MAKING A FORTUNE
Kidd Company stock was a feature in Wall street. The firm of Topman and
Gusher, having luminated the great Kidd Discovery Company, had got it
fairly on its feet in that mart of the money-changers. The firm was
considered highly respectable now, and had counting-rooms in Pearl
street, near Wall, second floor, furnished in a style of elegance it
would be difficult to surpass, even at this day. If you would fortify
the standing of a great and enterprising firm, Topman said, in his
polite way, you must do it with elegant and elaborate furniture in your
counting-room. Show is the thing two-thirds of the people in the world
are attracted and deluded by.
The newspapers, too, were telling curious stories as to how Kidd's
treasure was discovered, and also making statements of a very unreliable
nature, setting forth that already several million dollars had been
recovered, and that any man engaged in it would surely make a fortune
for his heirs, no matter how numerous. The more unreasonable these
statements were, the more readily did people invest in the stock. Not a
solid man in Wall street had heard of the firm of Topman and Gusher
eight months ago. The great beacon lights of the street now condescended
to bow and shake hands with Topman, to take more than a glance at the
firm's name when it was brought to their notice on certain bits of paper
which the enterprising firm, for mere convenience sake, gave now and
then as "equivalents". In short, Mr. Topman was a man of such
impressive manners that he quite captivated Wall street, and to have
those solid-pocketed old gentlemen speak encouragingly of the house,
was, he considered, gaining a great financial victory. In addition to
this Topman lived in a fine house, sumptuously furnished, on the west
side of Bowling Green, had a servant in livery to open the door, and
rode in his own carriage.
Mrs. Topman was a showy, dashing woman of thirty-five, or thereabouts,
tall and slender, and somewhat graceful of figure, and might have passed
for a beauty at twenty. But there was a faded look about her now, and
she had a weakness for loud talking and overdressing. She was evidently
a woman of doubtful blood, and "no family," as society would say in
these days. Indeed, first-rate society, such as Bowling Green boasted of
in those days, considered itself very select, and dealt out its favors
to new-comers with a cautious reserve.
As little or nothing was known of Mrs. Topman's antecedents, first-rate
society cut her--did'nt even condescend to drop her a sidewalk
recognition. But, as pushing one's self into society was quite as much
practised then as now, and as Mrs. Topman was a pushing, vigorous woman,
she resolved that if she could not carry the outworks and compel a
surrender on the part of first-rate society, she would at least have a
circle of her own. And she had just as good a right, she said, to call
her circle of society first-rate, as her neighbors who kept their doors
shut had to "consider" themselves such. It was only an assumption at
best. So the aspiring lady received what she called select company on a
Tuesday, and entertained generally on Thursday evenings. But her
neighbors tossed their heads, and said they were only third-rate people
who went there.
Gusher, however, flourished in what might at this day be considered
elegant hotel society. He was such a nice young man, dressed in such
good taste, and had such unexceptionable manners. And there was such a
distinguished air about Gusher, that Bowling Green was half inclined to
look on him with favor. Mr. Gusher was a stock beau as well as a stock
boarder at the City Hotel, where he was an object of admiration with all
the languishing young ladies of the house. Indeed, the landlord of the
City Hotel regarded Mr. Gusher as a valuable parlor ornament for the
entertainment of his female guests of an evening, for he was an
exquisite dancer, could sing, and make such gracious bows. Now and then
a sensible girl had been heard to say she thought him a little soft; but
her companions usually set that down to envy. Then it got whispered
about that he was an unfortunate foreigner of a very distinguished
family, and had been exiled from his native Spain for engaging in a
revolution. Such were the prospects of this distinguished firm, socially
and financially.
Nyack, too, had been kept in a state of agitation all winter over the
discovery of Kidd's treasure, and wonderful stories were circulated of
the fabulous amounts that were recovered every day.
Spring had come again, and the hills around Nyack looked so fresh, and
green, and beautiful. Chapman had got Kidd stock into high favor with
all the honest old Dutchmen in the county. And it was curious to see how
these heretofore cautious people parted with their money for what
Chapman called a "profitable equivalent."
Mrs. Chapman seemed to have increased in circumference and loftiness.
