Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-02-27
A FEMALE FINANCIER. BY CHARLES B. LEWIS.
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pie of Huntsville, among whom she had lived for 15 years, as a very or dinary girl and a very homely old maid. In fact, if a prize had been of fered for the most awkward and un- gainly and ugly-faced woman in the four countries, she would have dis tanced all competitors without even showing her big feet. Her temper was as bad as her looks, and if she hadn't had 8 little house of her own and a small income to run it, she would have had a hard time of it to find a roof to shelter her.
 One day Miss Scott got word that she had been left heir to $50,0O0 in cash, and two weeks later the greenbacks were counted down to her. A male rela- tive whom she had never seen, and who was perhaps uglier than herself, had died and left her all his wealth. There were people who took a second look at Nancy after she got her money and found characteristics to praise, but the majority couldn't sec any change. Up to that date nobody had ever hint l ed that she was born financier. Moth ing had transpired to make them think so. She was a persistent kicker against eggs at il cents per dozen and butter at 15 cents pound, and it was known that she made two pair of shoe strings last her year, but those things were looked upon more in the light of economy than financiering.
 Miss Nancy's first move along the path of success was a yenturesome one. Every dollar of her legacy was put into an earthen crock and buried in the eel lar. She didn't purpose that any bank wrecker should get it. That she had the money in the house soon became common gossip, and in time the news was bound to reach the ears of out siders. She lived all alone, and her house was a goodly distance from any other, and it wouldn't require much nerve on the part of robber to pay her midnight visit.
 One day, three months after the ar- rival of the legacy, a stranger reached Rainsyille with a patent cIothes=horse. It was remarked that he was neither a pusher nor taIker. but among the few houses he called at was Miss Nancy Scott's. An old maid has clothes to hang on 2 clothes horse, as well as any one, and when Nancy had beaten the price down from a dollar and half to seventy cents she invested. The patent right man did not bow himself out i7a- mediately= after getting his money. He was q rather good=fooIing. middle aged man. and he dropped hint Chat lie was a Wfdower and looking around for a second wife. Nancy was not looking for husband. second hand or any other sort, and she was not long in turning him down and out When next she saw him it was an hour past midnight and he stood by her bedside with candle in hand. 1t had been an easy matter for him 4o get in through a window, and once inside without any alarm he looked upon that crock of greenbaeIs as good as his. Miss Nancy wasn't so very much surprised; neither did she scream and raise a row.
 You have money buried in crock in the cellar" said the robber, as he saw that she was awake.
 'Well?' she queried.
 Well, old gal, I'm after it. Sorry to trouble you, but I must make things sefe.''
 In coming through the back yard he had cut off q F:ece of the clothes-line, and he now proceeded to tie her wrists together and then make them fast to the bed-post. During the operation she gave him bit of her mind, but he was in too much of a hurry to argue with her. After threatening to gag her if she raised her voice he went down cellar to look for the treasure. He was hardly out of sight when Miss Nancy began a struggle with the rope and in five minutes she was loose The aver age old maid would have run to the nearest house and raised an alarm. This old maid took time to dress as she thought it over, and her first move was to open q window opposite the open cellar door. This caused draught which blew out the robbers candle as he went searching about. and when he came blnndering up the dark stairs to relight it he received such blow on the head from a stick of freuood that he went backwards to the ground and was tied head and heels when he recovered himself
 Just what conversation passed be- tween the two Miss Nancy never would tell, but that it was vigorous and acrid and full of exclamation points no one doubted. The man who had come to rob her had Il watch, pin, and about $2oo in cash. This wealth changed hands before he left the cellar and he never reappeared at the hotel 10 claim the four dozen clothes-horses he had on storage there. It wasn't bad speculation for the old maid. No finan- cier could have done better and some would have done worse.
 Six months later a fellow-townsman organized q stock company to create and conduct a water-power. After q dozen people had declared it 4 gsed thing and put in money, Miss Nancy invested 5000. A few weeks after in- vesting things began to look little | susniciOuS and one eVeuin o she started