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164 LIFE OF BABU RAM GOPAL GHOSE. CHAPTER II. HIS MERCANTILE CAREER. We are unfortunately left quite as much in thei dark as to the interesting details of this part of his* valuable life. Providence saved, however, the honor; of the much malinged Bengalee race by having des- tined Ram Gopal to take to this noble profession which made him what he really was. And it was by pure accident that Ram Gopal, under Divine inspira- tion, was made to adopt this profession. It is said that a Jewish merchant by the name of Mr. Joseph "applied" to Mr. Anderson, of the Firm of Colvin & Co., for an intelligent young educated native as his assistant. Mr. Anderson, therefore, asked Mr. David Hare to send one of his best pupils. The great philanthro- pist with a prophetic vision saw the future destiny of Ram Gopal and selected him as his nominee. The young nominee, scarcely seventeen years old, in the memorable year of 1832, we suppose, left the col- lege and became a writer under Mr. Joseph on a salary perhaps of Rs, 40 per mensem. Possessed of gigantic intellectual powers, it is no wonder that Ram Gopal, within a very short time, mastered the routine duties of a mercantile office, and rose step by step, as he acquired useful knowledge and proved his moral and intellectual fitness. Within a short time, it is said, that one Mr. T. S. Kelsall joined Mr. Joseph as a partner, and Ram Gopal was appointed banian. The exact date of this important event in the life of Ram Gopal cannot now be ascertained. The Firm went on progressing under Ram Gopal's "judicious manage* ment" for some time, we cannot say how long, when the two partners separated,and another Firm was open- ' ed by Mr. Kelsall himself under whom Ram Gopal * served as banian. He then became a partner to the , Firm which assumed the name of Kelsall, Ghose&Cp.