Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1881-09-08
ANCIENT MILLIONAIRES.
The vanderbiits, Jay Geuids and
Assors OF Antiquity.

Astors OF Antiquity.
Thousands of men have envied Astor,
Stewart, Vanderbilt, Mackey, Keene,
Gould and the other fellows who can
buy strawberries at 81 per box but the
richest OF them are mere Migrants when
compared to some of the ancients.
There was Minus, for instance. He was
the son of Nimrod, the old hunter, who
made the lions scratch for holes and IL
gers take TO bitches. Old MIN left MS
boy about c.30, 600, 900 in cash, besides
100, 600 cattle, piece of land about as
big as Arkansas, and II, 900 likely slaves.
There were no lawyers in those days
who made specially of breaking wills,
and young Minus quietly took possession
snd cast about for some plan to keep
himself out of the poor house.
He was considered poor Young man,
and had he been seen lugging his girl to
an ice-crearn saloon or riding out in q
livery rig his friends would have said be
would bring up in garnet. BY lucky
capture OF territory from the Assyrians,
together with 1000 slaves, 125, 900 cat
tie, ten wagon-loads of silver and Jewels,
and few other TITLES, Minus walked up
the social ladder until big bugs asked
after his wife and babies, and ne could
lose three games of billiards without
wondering If the owner of the saloon
would take "stand Off" He was worth
1850, 900, 900 when he died, and yet for
the last five years of his life he went
without mutton because the price had
raised to 3 cents pound.
The heiress with $50, 600 bank nc
count considers herself some pumpkins.
but what Scent piece she would have
been alongside of Queen Semiramis.
iShe not only had the luere left by Minus,
but In ten years she had increased it
fourfold. just multiply $3.50, 600, 600
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 cleaned up she could have
drawn her little check for about $780,
900, 900. She didn't worry about where
her spring bonnet was to come from.
and when a new style of dress goods
came out she didn't sit up nights for
fear some neighbor would secure pat
tern first. While she made it lively for
her enemies she was soft on her friends.
She gave her waitingmaid $500, 600 in
lump for dressing her hair III new
style, and she tossed the same amount
to her dressmaker as a reward for the
excellent tit OF one particular dress One
day when she saw poor old man tray
cling the highway on foot she presented
him with 500 asses to ride on. and in
sisted on his accepting $50, 900 to pay
his toll and tavern bills.
Cyrus, King of Persia from the year
53S TO $50, had some little change to be-
gin with, and IN ten years he could draw
his check for $500, 0U0, 900. He didn't
haggle over the price of slave when a
man came to buy, but presented him
with ], 900. He at one time owned 80.
600 horses. 10000 cattle, 300, 900 sheep.
100 asses and Is 0D0 slaves, and when
he got tired Of palace costing 81, 000,-
600, he gave it away TO some poor wash
woman with seven children 10 support
He one day sat down 60 dinner winch
cost E30, 900, and in the afternoon he
went IN ESQ, 900 drunk. The police
didn't run him IN, or he would doubtless
have insisted on paying fine of 600. 900
and presenting ms MAJOR with corner
house and lot III the - lest part of Baby
lon. -
mig hithtS H1%442Xs7ftkRltE Ntu-Htflcu
man. Ii was TOT $E3ssfb trouble t. count
his cash, and s6'1E weighed it. One
day when an old friend asked him fol
the loan of n few dollars until Saturday
night, he sent linn procession of GO
asses, each animal loaded with loo
pounds of gold coin. He p1id e100, 900
for bird which could whistle, tlle same
for trick dog, and he had such fond
ness for white oxen that he sEclled ont
f25, 900 apiece for them. and at one time
bad drove of 1900. When be got out
with the boys he made Things lively.
During one spree III his city OF Memphis.
he gave away ej09, 010, and didn't get
drunk at that. At ono time he had
10000 gold chains, l,000,U00 finger
rings, 100000 costly swords, 30O,0 600
daggers, and land only knows how many
tish-lines, iack-knives, cork screws and
tobacco boxes. His wife had fI coo, 900
a year as pin money, and when his eldest
son went up to Thebes to see the ele-
plant, he was followed by 500 friends.
1000 slaves, 1000 horses and $500, 900
for fare, checks and beer money.
froit Free Press.