Page:The Ladies' Cabinet of Fashion, Music & Romance 1832.pdf/26

Rh of a like description; all were of shabby exterior, but the fire of an unnatural enthusiasm shone in their eyes, and spoke out in their gestures. They were evidently expecting my brother, who had them seemingly in control, and was only of them insomuch as he joined in their views and projects. They all erected themselves in various attitudes on his entrance, and the speaker of the company broke out in these words:" Ha, Petro ! we have been looking over this drawing, and there is nothing wrong about it, unless it is this hill. I think some one nearer should have been chosen.' "Wrong ?-there is not a particle wrong. The main points of observation have been carefully selected. Here is Liverpool, there is Ludgate church ; here is a hill ; on the summit of that hill is a very tall pine, which I have sketched ; this dwelling-house (of friend Soper's) is the last post before you reach Manchester ; and here is Manchester.' " But I think that hill is at too great a distance from Liverpool, to see distinctly. Don't you think so ?' continued the speaker. Why, you owl ! it is but fifteen miles ; and a good telescope will discern a man's features at ten or twelve miles.' 666 Well, ifwe have the countenance of Providence, we shall succeed,' he meekly replied. They were engaged in a scheme for transmitting intelligence from one city to another, by means of telegraphs, for the purpose of taking advantage of the rise or fall in stocks, and of speculating in lottery tickets. I have introduced this little scene, in order to show you the influences by which my brother was wrought upon. They spent the greater part of the night in discussing the measures, and Petro in enforcing the details of his arrangements . Those who were present, beside my brother Petro, could not have handed over a crown at the solicitation of a surcharged pistol, held horizontally at their vest button, and backed by the imperious proclamation, ' Stand and deliver, or die !' He was the only one who could move the enterprise so heavily constructed, and he was not equal to the whole effort. Though moneyless adventurers, his coadjutors were cunning enough to place upon his shoulders the burden of the undertaking, in the faith of their absolute necessity as a part of the machinery. " Petro was engaged with his whole soul in the success of the experiment, and nothing could deter him from prosecuting it. Hard were his struggles to devise some means for raising the requisite funds. Everything, I believe, passed through his