Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-11-09
LIVING LIKE "A PRINCE.
But without so Much as Dollar t.
Bless himself with.

But Without SO Much as a Dollar to
Bless Himself with.
Curious stories are often told, says the
Brooklyn Ea0le, about men Of no fortune
who live like millionaires. Occasionally
instances like that of "Lord Abercrom-
bie," who lived like a Vanderbilt for a
few months, crop up. But it is seldom
that man turns up who can live like a
Russian Prince, drive blOoded horses, give
elaborate dinners, and move among fast
set of men without having any money of
his own. There is such a man. or rather
boy, in New York at the present time.
He has been going at a terrific rate for
two years. ] shall call him Smith, be-
cause it is not his name. He is an ideal
dude. His figure is slim, almost to
emaciatiOn, his chest narrow. his
arms and legs long, and his face
absolutely coIOrless. More than this,
it is an effemInate face, with
small features, weak eyes, and an irresO-
lutte mouth. 1t is familiar to half the peo-
pie in New York. At every event of i'm
pOrtance this pale and languid little dude
is on hand. He has an extraordinary as
sOrtment of clothes, wears numerous
rings, and is usually accompanied by a
valet. He comes of very respectable peO-
pie. know his mother and several of
his relatives. They will have nothing to
do with him, and his name is never men,
toned at home. About two years ago he
got into a scrape up town for which he
needed ready money at once. He begged
his people for $1,000 and they refused
pOint-blank. Then he @..no ocd all Of ais
mothers diamonds, pledged them for SSSS;;'
600, and took a steamer for Paris. When
he. arrived there he walked into COM
mission house, asked the. head of the firm
for pointer, and languidly tossed him a
check for $1,000 for investment. One turn
on the Bourse landed him nearly $4,000
ahead. He made few more successful
speculatiOns, drew the whole amount
OF his gains which had then reached about
100000, and prepared to ''see" Paris. He
was then 20 years old. OF course no one
knew that when he speculated in 1000
lots he was risking his whole fortune at
every turn of the market. He was SO
placid and serene during his operations
that they gave him credit for having a big
fortune in reserve. Mr.. Smith made
things howl IN Paris. He lived there four
months, spent every penny he had, ard
returned to America with half a dozen
trunks filled with clothes, and no end of
jewelry, leaving the tradesmen in Paris
doleful and forlOrn, He owed money right
and left in the French capital, but he
never auOWed 1T TO worry MIN. When he
arrived in New York he had another in
terview with his family, but he was so
thoroughly unmanageable that he was
again toss-d out of the house,
which he has never since entered.
A little crowd of sycophants hung
around him for a time, but they have
nearly all deserted him now and he has
but one companion-a man who is said to
be an adventurer and whom nobody
knows. The little dude goes everywhere,
as | said above. He may be seen driving
on the avenue in the afternoon in a trap
that is strictly correct in every detail,
and he attends the theatre and the opera
steadily. He is cut right and left, owes
every man money, and is frequently
abused in public by his dupes. But the
expression of his face never changes, and
he is apparently as happy as he was in
Paris, when at the height of his fortune.
He is known about town by the name of
''Jiblets." l don't know where the nick
name oaYna from