The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1881-12-09
Ancient Millionaires.
TiIE vANDERulTTs, JAY GoULDs AND As
TORS or ANTIQUITY.

l'hN Of NNllvIll1'
Thousands of men have cnved Astor.
Stewart, Vanderbilt, Mackey, Keene,
Gould and the other fellows who can
buy Strawberries at one dollar per box:
but the richest of them are mere vagrants
when compared to some of the ancients.
There was Minus for instance. lie was
the son of Nimrod, the old hunter, who
made lions scratch for holes and tigers
take to bitches. Old MIN left his boy
about Gl30, 100000 in cash, besides l20,
600 cattle, q piece of land about as big
as Arkansas and $4,000 likely slaves.
There were no lawyers in those days who
made a specially of breaking wills, and
young Nirus took possession and cast
about for some plan to keep himself out
of the poor house.
lie was considered poor young man,
and had he been seen Juggling his CIR!
TO an ice cream saloon or riding out in a
lively rig his friends would have said he
would bring up in a garrct. BY "A lucky
capture Of territory from the Assyrians,
together with 20,00O slaves, 12j,OOO
cattle, ten wagon loads of silver and jew
ewls, and few other trihes, Minus
walked up the social ladder until big
bugs asked after his wife and babies and
he could lose three games Of billiards
without wondering if the owner of the
saloon would take "stand off. lie
was worth f35000O.OOO when he died,
and yet for the last five years of his life
he went without mutton because the
price had raised to three cents per pound.
The heiress with a $4,000 bank ac-
count considers herself some pumpkins,
but what three cent piece she would
have been alongside of Queen Semiramis.
She not only had the lucre left by Nj
nus, but in ten years she had increased
it fourfold. just multiply $3.50, 100000
by two, and You have the amount of her
bank balance, to say nothing of Jewels
and clothing and furniture and palaces
and slaves and cattle. Had she sold out
and cleared up she could have drawn her
little check for about 600 0,0O0,0OO. She
didn't worry about where her spring
bonnet was to come from, and when
new style of dress goods came out, she
didn't sit up at nights for fear some
neighbor would secure a pattern first
While she madeit lively for her enemies
she was soft on her friends She gave
her waiting maid 100000 in lump for
dressing her harin a new style, and she
tossed the same amount to her dress
maker as a reward for the excellent fit
fit of one particular dress. One day
when she saw poor old man travelling
the highway on foot she presented him
with 800 asses to ride Oh, and insisted on
his accepting 100000 to pay his toll and
tavern bills
Cyrus, king of Persia, from the year
53S to $50, had some little change to
begin with, and in ten years he could
draw his check for 100000, 700. He
didn't haggle..over the price of slaves
when a man came to buy but presented
him with 1000. He at one time owned
10000 horses, 10000 cattle, 20O,0OO
sheep and $4,000 asses and 25.O0O
slaves, and when he got tired of palace
costing tl,00O,O00 he gave it away to
some poor washerwoman with seven
children to support. He one day sat
down to a dinner which had cost gao
900, and in the afternoon went on
$50, 600 drunk. The police didn't run
him in, or he would doubtless have in
sisted on paying fine of 100000 and
presenting his honor with a corner house
and lot i'll the toniest part OF Babylon.
King Menes was another well heeled
man. 1t was too much trouble to count
his cash, and SO he weighed it, One day
when friend asked him for the loan of
few dollars until Saturday night, he
sent him a procession of sixty asses, each
animal loaded with one hundred pounds
of gold coin. lie paid 100000 for
/ bird that could whistle, the same for
trick dog and he had such fondness
for white oxen that he sheled out $50
600 apiece forthem, and at one time had
drove of 1000. When he got out with
the boys he made things lively. During
one spree in his city of Memphis he gave
away f5OO,OO0 and didn't get drunk at
that At one time he had 100000 gold
chains, l,0OO0OO finger rings, 10000
costly swords, 100000 daggers, and land
only knows how many fish lines, jack
knives, cork screws and tobacco boxes,
His wife had fl,O0O,O0O a year as pin
money, and when his eldest son went up
to Thebes to see the elephant he was fol-
lowed by 800 friends, 1000 slaves, 1000
horses and 100000 for fare, checks and
beer money.