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let. Twenty-four hours later he had taken it and a month later set up a
business as a tobacconist and newsagent.
Albert Edwards did very well. He did so well that in a year or
so he opened a second shop and employed a manager. He looked for
another long street that hadn't got a tobacconist in it and when he
found it and a shop to let, he took it. This was a success too. Then he
thought that if he could run two shops he could run half a dozen. He
began walking about London, and whenever he found a long street
that had no tobacconist and a shop to let he took it. Ten years later he
was running no less than ten shops and he was making good money
without much effort. He went to all of his shops every Monday,
collected the week's takings and took them to the bank.
One morning when he was there paying in a bundle of notes
and a heavy bag of silver the cashier told him that the manager would
like to see him. He was shown into the office and the manager shook
hands with him.
"Mr. Foreman, I wanted to have a talk with you about the
money you've got on deposit in our bank. Do you know exactly how
much it is?"
"Not within a pound or two, sir; but I have a rough idea."
"Apart from what you paid in this morning it's a little over
thirty thousand pounds. That's a very large sum to have on deposit
and it is better to invest it."
"I don't want to take any risks, sir. I know it's safe in the bank."
"You needn't worry. We'll make out for you a list of gilt-edged
securities. They will bring you in a better rate of interest than the
bank can give you."
Mr. Foreman's aristocratic face looked troubled. "I've never had
anything to do with stocks and shares, and I'd like to leave it all in
your hands," he said.
The manager smiled. "We'll do everything. All you'll have to
do next time you come in is just to sign the transfers."
"That I could do," said Albert uncertainly. "But how shall I
know what I am signing?"
"I suppose you can read," said the manager.
Mr. Foreman smiled.
"Well, sir, the thing is that I can't. I know it sounds funny, but I
can't read or write, only my name, and I only learnt to do that when I
went into business."