The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1900-01-13
HOW TO BECOME RICH.

Once upon a time several rich HindoC
/ merchants were Willing away the time
talking over their affairs. All except
one were of the opinion that in business
no one could gather wealth who had not
solid capital to begin with. Then he
| VINO held differently and who was the
richest OF them all spoke up and said:
OF truth it is very easy to acquire
a great fortune when one has but to
add treasure to treasure AS for me,
earned my riches without so much as a
great to begin upon. Listen, and L will
tell you my story:
My father died before [ was born.
He had been very rich, but my mother
was only poor Tif 6 Wi5hqut support
husband had left her was taken from
her by greedy relatives, and as she even
feared for her life, she sought refuge at
the home of a friend of my dead father.
this world. My dear mother, of whom
later l became the sole support, was
then obliged to gain her livelihood as
best she could. She had to work very
hard for very small wages. Notwith-
standing she managed to save enough
from her Scanty earnings to pay for q
master who taught me to write and to
figure.
'On the day when 1 completed these
humble studies my mother called me to
her and said: AS your father was a
merchant before you so also should you
be a merchant. There is in our town
a rich banker who is called Wisakhila.
This generous man makes practice of
lending capital to the sons of merchants
who have lost their own means. Go and
pray him to open his purse unto you as
he has done unto others.
No sooner said than done. But when
l entered the private office of the banker
he was in very bad humor. L found him
scOlding rOundly a young man the son of
a merchant. who stood before him with
bowed head:
Do you see that dead mouse on the
fInOF q lIr tO
There is q piece of merchandise out of
which a smart man might make a for
tune AS for you, good-for-nOthtng, L
have already lent you an ample sum. Not
only have you failed to add to your cap
ital but by your folly you have squand-
cred ii all AT these words | advanced
t towards " \ 5is- the banker 65r and spoke:
you the piece of merchandise of which
you spoke So saying l picked up the
mouse and went my way. Notwithstand-
ing his anger the good man was so struck
with my simplicity that he could not re-
strain q smile.
In the street came across a grocer
in the doorway of his shop
a beautiful cat. | offered him
my mouse. He accepted it and in ex-
change gave me a few bandfuls of peas. L
carried them home, roasted them and
made my way TO the outskirts of the
town. taking care to bring with me a
water jar filled to the brim with fresh
cold water. Arriving at cross road l
seated myself in the shade of a great
tree. L was scarcely settled when along
came a party of wood cutters, their
shoulders bent beneath their loads and
their faces tanned by the sun. [ arose
and bowling humbly before them set forth
my peas and refreshing drink. AS re-
ward each made me a present of two
bundles of faggots which L carried to the
market. 1 sold them, and with the money
made in this way L bought some more
peas, a larger quantity this time and l
Tod
Soon / was able to set aside the greater !
part of my faggots, and Notwithstanding .
~ selling the remainder | quickly earned I
30 much money that at last | could buy I
Up all the stock of the wood cutters [ 1
continued selling some and saving some !
Until had collected a considerable guam
ity.
1.-THE rainy season was approaching and I
n due course the rain fell in torrents and .
lark clouds obscured the sky. AS for
everal weeks it did not cease raining
he roads leading to the woods were soon
uite impossible. The weather, too, was
carcity of fire wood, which in conse-
uence rose in price. This was the time
o sell my stock. l made a neat profit. [
ented stall at the market and stored
with different kinds of merchandise.
BY prudence and forethough l succeeded
4 my enterprise. My trade extended
rom day to day, so that after a while
1as able to retire with a competency,
eSPSClSu Ny an my IellOW ClllleIlS.
"Then | ordered from a skilled gold
NTH golden mouse, which L sent to
Visakhila. the banker from whom l had
orrowed my first capital. The good man
that notwithstanding my youth
was well versed in business affairs and
nat / had turned to good account some
hing which even he had reckoned at little
alue, gave me his daughter in marriage.
This, then, is the history of my for
me which proves that money is not
ways essential to amass wealth in bust
ess."