She could get new and expensive dresses, and silk ones at that, every
time she went to New York, and she went quite often now. And none of her
neighbors could wear such fine lace on their caps. It was surprising to
see how this fat, fussy woman could toss her head and talk of common
people now. It was very annoying, she said, to have to live in a little
country town like Nyack, and mix with everybody. Then her dear little
intellectually great Chapman was such a jewel of a husband, and was so
clever at inventing the means of making a fortune for other people.
The brain of Nyack was terribly disordered over the fortunes that were
to be made in a month for all who invested in Kidd Discovery stock. Even
the good Dominie, led away by the temptation, had invested all his
savings, and had his pockets full of Chapman's "equivalents," from which
he looked for a fortune in a very short time. Finally the innocent
settlers began to regard Chapman as a great genius, who had invented
this new way of making their fortunes out of sheer goodness. "I want to
tell you, my good friends," he would say to them, patronizingly, "you
will appreciate me better as we become better acquainted. Invest your
money, and there's a fortune for you all." And they took his word, and
invested their money, and, many of them, everything they had.
We must go back into the city now. It was a morning in early May. Knots
of men were standing on the corners of Wall and Pearl streets, each
discussing in animated tones some question of finance or trade. Men with
hurried steps and curious faces passed to and fro, threading their way
through the pressing throng, as if the nation was in peril and they were
on a mission to save it. And yet it was only an expression of that
eagerness which our people display in their haste to despatch some
object in the ordinary business routine of the day.
It was on this morning that a woman of small and compact figure, dressed
in plain green silk, a red India shawl, and a large, odd-shaped straw
bonnet, called a "poke" in those days, on her head, and trimmed inside
with a profusion of artificial flowers, the whole giving her an air of
extreme quaintness, was seen looking up doubtingly at the door opening
to the stairs at the top of which Topman and Gusher had their
counting-rooms. She had the appearance of a woman in good circumstances,
just from the country, where her style of dress might have been in
fashion at that day. Her age, perhaps, was in the vicinity of forty, for
her hair was changing to grey, and hung in neat braids down the sides of
her face, which was round and ruddy, and still gleamed with the
freshness of youth. Her shawl-pin was a heavy gold anchor and chain, and
her wrists were clasped with heavy gold bracelets, bearing a shield, on
which was inscribed a sailor with his quadrant poised, in the act of
taking the sun. I ought also to add that she carried a big umbrella in
her left hand, and a small leathern satchel in her right.
This quaint little woman's manner was exceedingly nervous and
hesitating. Twice or thrice she advanced up the passage to the foot of
the stairs, hesitated, returned to the door, and looked up at the
number, as if still uncertain about some project on trial in her mind.
Men were passing in and out, and up and down the stairs hurriedly, as if
some important business required all their attention. The little woman
took no heed of any of them, and indeed seemed confused in her own
thoughts. Drawing a newspaper from her leathern bag she read in a
whisper, at the same time tracing the lines with her finger, "Great Kidd
Discovery Company. Capital $150,000. All paid in. President, Luke
Topman. Corresponding Secretary, Philo Gusher. No. ---- Pearl street."
The little woman nodded her head, and looked up with an air of
satisfaction. "I'm right. This is the place," she muttered to herself.
Then putting the paper carefully into her pocket, and hugging the big
umbrella close to her side, she advanced with a more resolute step up
the passage, and was soon at the top of the stairs.
Again the little woman paused, for the number of names over doors seemed
to confuse her. Just across the passage in front of her, however, she
read over a half-glass door, and in large gilt letters, "Topman and
Gusher, General Commission Business." And just below, and across the
panes of ground glass, were the significant and attractive words: "Kidd
Discovery Company. Capital $150,000. Luke Topman, President. Philo
Gusher, Corresponding Secretary."
The little woman advanced and knocked timidly at the door, which was
opened by a nicely-clad and polite youth, whose business seemed to be to
admit customers. The little woman bowed and returned the young man's
salutation.
"A lady visitor, Mr. Gusher!" said the young man, motioning the lady to
enter. "That is Mr. Gusher, madam; junior partner of the firm."
