Year: 1869

young man from an adjoining State,


who has recently been rescued from a score
r-ofshungry creditors, and who still has a


credit at his bankers of about 100000, but


who not long ago was in reduced circum-


stance and obliged to live in retirement on


Staten Island, makes the following solution


OF his sudden acquisition of IL competency.
The gentleman-llolt by Dame-was resid-


ing in one OF the fashionable hotels on Sta.


ten Island. He was extremely down heart


ed. This was the reason of his low spirits


About two years ago he had married a very


handsome woman, on whom he fairly doated.


At that time he had $4,000 in cash. Soon


after the nuptial ceremony, Holt removed


to this city, and became broker on Wall


street He was too honest TO succeed


there. The bulls and bears gored and tore


im-fnancialIy-an in less than twelve.


month he had not dollar left. Disguised. he
retired with as good grace as possible, leav-
| ing his cash to fulfill its mission With wife


and child, he went to the country, and final
| ly, as before stated, settled down in a hotel


on Staten Island His wife had some means,


and she gave it freely for the support of the
| family.


About two weeks ago. late in one hot af-
tSiHo'hs uiOfC up W tue HOiet
where Holt was living, and gruffiy asked
whether there was boy there who could
hold his horse. 81 will do it, sir" said Mr..
Holt and he did hold the animal during the
time consumed by the elderly gentleman in
obtaining his dinner


A few days later, the same gentleman,
driving the same horse stopped at the
same hotel, and hunted for IL boy to hold
biS hnrcn hn,,
again volunteered. He held the horse until
tie hostler came to take the animal to the
stable, and then retired within the hotel to,
dress for dinner. Mrs. Holt had way of
making her husband get himself up verv
respectfully at least once each day, and that
WAS for the dinner hour Generally he had
been rather negligent of his costume, and
since his financial Jiasco had really become
seedy. When Mr.. and Mrs. Holt entered
the hotel dining-room that evening, Mrs.
Holt was resplendent. Her husband was at
least dressed in gcntlemanly style At an
adjoining table sat the elderly man whose
horse Mr.. Holt had on two different occa-
sions had the pleasure of holding. The
eyes of the elderly individual were observed
TO dilate considerably. in fact, he stared at
Mr. and Mrs. Holt But he saiG nothing at
that time. After dinner however, he sought
out MIR. Holt, and bluntly asked his name
Holt, sir, at your service" "And who do
you think am 2" again asked the elderly
parsonage. "Oh, you? You are 'old' Van
derbilt know you, and the horse 1 have
held Is Mountain Boy, an animal any man
might be proud to draw rein over"


Instead OF taking offense at the epithet
"old," Mr.. Vanderbilt-for it was the Com
modore-seemed to like it, and he made
some inquiries about Hollis antecedents,
took fancy to him, and peremptorily
ordered the young man to make his appear
ance at his uptown Office on the ensuing
forenoon at precisely II O'clock Holt
promised to obey. did so and had an inter
view of over an hours duration with the
millionaire. What was done or said on that
occasion no one has ever been able to learn.
But few days later Holt made his reappear-
ance in Wall street, and speculated strongly
and successfully in a certain line of stocks
known to be mostly controlled by Commo-
dore Vanderbilt. So well did he work his
card with the instructions undoubtedly OBJ
tanned from the Commodore. that in few
weeks he cleared over $100, 900 in cash, which
he deposited with a prominent banking house
whose vaults are protected by burglar
proof locks, and who keep day and night
watchmen expressly paid to see that no un.
authorized person tampers with those safe
guards. Two days ago Vanderbilt sent Tor
Holt again and said to him:


young man, hear you have made some
money am glad to learn it. Now, Just
take my advice second time. Never put
foot in Wall street again. You are not suit
ed Tor that atmosphere. Shun it as you
would the devil. You've got enough. Keep
what you have and be contented."


Holt now sbuns Wall street as he would