The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1896-04-07
Cur family Story.
THE CAT MADE HIS FORTUNE.

Obbi W dNnilEaOiC bpCCltuGu 70 vi Lbs |
class than Sir Philip Tredgold, manage
ing partner OF the great banking firm,
Messrs, Smith, Sillery s. Tredgold.
Enterprising in his operations, honest
In all his dealings, confederate and
even generous In his treatment of his
subordinates, he was to those about
him the very ideal OF what an English
business man should be.
His history was the best evidence
OF his character anu capacity. Forty
years before he had been taken into
the employment OF the firm as an act
OF charity. He IA then a lad OF seven.
teen or 80, and having lately been left
q penniless orphan, and being q dis
tant and humble relative of the late
Mr.. Samuel Sillery, that muniicent
gentleman thought proper to provide
for him by giving him q Junior clerk
ship In the cashiers department. For
o considerable time his abilities and
industry attracted no attention. At
length, however, they brought him to
h notice Of Mr.. Smith, then the head
OF the brm, who appointed him his
confidential secretary. From that
moment young Tredgold's rise was
rapid. } Mr.. Smiths respect for and
Confidence in him grew stronger every
day, and when, some years after, a
breakdown In MIR. Sillery's health Tin
duced, it was said, by a too free con-
sumption OF alcobol) led to his retire
ment from the active affairs of the
partnership, his place therein was
taken by young Tredgold.
Hitherto the bank had been q West
End concern, with o branch in the
city. This city branch now came
under young Tredgold's management,
and In his hands it rapidly developed
into the chief Office of the firm. Later
on, when age compelled the retire
ment OF Mr.. Smith, Tredgold succeed
ed, as q matter of course, to the general
management, and TO q share in the
partnership. Since then the bank
had steadily advanced in Importance
and reputation, until it was ranked
among the greatest and most powerful
private banks in London.
The man who could make such n
position for his business or for himself
must obviously have been clear-headed,
%resolute and practical. Yet, strange
TO say, he was the victim of one craze
which was ridiculous enough to excite
the derision Of a child. This craze
was an unspeakable and almost insane
devotion to.the memory of al old black
cat, with a great. white, hali-human
face. Where the cat originally came
from no n exactly knew. People
who were intimate with Sir Philip
when he was a comparatively young
man remember 1t as u petted compan-
ion of his before his marriage. After
marriage he continued as fond of it as
ever, and even his children did not
take his affection away from it. In.
deed, in the early years OF their
welded life, young Mrs. Tredgcld
frequently complained that he cared
mora fOI. that cat than fn,, hi, ,u;f-
anu children put together.
Even when the cat was lead Mr.,
Tredgold could hot bear TO part with
it. He had it preserved and placed in
q glass case in his private Office at the
bank. 1t stood on a pedestal, close to
his writir G table, and as be worked it
seemed to watch him with its big gray
eyes increasingly. Strangers. when
visiting the banker, were startled and
fascinated by the weird appearance OF
the thing, and its presence there gave
rise to the most fantastic legends
among the bank clerks and bank custo-
mers.
AS Tredgold grew older his infatua-
ton seemed to increase. When he
received his ~baronetcy he chose as his
crest a black cat, with the motto
Fortnum dedi. This motto appeared
70 express his firm belief. TO his son
Francis, who had now Joined him in
the business, he constantly referred to
The cat as the founder OF the family
fortunes. and charged him to preserve
1t when be was gone
1t was a chill November night. Sir
Philips intirmities had grown rapidly
OF late, and the approach Of winter
MAI greatly aggravated them. The
banker was now sitting in his easy
chair before a roaring fire and guarded
ON all sides from every suspicion of a.
draught. There was no one with him
but his son Francis.
Frank" said Sir Philip, suddenly.
"lll never see another summer"
ION, father, father, don't talk like
that" answered Francis, in a sur
prised and shocked tone, Il hope
you'll see many more summers, aud
winters, too"
Yes, you hope it, but you don't
believe it," said Sir Philip. mo, my
life Is practically ended.
Frank |" Sir Philip went on after
q moments reflection, ''you know
under what circumstances | entered
the employment of our firm. God
Knows was glad to get any employ
ment at the time, though the bread |
earned go the bank during the first
five Ga Six years was the bread OF Bit
terpess and humiliation. | don't want
TO speak i'll Of a dead man, but for
truths sake, | must say that SiIicry,
who gave me the post, was one Of the
meanest and most brutal creatures it
has ever been my misfortune TO meet.
How he and Charles Smith came to.
gether. | never could and can't to this
understand. Mr.. Smith never
said or did a cruel thing in his life;
Slllery was never go happy as when he
was insulting his subOrdinates. [,
being under an obligation to him, and
being too poor to be able to resent any
treatment, was the favorite object for
his blackguardism. The misery that
man wantonly inflicted on me is as
fresh in my mind to-day as it was fifty
years ago.
You know you are called after ny
younger brother, whom you never saw,
and Who died years ago in India.
When n.y. father died. Frank was ct
scHoor. L ccntrived, by starving my
sell, to keep him there until he was
nearly eighteen. The only prospect
he u in life was to join me at the
bark, and knowing the agony he would
have to suffer, l kept him out of it as
long as could, with a sort of vague
hope that something more tolerable
might be In store for him.
BY strange chance something
did turn up. One day a gentleman
from India called at the bank on bust.
ness matters. / had to converse with
MIN while his affairs we're hsinp at.