"OLD DADDY."

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1903, 8 June 1892, Page 6

"OLD DADDY."

A curious character died recently in London. This was the venerable " Daddy " Wertheimer, grandaire of the notorious Isidor (Lady Clancarty'a champion), and J founder of the great Bond street firm of picture and bric-a-brac dealers. " Baddy " was a Polish Jew, and originaPy (so the legend runs) begged his way to England, arriving bareheaded, barefooted, and with empty pockets and stomach. He had neither trade nor education, but he possessed his race's eye for value and capacity for bargaining. Daddy started at the East End, ! making imitation brass work, and in a | short time became known as the man who j could reproduce certain sorts of rare old j curios so perfectly that even experts often mistook them for the real thing. The peculiar trade brought Wertheimer ! money and the longing for outward respectability. He gradually dropped dealing solely in bastard curios (though he had always a good many about for the benefit of American and colonial greenhorns), and went in for buying and selling the genuine bric-a-brac. How the old fellow acquired his wonderful knowledge no one knows. He could neither read nor write nor add up (save after his own methods) a column of figures, but the man or woman who could beat him at a bargain never existed. Attired like a seedy bagman, Sol Wertheimer drifted hither and thither, apparently aimlessly, but always with some good deal in his watchful leery eye. Though the old Jew would never spend 6d on himself, his family and belongings cost him thousands. The 'Hawk' retells a well-known story which Isidor Wertheimer was fond of narI rating against himself. To propitiate old Sol, and alao render him more presentable out walking, the grandson, three months ago, bought him a hundred -guinea fur coat. " Daddy " shook his head over the extravagance till informed that the coat had been picked up a bargain for L4O, when he was much pleased, and expressed his opinion that there was something in the boy after all. Airing himself in Bond street that afternoon, Daddy met another old Jew, who, astounded at his friend's magnificence, started feeling and pricing the coat. " You gif hundred guineas for that coat ? " " No, I didn't," said the old man, proud of his grandson's bargain. " Well, it's worth that new," retorted his friend. The pair fell to bargaining in the street, and in the end Daddy returned home minus the coat and plus L6O. "Isidor, my poy," eaid he, " there's L2O for you. I sold the coat you gave me for L6O, and there's the profit to encourage you to take an interest in business, and always keep your eye open for a bargain. " Isidor took the L2O with a groan, for he was quite enough of a Jew to squirm j over the catastrophe ; but he never enlightened Daddy. Said he : " The old man would have had a fit on the spot." — Exchange.