A polished mahogany railing separated the vulgar customer from the
highly dignified looking clerks inside. Indeed, there was an air of
elegance about the establishment that somewhat surprised the little
woman at first, and caused her some embarrassment.
"Ah, madam; pardon! pardon!" said Mr. Gusher, rising from his desk at
the announcement and advancing to the railing. "I shall do myself ze
pleazure, and ze honor of receiving such commands as you shall confide
to ze firm," he continued, smiling and bowing gracefully.
"A little investment," returned the visitor, nervously. "I have a little
money, left by my husband, who is at sea. I have no immediate use for
it; but want to put it where it will be entirely safe. Entirely safe,
above all things; a good dividend will not be objectionable. I am sure,
sir, you understand that--"
"Ah, madam, you shall zee. Pardon! you will enter and take one seat."
Mr. Gusher now condescended to open the gate, as he called it, bring the
little woman inside, and bid her be seated. "Ze Kidd Discovery Company,
madam, is one grand enterprise. You shall zee. And ze profit shall be so
great you will not know where to put him. For ze safety of ze
investment, (pardon, madam,) you shall accept ze honor of zis firm. O,
madam, I cannot speak ze Englis so well. If my partner is here you shall
zee he will satisfy you as ze reputation and ze honor of zis firm will
be so great. You shall invest your money, and you shall zee zat ze honor
and ze reputation of zis firm shall makes him safe." Mr. Gusher made a
low bow, and pressed his hand to his heart in confirmation of what he
had said.
A number of suspicious-looking men now entered the office and advanced
to the railing, all affecting great eagerness to purchase and pay their
money for Kidd Discovery stock. "You shall zee, mad-am," said Mr.
Gusher, extending his right hand and shrugging his shoulders, "how much
ze demand for ze stock in zat grand enterprise is. Ze rush for him is
so great ze price will be double very soon--as you shall zee."
"Don't know how my husband would like it if he was here," replied the
little woman, who had been nervously twitching and working her fingers,
now opening the satchel, then shutting it. "Leaves me money enough to
keep me comfortable when he goes away. Good provider, my husband is.
Commands a ship, he does. Says 'look ahead, my darling,' when he goes
away. 'Take good care of the coppers, darlin', don't let rogues and
thieves get them; and remember that one-half the world is hard at work
slanderin' t'other. Keep an eye t' wind'rd, darlin'. We've sailed along
smoothly enough through life together, but there may be a dismal storm
ahead. Life storms are dangerous. Here's a kiss, good little woman--good
bye.' Then he goes away, and I sees no more of him for three years.
That's a long time, sir. But he is so fond of the children, and such a
dear, good husband to me."
"Mad-am," said Gusher, again bowing and pressing his hand to his heart,
"wiz so good a lady for his wife, I am sure he shall be so happy and so
proud." Detecting the small vein of eccentricity in the little woman's
character, Mr. Gusher was evidently inclined to encourage it, hoping
that it would still further develop her generosity.
"You are sure my investment will be perfectly safe?" enquired the little
woman, looking up anxiously in Mr. Gusher's face.
"Oh, madam!" rejoined Mr. Gusher. "Oh, mad-am! Perfectly, as you shall
zee. Ze honor of ze firm is pledged to zat."
The little woman now drew two thousand dollars from her satchel, and
after counting it on her knee, passed it to Mr. Gusher. "I will invest
this," she said, again looking up anxiously at Mr. Gusher, and then
fumbling over the contents of her satchel, as if it still contained
something she was in doubt how to dispose of. "I will take your word,"
she resumed, as if some sudden change had come over her mind. "Life's
short, and speculation uncertain. I am from Yonkers. You have heard of
Yonkers, sir? Yonkers on the Hudson. People of Yonkers are boiling over
with excitement about the great discovery. Thank you for your kindness,
sir. I hope the shares will go up. If I should double my money, as you
say I will, how father would laugh when he comes home. I call my good
husband father, you know." The little woman ran on in this strange and
confused manner until Gusher began to think she was never going to stop.
"Invested my money--independent--don't want nobody to know it. Will
invest another thousand dollars if it turns out right. Yonkers people
expect to get rich soon by Kidd shares. Nobody'll know it, you know.
