is different; so I come to ask if you will let me have it for seventy-five thousand francs."

Fifteen thousand francs, dropping all at once into the lap of a poor fellow who had to work hard to gain eight hundred francs in a year! I could hardly believe my

ears.

"I cannot give you an answer just now, sir," I said, “but if you will take the trouble to call again at five, I'll see what I can do."

At a quarter to five Mr. Felix made his appearance. I spoke to him with candour :

66 I should tell you, sir, that I had no thoughts of buying the house, till the owner prevailed on me to do so. You say you want the house; any other will suit me equally as well, so I accede to your terms."

"You shall have a draft on Paris for the amount in a fortnight," replied Mr. Felix, who bowed and withdrew, apparently enchanted with my way of doing business.

A draft upon Paris! The circumstance appeared so unusual to me that I thought I ought to send it to Paris to get it cashed. I wrote accordingly to Messrs. Flanges and Bergeret, the only firm I knew there. I was in the habit of receiving through them the interest of a small sum, that had been left me by an uncle. I informed them that, having funds at my disposal, I wished for information as to the best mode of investing them. The signification of the word "funds" varies very much according to the name and position in the life of the speaker. The rumour of my legacy had reached Paris; so that when I spoke of "funds," it was evident I meant a considerable sum. proved by the following letter:

66

This was

Sir, We are in receipt of your esteemed favour of the

17th current, which reached us just after the conclusion of the last loan negotiated by the Cortes, in which our firm has an interest. Desirous that our friends should have an opportunity of participating in an investment which we consider profitable, we have taken the liberty of placing twenty thousand piastres to your credit. Should that amount appear too considerable, the rise of those securities admits of your selling out at a premium.

"We remain, Sir,

"Yours to command.

"FLANGES AND CO."

To this was added a postscript written by the head of the firm :

"We have heard with pleasure of the recent good-fortune that has fallen to the lot of our old friend and correspondent, and beg to offer him our services, as occasion may require."

amazement.

Twenty thousand piastres ! I let the letter fall in sheer What would have been my astonishment, if, more conversant with terms of commerce, and more attentive to the enclosed account current, I had seen that what I took for the principal, was only the yearly interest? I lost no time in writing to my correspondents, to inform them. that the sum was much too large.—“I have received no money," I said, "from Martinique, and it would be impossible for me to meet my engagements."

An answer came by return of post.

"We learn, with regret, that you have misgivings with regard to the Spanish loan. According to your orders, we

have sold out half the stock assigned to you, which brings you in already a net profit of eighty thousand francs. With regard to your property at Martinique, we are too well acquainted with the delays which bequests at such a distance must necessarily involve, to think for a moment that you can be immediately put in possession of your inheritance; but your simple signature will suffice to procure you all the money you may require in the mean time. We take the liberty of reminding you of the advantage of making timely investments; lest, when the legal arrangements are ended, you should find difficulty in getting good interest for so large a capital. With the hope that you may entertain a better opinion of German securities than you do of Spanish, we hand you a prospectus for establishing a bank at Grünningen. You will please to observe, Sir, that no deposit is required, and that, as calls are only made at long intervals, it will be easy for you to sell your shares, should you change your mind, without your having occasion to make any payWe have placed fifty to your credit, and have the honour to remain," &c.

ment.

Eighty thousand francs ! The amount was a perfect mystery to me; no doubt the clerk had made some mistake in the figures. My position was becoming embarrassing. Congratulations poured in from all quarters; especially when I made my appearance in black from head to foot. The Journal de Goubmouges thought it right to publish a biographical sketch of my cousin, and the editor wrote to me asking for further particulars. Ladies connected with all sorts of societies, begged that my name might be added to their list of subscribers, and the money I had to pay for postages was something alarming. To escape from this avalanche of inquiries I hastily departed for Paris. Directly I

got there, I called on my bankers, by whom I was received as heirs to a large property generally are.

"Sorry that you have such a poor opinion of the Spanish stock," said Monsieur Bergeret; "there has been a great rise; however, we only sold out half your parcel."

"Would you have the goodness to let me know what the present value of the remainder might be?" I replied.

"Certainly, sir; ten thousand piastres stock at seventy (the piastre being at five francs, thirty-five centimes) the sum already paid being-If you sell out to-day you will, with the proceeds of last sale, have from two hundred and ten thousand to two hundred and twenty thousand francs."

"Very well. You said something about a German bank, I think?"

"Yes; the Government made some difficulty about granting a charter; but it is all settled now, and the promised shares have risen considerably."

"Can I sell out?"

"Certainly; you have fifty, at four hundred and fifty florins profit: that will bring you in about sixty thousand francs."

(( Without any calls to pay?"

"None whatever."

"That seems strange; but you are no doubt well informed. I should like to find a secure investment for those sums; would you have the goodness to tell me what would be the best?"

"You cannot have anything better than our own five per cents. I know of nothing more secure; at the present price of that stock, you get six per cent. for your money. I can easily understand that you should be worried by such trifling details as these; you will soon have more considerable sums to look after."

“Then, if I invest the combined produce of the German and Spanish stocks in the five per cents., what should I get a year?"

"Let me see.

Three hundred thousand francs-funds

at eighty-eighteen-twenty-yes, twenty thousand francs a year."

"Ah! twenty thousand francs a year! And when can the investment be made?"

"To-morrow morning; that is, if you will allow our firm to conduct the transaction."

"Certainly; in whom could my confidence be better placed ?"

The banker made a polite bow.

"And now," I continued, "I should feel obliged if you would have the goodness to advance me a few louis, as I am rather short of cash."

"My dear sir, all the cash I possess is at your service. How much do you want-two hundred-four hundred ?" "Thank you, fifty will be quite sufficient."

"May I hope," added the banker, when I rose to take leave, “that our firm may be favoured with the continuance of your patronage?"

There are few moments of my life on which I look back with more satisfaction than on those occupied in my interview with M. Bergeret. I doubt if I should have believed in the twenty thousand francs a year, if it had not been for the fifty Napoleons.

In the mean time, my two friends were shocked at the success of their story, and were not a little alarmed at my sudden journey to Paris; which was attributed by others to legal business. George and Albert then began to fear that I really believed in the authenticity of the invention they had concocted.