The Argosy — page 249: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

230 Five Thousand a Year. to that sober age, he was in no settled condition of life. ‘The fact was, Mr. Little’s was a nature too enthusiastic for common business. He had tried his hand at many things ; schemes chiefly ; and could not be said to have succeeded in any. Either he had grown tired of them, or they of him. A fine fortune of his own had long been dissipated, and he had always some new project on hand, by which it was going to be redeemed. He was good-hearted, good-natured, and good-tempered ; 2 little, quick man of rapid, eager speech, with a keen dark eye set deep: in his head, and plenty of intellect above it.. Just now he was wild— zz/dad—about these mining schemes he had entered on. ‘Such a thing, ma’am!” he protested to Mrs. Grainger, when he was fairly launched on his subject after dinner, and his earnest look and tone proved /zs perfect faith in what he asserted, ‘‘such a piece of luck that is not met with once in a century! You have heard of Trebeddon ? ” Mrs. Grainger had heard the place mentioned by her husband. She believed it was somewhere in Cornwall. ‘“In Cornwall it is, ma’am. Colonel Hartlebury bought it three years ago for an old song, neither buyer nor seller suspecting the mines of wealth hidden underneath. It is only recently the discovery has been made. ‘There’s a princely fortune, ma’am, for a dozen people and for their families after them, down to, I don’t know how many generations, for one cannot calculate it.” ‘‘’The mines are copper, I believe?” ‘Copper and tin, Margaret,” broke in Mr. Grainger, in an equally eager tone with his guest. ‘‘On the neighbouring estate of Trewater there has been—how much realised to the shareholders since it has beem worked, Little ?” ‘The last year they netted about four thousand apiece. Something out of that was kept back for*expenses, I forget what. You see, about a dozen only have got it in their own hands.” ‘‘ But is there no risk ?” inquired Mrs. Grainger. “Not the slightest, if the thing is worked properly,” answered Mr. Little. “It is as safe as the bank. In the last number of the A/ining” Journal there’s an account of certain mines which have ane yielded a profit of £2,000,000 sterling to the company working them.” “Two million pounds sterling!” repeated Mr. Cunges in admiration. “In Cornwall?” ‘‘In Cornwall,” assented Mr. Little. ‘“‘And these very ‘identical mines had been abandoned by the first workers of them! ‘They went. at it the wrong way, you perceive, ma’am ; reaped only disappointment ;. lost their money, grew tired, and forsook them. Another body of men, cautious, wealthy, and experienced, stepped in, and have found their reward. ‘Iwo millions sterling have that — company already netted. from what were looked upon as ruined mines.’ Gomichbooks.com