Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-12-23
The Millionaire.

From the London Spectator.
Thewonder about mllionairesis, not that they
should be sometimes eccentric. but that they are
usually so ordinary. Power turns all heads more
or less, and the absence of resistance develops
wilfulness. till, as we often see in the east. it
becomes mOnstrous caprice. Now. there is no
power in modern times which is so like execu-
tive vOlitiOn as that of the millOnaire-of the
man, We mean. with really great fortune to
use outside his usual wants He has only to
will strongly enough to draw his check and all
mankind is eager to carry out his wishes. Ar
chitects. builders, gardeners in hundreds. work
men in tribes, are only too glad that he has
been graciOusy pleased to will. If he is Euro
pean there is hardly anything he cannot obtain
and even the time may, with adequate expendi-
tnre, be made to give way. 1t is supposed that
the one thing unattainable is park if there are
no trees; but Louis XIV. created park in bare
plain, with old trees and yerdure and silent
glades. in few weeks. though at a cost which,
1t is said, daunted even him. The very rich man
must know this quite well, must be aware that
there is in him a pOtentaity of patronage
greater than that of most ministers, must recog-
ulZe his own capacity for sudden and unex-
planned acquisition; yet millionares very rarely
do anything which at all interests the world, or
rOuses it's horror of the Unusual. They are
little obstinate, sometimes. about making"
places. They will spend unheard-Of-sums in
perfecting an interior. which would be far more
perfect were much less money wasted. They
will collect, at great cost, something which,
when collected, interests no one but themselves
But they very rarely do anything that is striking
or magnificent, or even exceptionally odd. No
body in our days feeds horses ont of gold, as
Nero did; though one man did build set of
pigsties Of polished mahogany-and kept them
polished, too.
There is. we believe, one noble in Europe,
whose daily dinner is served in Spain as il he
were present. though he is absent in Russia: but
that. thought seems so BIZARRE is not really ex-
ceptlOnai. Scores Of men keep up places in such
a condition that if they arrived without notice
all would be ready though they know, as well
as they know anything. that they are not going
there. The readiness gratifes some internal de-
sire to be free upon the subject of going or not.
and the money is not regarded. Such freaks
pass unnoticed, unless the whim costs something
which men with ordinary incomes think great
and then the spenders are pronounced half
cracked. Some of our readers know what it
cost to keep steam yacht in harbor in such a
condition that on receipt of q telegram steam
can be got up, yet that is done in more than one
or two cases. 1t is or may be atrocious waste
but it no more indicates mental alteration than
the boat of the retired tradesman, which is al
ways painted, and washed, and ready, though
nothing would induce its proprietor to enter it,
The pressure of the Usual Is felt by the million
aires as much as by everybody else, perhaps
more SO. because they have in our modern So
ciety such dislike to be conspicuous. and such
self-distrust Oftheir own capablity to be orig
ina 1t will be from America where fortunes are
vast and individuality respected that we shall
before long import miiOnaires with genuinely
savage Wills. whose caprces in brick and mortar
will make those Of the Duke Of Portland seem
very tame.
AN ASTONISHING Sr0RY.-Edward C. Weir
ianitor of the Brooklyn Academy of Music, had
his pocket picked while he was walking in Full
ton street from the Commercial Bank to the
Nassau Bank, in Brooklyn, yesterday. Feeling
pun at his OvercOat pocket he put his hand
into his pocket and drew out his bank book
into which he had just put 800. The money had
disappeared. While he stood wondering what
step to take to recover his money i'm the crowded
thoronghfare stranger picked up from the side
walk and gave him $3.50, and another man. who
was unknown to Mr.. Weir pointed out an in
dividual who was crossing the street and said
That man has your money" The man having
been called back gave the janitor one hundred
dollar greenback, which. he said he had found
on the sidewalk. A policeman now appeared
ON the scene and arrested the man who had
given MIR. Weir the one hundred dollar green
back, but in the Washington street police sta
ton nothing belonging to Mr.. Weir was found
IN the prisoners possession, and he was released
The man who had given Mr.. Weir $50 had dis
peared, probably with $50 of Mr. Weirs money.
men the janitOr put the money into his pocket
book the ends Of the greenbacks were exposed
TO view.-Ne,c York Herald 22d
CHILDREN BURNED TO DEATH. - Mrs John
Evans, Of Sheridan Montclalm county, Mich,
on Tuesday locked her house and went to
neighbOrs leaving her two children, one aged
three years and the other eight months. in the