out $500, 900 clear.
He owns 10 acres, and an offer Of
100000 made for the property has
been refused. "What do l want to
sell it for?" Stratton asked. 1t is
all there; it cannot run away. or be
stolen, and if [ want money / have
only to dig for it. His mine, with
six shafts, equipped with the best
machinery, capable of working to the
1900 foot level, lighted by electricity,
has 30 much more than paid its way
that mining engineer thought from
what was in sight that s25, 100000
would be fair gambling price to pay
for it.
But, though Stratton, in the course
Of ten or fifteen years, may be the
richest man in the land, they say he
is not as happy as in the days when
he was saving with his saw and plan
ing with his plane. He used to have
a good appetite, Now he has dyspep-
sia. He is surrounded by men and
women whom he does not trust and
lawsuits are troubling him.
Was it gift, or was it luck, that
brought riches to him?-Csnc,nnati
Commercial Gazette.