10. SHARP FINANCIERING.
In the times of 1836, there dwelt in the pleasant town of
T. a smooth oily-mannered gentleman, who diversified a commonplace
pursuit by some exciting episodes of finance—dealing
occasionally in exchange, buying and selling uncurrent
money, &c. We will suppose this gentleman's name to
be Thompson. It happened that a Mr. Ripley of North Carolina,
was in T., having some $1200, in North Carolina
money, and desiring to return to the old North State with
his funds, not wishing to encounter the risk of robbery
through the Creek country, in which there were rumors of
hostilities between the whites and the Indians, he bethought
him of buying exchange on Raleigh, as the safest mode of
transmitting his money. On inquiry he was referred to Mr.
Thompson, as the only person dealing in exchange in that
place. He called on Mr. T. and made known his wishes.
With his characteristic politeness, Mr. Thompson agreed to
accommodate him with a sight bill on his correspondent in
Raleigh, charging him the moderate premium of five per cent.
for it. Mr. Thompson retired into his counting-room, and
in a few minutes returned with the bill and a letter, which
he delivered to Mr. Ripley, at the same time receiving the
money from that gentleman plus the exchange. As the interlocutors
were exchanging valedictory compliments, it occurred
to Mr. Thompson that it would be a favor to him if
Mr. Ripley would be so kind as to convey to Mr. T.'s correspondent
a package he was desirous of sending, which request
Mr. Ripley assured Mr. T. it would afford him great pleasure
to comply with. Mr. Thompson then handed Mr. Ripley a
package, strongly enveloped and sealed, addressed to the
Raleigh Banker, after which the gentlemen parted with many
polite expression of regard and civility.
Arriving without any accident or hindrance at Raleigh, Mr.
Ripley's first care was to call on the Banker and present his
documents. He found him at his office, presented the bill
and letter to him, and requested payment of the former. That,
said the Banker, will depend a good deal upon the contents
of the package. Opening which, Mr. Ripley found the identical
bills, minus the premium, he had paid Mr. T. for his
bill: and which the Banker paid over to that gentleman,
who was not a little surprised to find that the expert Mr.
Thompson had charged him five per cent. for carrying his
own money to Raleigh, to avoid the risk and trouble of which
he had bought the exchange.
T. used to remark that that was the safest operation, all
around, he ever knew. He had got his exchange—the buyer
had got his bill and the money, too,—and the drawee was
fully protected! There was profit without outlay or risk.
