Rensselaer Union, Volume 1, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 July 1869 — What Came of Holding Vanderbilt's Hourse. [ARTICLE]

What Came of Holding Vanderbilt's Hourse.

A young man from an adjoining State, who ha* recently been rescued '■>'from a score of hungry creditors, and Who still has a credit at his banker’s of about SIOO,000, but who not long ago was in reduced circumstances and obliged to live in retirement on Staten Island, makes the following solution of his sudden acquisition of a competency : The gentleman—Holt by name—was residing in one of the fashionable hotels on Staten Island. He was extremely down-hearted. This was the reason of his low spirits: About two years ago he had married a very handsome woman, .on whom he fairly doatod. At that time he had $25,000 in cash. Soon after the nuptial ceremony, Holt removed to this city, and became a broker on Wall street. He was too honest to succeed there. The bulls and bears gored and tore him—financially—and in less than a twelve-month he had not a dollar left. Disgusted, he retired with as good a grace as possible, leaving his cash to fulfill its mission. With wife and child he went to the country, and finally, a* before stated, settled down in a hotel on Staten Island. His wife had some means, and she gave it freely for the support ofthe family. About two Weeks ago, late in on® hot afternoon,, A gentleman drove up to the hotel w nere Holt was living, and gruffly whether there was a boy there who co.uld hold his horse. “ I will, do it sir,” said Mr. Holt, and he dkl hold the animal during the time consumed by the elderly gentleman in obtaining hi# dinner. A few days later 1 , the. same gentleman, driving the same horse, stopped at the same hotel, and hunted for a boy to hold his horse. No boy being' present, Holt again volunteered. He held the horse till the hostler came to take tWanimal to the table, and then retired within the hotel to dress for dinner. Mrs. Holt had a way of making herhutband get'hlniself tap tary respectably at least once each day, and that was for the ditiner hour. Generally he had been rather negligent of his costume, and since his financial fiasco had really become seedy. When Mr. and Mrs. Holt entered the hotel dining-room that evening. Mrs. Holt was resplendent. Her husband was at least dressed in gentlemanly style.- At an adjoining table ant the elderly man whose horse Mr. Holt had on two different occasions the pleasure of holding. The eyes of the elderly individual were observed to dilate considerably, in fact, he stared at Mr .end, Mrs. Holt. But he said nothing at that time. After dinner, however, he Bought out Mr. Hrit, and bluntly asked his name, “Holh.sjr, at your service.” “And wh'o do you think lain?” agiin asked the elderly personage. “On, you? You are‘old’ but! 1 know yott, and the horse’fhkve held is Mountain Boy, an animal any man might be proud to draw & rein over." Instead of taking offense at the epithet "old,” Mr. Vanderbilt—for it was the Commodore—seemed to like it, ■ and be made some inquiries about Halt's antecedents, took a iancy to him, andpeyemptorUy ordered the young man to make his appearance at his up town office on thb ensuing forenoon at precisely 11 o’clock. Holt promised to obey, did ijp, arid "Bad an interview of over an hour's tiuratiou with the millionaire. What was done or said on that oocasien no one has ever been able to learn. But a few days later Holt made bis reappearance in Wall street and speculated strongly and successfully in a oer tain line of Blocks known to be moßtiy controlled by Commodore Vanderbilt. 8o well did he work hi* card with the .instructions undoubtedly obtained from the Commodore, that in’, a. few weeks be cleared over SIOO,OOO in cash, which "he deposited with a prominent banking house, whore vault# : are protected by bUrglarproof locks, and who keep day and night watchmen expressly paid to see that-no unauthorized person tampers with those safeguards. Two days ago Vanderbilt sent for Holt again and said to him: “Young man, I hear you have made some money. lam glad to learn it: Now just take my advice a second time. .Never put foot in Wall street regain. You are not suited for that atmosphere. Shun it as you would the devil. You’ve got enough. Keep what you have and be contented.” ur HpUrnow shuns Wall street as he would . a pestilence.— lfm York Sun, July 22.