MR BELMONT'S BANK-ROLL 



all settled many years ago by the father of Mr August 

 Belmont. A man sought an interview with him one 

 day in New York, and with a very short delay was 

 shown in to the eminent financier. After a pre- 

 liminary explanation, the visitor drew out from his 

 pocket an elaborate mass of figures, beautifully set out, 

 whereby he showed most conclusively that over the 

 previous season's races, acting on his system, there 

 would have been an enormous profit. " And Mr 

 Belmont," he proceeded, " we are only two months 

 launched on the present season, and the margin of 

 profits is even more stupendous, for you will see that, 

 up to last Saturday, we have netted a larger sum in 

 proportion." Perry Belmont appeared to be greatly 

 interested, taking a pencil and ticking off various items 

 with approval. " Just wait a moment," he said, 

 " there is one little difficulty, which, however, may be 

 got over, but I'm afraid it can't. I'll inquire." He 

 pressed a bell and he asked for his secretary. " Tell 

 me," he said to his confidential man, " how much 

 money we have at our disposal at twelve o'clock 

 to-day after providing for all possible contingencies." 

 After two minutes' delay, the secretary re-entered and 

 handed him a slip of paper. The great banker read 

 from the scrap of paper : " Three million four hundred 

 and fifty thousand dollars. Ah ! I was afraid so," he 

 said, " there's the rub : we haven't enough money for 

 your system, perfect as it appears on paper ! " 



From the time of joining the Express I was always 

 on the look-out for some feature which should be 

 attractive in an odd way. Tens of thousands were 

 put on to the circulation by the idea of the sale of 

 cricket bats, by which I secured nearly four hundred 

 pounds for the Cricketers' Fund. Being at the Oval 

 for the finish of that remarkable match between 



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