The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1903-01-30
LITTLE SLIPS THAT RUIN.

noticed this fact-most Of us haven't
yet admitted that it is fact-and the
experiences where colossal results were
at stake confirmed me long ago.
My personal recitals would not be
of much interest, and shall, therefore,
bring forth some instances publicly
known and which have had casual pre-
sentation in the newspapers in the
past. Their reprint here may serve a
good purpose in reminding all of us
how vast in power and endless in in
huence are the "little things which
continually happen without being con
sidered worthy of Il second thought.
Who would believe that a projecting
nail could pierce the integrity of a
great stockbroker and lead to his un-
timely end few days after it had torn
rent in his trousers? Such, however,
is the story connected with an every
day accident.
"Geoffry Pask, once prince of Lon
don's Stock Exchange, was famous for
being most punctual, never arriving
minute late, though he walked to the
city from his home every morning.
One day he tore his trousers on nail
that was sticking out of a fence. That
tear ruined him. Instead of going
home, he went into the nearest tailor's
to get new pair of trousers. They
had none lie c.u'' wear, Tut they
mended the tear for him, and were SO
long about it that he was an hour late.
"That very morning was the one of
the Australian slump, which broke
fourteen firms in almost as many min
utes; and, though Pask could easily
have saved himself had be been there
to control his affairs, the delay at the
tailor's carried him beyond hope, and
he arrived to find himself beggar.
He committed suicide week later"
Letters underpaid in postage are
usually sent by reason Of somebody's
error. 1t doesn't pay to refuse them
without knowing from whence they
come. This truth is brought home to
US by such an example as the follow
ing, which, alas, is not a fairy tale.
| Would that it were:
An ordinary penny postage stamp
brought ruin to Hobart. the "great
British iron king" During the Whit
worth period, when the big crisis in
the iron trade occurred, he had agents
in all parts OF the world who kept him
posted. Sometimes they telegraphed
the news in cipher, but those in Eng
land were always instructed to write.
At that time his principal agent, who
was also his partner, was in Sheffield,
and wrote him from there, warning
him to sell out of all iron interests for
the time on account of the Whitworth
crisis.
Hobart had frequent fits of irrita-
bility, and he had been receiving lot
of understamped letters of no import
ance, on which he had to pay doubl
postage. One morning in anger he
gave orders that such letters were to
be returned to the carriers. The very
first understamped letter received after
this was from his partner. It was re-
jected as soon as it arrived.
Next day Hobart pledged himself
for more iron deals than even his
mighty credit was good for. The
great drop in prices cama two dsv
later, and Hobart, once millionaire,
was involved in hopeless bankruptcy,
from which he never recovered.
Further instances of the vital i'm
portance of ''little things" are added
herewith, and the number could be
easily increased to bulk that would
astound the thonghtless, but these will
suffice:
The mere moving of a hand ruined
Cobbett & Co., one of the largest and
wealthiest engineering firms ever
known. They and rival American
firm rendered plans for the building of
the great Kaura bridg ge for the Russian
Government. Jacob Cobbett, who
was the head Of the business, spent six
months in the designing and contract
ing, and had all his plans ready. His
bid was accepted and material was
bought in enormous quantities, men
engaged and engines built. A time
limit had been set for the Commence
ment and the finish, and Cobbett was
perfecting his plans and making sure
of the smallest details, with all formu'a
spread out before him, when he
stretched out his hand, overturned an
ink pot and drowned the most impor-
tant paper in black Sea.
Goblet had poor memory. In a