Don't want nobody to know it, you know. Come down here to invest so
nobody would know it, you know--"
"I am so glad," interrupted Mr. Gusher, receiving the money, "you put
your confidence in ze house. You shall zee zat ze honor of ze firm shall
be your protection." As he proceeded to arrange the little equivalents
with the picture of the big spread eagle at the top and the coffer dam
at the bottom, the little woman fixed her gaze on the counting-room
furniture, which seemed to attract her attention to an uncommon degree.
Elaborately-finished and highly-polished mahogany desks were arranged
around the room, the floor was covered with a soft carpet, and there
were carved oak chairs, upholstered in green plush. The walls were hung
with engravings and paintings representing favorite ships and
steamboats, and a huge safe stood wide open, displaying shelves and
drawers filed with books and papers. It was, indeed, a part of the
firm's philosophy that what you lacked in substance you must make up in
show.
There, too, was a door leading into Topman's private office, furnished
with exquisite good taste. Topman was the great financial monument of
the firm. Gusher did the elegant and ornamental.
George Peabody, the great philanthropist, made his fortune and his fame
in a little dark, dingy office in Warnford Court, London. The
pretensions of the great firm of Topman and Gusher were not to be
confined by any such examples of economy.
A very clerical-looking man, with a round, smooth face, a somewhat
portly figure, a high forehead, and a very bald, bright head, fringed
with grey hair, and nicely trimmed grey side whiskers, stood at a desk,
turning and re-turning the leaves of a big ledger. He was dressed in a
neat black suit, and wore a white neckerchief. There was ledger No. 1,
and ledger No. 2, and ledger No. 3, all so elegantly bound, and
expressive of the business relations of the great firm of Topman and
Gusher. It looked very much, however, as if the portly gentleman was
only a part of the ornamental department of the great firm, for, having
turned and re-turned the pages of No. 1, he would take up No. 2, and
continue the occupation. It is true, he would pause now and then, and
exchange a smile and a bow with some one of the customers waiting for
stock.
There was also a slender, mild-mannered, and precisely-dressed young
man, standing at another desk, and looking through a pair of
gold-framed spectacles into a ledger. This was Mr. Foblins, registry
clerk to the great firm. Mr. Foblins had a brigade of figures in column,
and seemed continually busy putting them through a course of tactics
known only to the firm. Mr. Foblins had his customers in column, with
the number of shares and the amount invested, in front and rear ranks.
The word "Cashier" was painted over a third desk. And here a rollicking,
talkative little man, with a round fat face, and a round bald head--a
sort of fat boy that had been overtaken on the road of life by
maturity--and who seemed to have a joke and a pleasant word for
everybody, and was in the best of humor with himself, stood counting and
re-counting, and passing out and receiving in money. This was Mr. Books,
the merry little man of the establishment. Books entertained an
excellent opinion of himself, and was in high favor with the customers,
for he was witty, musical, and talkative. More than that, he was a
stately little man, and well informed in all the great political
movements of the day, and would entertain customers on the condition of
the nation while counting their money. It was evident that Mr. Books was
not in sympathy with the great enterprise his employers were developing,
for he was continually saying witty but malicious things about Gusher,
and would even point significantly with his thumb over his right
shoulder. When a more than ordinarily verdant customer would come with
his money, Mr. Books would shrug his shoulders, drum with his fingers on
the desk, and hum a tune to the words--
"Fortunes made, and fortunes lost;
Fools seek the phantom here at last," &c., &c.
Books had several times intimated an intention to set up a great
enterprising banking and miscellaneous firm of his own. Indeed, his
popularity with the patrons of the house was doing Mr. Books no good,
especially as it entailed the necessity of his taking so great a number
of drinks during the day that he would offer to bet the reputation of
the firm that he was the tallest man in the establishment, and a politer
man than Gusher. So good an opinion had Mr. Books of himself when under
these little delusions, occasioned accidentally, as he would say, that
it became a serious question with him whether his proud position was due
to Topman and Gusher or his own great merits. In fine, it had more than
once occurred to him that the firm was indebted to his personal
popularity for its great reputation.
Mr. Gusher consulted Mr. Books, and entrusted him with the little
woman's money. Then he proceeded to Mr. Foblin's desk, that gentleman
turning over the pages of his big ledger preparatory to making an entry.
