Year: 1869

A Clelf GaSt Ol LtlCh.


"a good many singular things happened
during the war;" said John, as he lighted
his after dinner cigar, but somehow con-
slider my own case about the funniest of ALL"


"Ah." said I, how is that?"


did it never occur to you that it was
little odd that in 50 short time should
have got to be partner in the firm and
b married man, and all that sort of thing?"


sob you speculated !"


mot bit of it; or rather did, and
didn't, for you know that 1 detest specuIa-
ton. l have even made old Mitraille swear
off," .....


$50 far it is very clear but if 1 knew
how you secured a French wife and a rich
one, could understand little plain En-
glish.n


Before went to the war John Devlin and
l were fellow clerks in the banking house of
Mitraille 6 Co., il New York. A slight
,lameness prevented John going into the
army aud an utter absence of capital pre-
vented him from proposing for the hand of
the pretty Lucille, though always believed
he had more TO fear from the gruff old papa
than from the lady herself


Poor as he was, and on a moderate sal
ary, when l returned at the end of the war
good deal lamer than John had been be-
fore i'll found my chum in the full enjoy
ment of all he had longed for. and with
brown stone front to enjoy it in. So when
he volunteered something which promised
to explain the mystery, my curiosity was set
on fire in a moment John was a right
good fellow and did not envy him par
ticle; but must say was curious about it.
"Well.n said John, the way of it was
| this: Have you another cigar? You know
| good deal what was after when you went
away, and my chance of getting it then
seemed about as far off as the Presidency.
| 1t was clear case of luck, tell YOU. and a
little more Old Mitraille had always liked
me pretty well, though was hardly the man
he would have chosen for son-ln law. You
know all about the unbounded gold specu-
lation in 1852 and 1863 Well, he somehow
got into it, steady, old hard headed banker
as he is. Almost everybody went into it
more or less. r
The old man had rather missed it once
or twice, and got hit pretty hard, though no
one but myself knew anything about it--so
hard, in fact, that was aslittle alarmed at
the result.


Il got it into my head about that time
that l would like to run dowr 10 Washing
ton and take look at the forts and camps.
Somehow it always CALLED me good deal
that could not take my part with the rest,
and wanted look at the thing ANYHOW
| So called at the house to see Lucille, and
| get short furlough, and succeeded well.
| That is, did not see so much of Lucille as
l wanted, but the old gentleman gave me
leave of absence readily, and added:
Suppose something may happen while
you are dare, eh? You send me telegram.
| quick"
| Yes" replied, 'but you know the War
| Department don't allow a fellow to send
| over the wires just what he wants tor


"Oh, never mind all dat" SAID Mitraille,
"just you send something good or bad, no
matter, just the words. l understand
mighty quick, ha ha Never you mind
the War Department"
| Sand so," continued John, off l went,
without very clear idea of what was ex-
| pected, or how was to do it.n


| "And now the rest of it sounds tremen-
dously like q page from Munchausen, but it
is all clear, historical fact Mitraille wrote
a letter which got to Washington about as
soon as l did, urging me to keep my ears
and eyes open, and promising if 1 sent him
anything of importance he would halve
with me on the profits. l saw by that how
terribly nervous he was getting, and con-
| cluded that affairs must be even worse with
him than knew of Nevertheless, l began
to be trihe excited myself, and though l
had sort of horror of speculation, especi-
ally gold gambling, l commenced to look
arouni me pretty sharply for items Among
other adventures fell in with old Sam Cor.
ham, of Cincinnati, one of our correspon-
dents, and nephew of his, queer spoon
of a fellow, and we went around sight-see
ing together.


Nothing would do for either uncle or
nephew but continual succession of cock
tails, and had to leave them in their rooms
| soon after dinner, and somewhat the worse
for wear, while continued my search for
| information under difficulties.


"I didn't find out anything particular all
that night or the next forenoon, but l saw
the sights pretty effectually, and about noon
1 went into my friends room to wake them
up. l found the nephew lolling disconso-
lately in chair, and the uncle in bed with
high fever, the natural result of his fool
ishness the day before. The hopeful youth
began the story of his tribulation, by stating
that be had expected his aunt there that
day, but had received letter from her saw
ing that she had been delayed and could
not come at once.


/ asked him what the doctor had said
about his uncle


"Oh, the old mans right sick, and l
reckon I'd better telegraph to Aunt Sally to
come on right off," 10


"On the plea of splitting headache, he
begged me TO send his message, and 1
thought would send one at the same time
to Mitraille & Co. Well, his telegraph, save
the direction, read: Don't wait for any
thing. Uncle Sam very sick indeed"
Z While mine was simply, Nothing stir
ring. Having a good time"


/ Now, how on earth these two little af-
fairs got interchanged is a mystery to me to
this day. Perhaps 1 did it don't know !;
but twisted they certainly were, and some
how both of them passed the censors.
When Mitraille opened his, he straightway
imagined that something had gone to smash
in Washington, and that had taken neat
| way of giving him a hint, and he rushed
out and bought all the gold his credit would
cover.


He wrote me an account OF his transac-
tions, whose magnitude almost turned my
hair gray; and while he thanked me for my
hint he begged me to be sure that my infor-
nation was correct. l thought at first that
he was crazy, and then became pretty neal
crazy myself, thinking what might be the
consequences of the mistake The first thing
did-this was the next day you know-was


to rush into Riggs and ask the latest gold


prices.


"Guess my delight when 1 found them
fairly jumping upward Itwas wonderful


Still Twas terribly nervous, for all sorts ut


rumors were afoat, and l knew that god


would fall as quick as it would rise. Tn,
| feeling grew on me until pretty nearly half


demented, went into the telegraph Office


at Willard's, and dashed Off


| elts all q sell, and big one." of.
! swell, the old gentleman took that as he