Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 January 1885 — The Canny Scot Abroad. [ARTICLE]

The Canny Scot Abroad.

The Macquays are an admirable instance of the -ways in which the “canny Scot” almost invariably contrives to make his way in foreign parts, says the London Life. The father of the present head of the firm went to Florence in the grand ducal days, when the City of Flowers was the capital of the little duchy of Tuscany. Shrewd, patient, red-headed, a typical Scotsman, he quickly pushed his way upward, and, mastering all the devious details of Tuscan finance, made himself extremely useful to the needy ruler of that little kingdom. He was one of the old coterie that used to meet regularly at poor Charles Lever’s house for their rubber of whist, and many a trick did that talented author play upon the Florentine banker, whose ire he would arouse by persistently chattering during the progress of the game, was, probably, the only man who could convulse his hearers with inimitable stories and at the same time play a splendid hand at whist Old Macquay left three sons, strangely dissimilar in appearance, but all possessed of considerable talent and the firm of Macquay & Co. is now as well known in u th* Popo of Borne himself.