"What name did you say? I have the amount," enquired that gentleman,
looking up earnestly over his spectacles.
"If you please, madam," said he, approaching the little woman with a
bow, "you shall have no objection to give me your name. It is necessary
as we shall keep ze book so correct."
The little woman hesitated for a moment, fingered the handle of her
satchel nervously, then looked up inquiringly in Mr. Gusher's face. Then
touching him timidly on the right arm with the fore-finger of her left
hand she whispered, "Nautical, nautical, my nautical name?" Then her
lips motioned and her finger pressed on Mr. Gusher's arm. Mr. Gusher
looked at the little woman with an air of surprise and astonishment.
"Nau-tick-el? I do not understand zat, madam."
"Elizabeth Judson Bottom. That's my name," resumed the woman, raising
her voice, and seeming to speak with a feeling of relief. "Bottom is my
husband's name." Here she lowered her voice again. "Nautical. Commands a
ship. Is away off in the South Sea, my husband is. There's nobody got a
better husband than I have." The little woman said this with an emphasis
and a smile of satisfaction lighting up her face. "You may have heard of
my husband, sir? He is well known among nautical people. My husband
sails the celebrated ship Pacific, and has made three successful
voyages. You hav'nt had much to do with ships if you hav'nt heard of my
husband. There, there, that looks just like the ship he sails in." The
little woman pointed to the picture of a ship under full sail hanging on
the wall.
"Madam, I am sure I shall know your husband," said Mr. Gusher, returning
with the paper representing the number of shares the little woman had
paid her money for. "I shall be so happy to zee him when he shall come
home." Mr. Gusher handed her the paper, saying: "Now, madam, you shall
take good care of zis. Your money, it shall be perfectly safe."
While this interesting little episode was being performed up stairs, an
open carriage, showily caparisoned and drawn by a stylish pair of
well-groomed bays, drew up at the door. A desperate effort had evidently
been made to get the coachman into some sort of livery, for he wore a
tall black hat, with a broad velvet band, and a buckle in front as big
as an ordinary sized horse shoe. His coat, too, was of green cloth,
covered all over with large brass buttons, and he seemed proud of his
white gloves and tight-fitting breeches, which he kept looking down at
every few minutes.
This was Mrs. Topman's new "turnout," which she had recently set up in
opposition to one indulged in by a circumspect and very aristocratic
neighbor. Topman alighted from the carriage, received and returned the
bows of several persons on the sidewalk, and soon came hurrying into the
counting-room, where he was received with great respect by the combined
dignity of the firm.
"Madam," said Mr. Gusher, again addressing the little woman, "allow me
to have ze pleazure as I shall present to you zis gentleman." Here Mr.
Gusher introduced Topman, his partner, and gave him a short account of
the business she was on.
"Why, my dear, good lady!" said Topman, grasping her hand with a freedom
indicating that they had been old friends. "Your husband and me--why, we
were old friends. If there is any man in the world I respect and admire,
that man is Captain Price Bottom. If there is any man living I would
rather make a fortune for than do anything else, that man is Captain
Price Bottom. Yes, madam, not many years ago I used to swear by Captain
Price Bottom; and if Captain Price Bottom was here to-day, I will
venture to assert, on the word of a gentleman, there is no man who would
sooner swear by your humble servant--"
"I am so real glad! My husband made friends wherever he went,"
interrupted the little woman.
"Glad! glad!" resumed Topman, "so am I. God bless him, wherever he goes!
Go back, madam, and get all your neighbors interested in this great
enterprise. Tell them the managers are old friends of your husband. Get
them to bring in their money, madam, and secure a fortune!" Mr. Topman
now showed the little woman the discolored dollars, a matter of great
importance, which Mr. Gusher had omitted.
"Our motto is, madam, 'Never invest your money until you have seen your
basis.' If you see your basis, and it is satisfactory, then come down
with your money and await your fortune. You see the basis, now put your
faith in the firm!" concluded Mr. Topman, politely bowing the little
woman out. She took her departure for home, fully satisfied that she had
a good friend in Mr. Topman, and that she had made a permanent
investment.