The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1888-06-15

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that over lived was John Elves, an
Englishman, who died from neglect
because he refused to incur the ex'
pense ofphysicians and nurses, though
worth not less than $4,000, 900. In
the case OF John Elves, his sordid
character was not che result OF igno-
rance, for he was a graduate OF q
Swiss university and later in life was
a member OF Parliament. EEs greed oil
gold a an hereditary sin. He was
a son OF q London brewer, who died
when the boy was only four years
old. His mother survived, but to
such an extent did her passion for
money gain a hold upon her that,
though she had $780, 900 In her own
right, she actually starved to death.
An uncle, Sir Harvey Elves, was also
a miser, and the example of these two
blood relatives exercised such an in.
1uence upon John Elves that he be-
came the most famous miser OF three
centuries. After his return tn England
from Geneva Elves moved in fashion
able London society, where his pro.
spective wealth entitled him to recog.
milton.
When he visited his uncle in Suffolk,
where the latter lived in the most alb
ject penury, his hopeful nephew would
play a double part. He would wear
his fashionable garments as tar as a
little inn in Chelmsford, where he ex-
changed them for q pair Of patched
trousers, q out coat, darned
stockings, and clodhopper shoes with
iron buckles. In this attire he would
call upon his uncle. The latter would
lot permit q fire on cold March days
on the score Of its beign extravaganza,
and the two would sit with q crust of
bread and one glass OF wine between
them until it was too dark to see each
others faces, and then they would re,
tire to save the expense of candles.
When this uncle diedhe lett his nephew
a fortune OF 81. 0o0, 0O0.
As he grew older. John Elves devel-
oped the terrible agarice that marked
his life by a passion for cards. He
would sit in his threadbare clothes
with the Duke OF Northumberland
and play with feverish eye and tremb
ling hand with thousands at stake,
and then after having lost or won as
the case might be, he would walk to
his miserable lodgings three miles dis.
tant, in a peltering rain rather than
pay for a cab.
Elves owned q magnificent country
seat in Berkshire. When he would
leave London to visit it be would put
three hard boiled eggs and some crusts
Of bread in his pockets, then mounting
q horse would ride over fields and
through lanes, going miles out Of his
way to avoid roads where he would
have to pay q few pennies toll, Al
more than faithful blographer says Of
him:
He would eat his provisions in the
in the last stage of putrefaction rather
than have a fresh joint from the
butcher, and at one time he wore a
wig about q fortnight which he picked
out OF a rut in a lane and which had
apparently been thrown away by q
beggar."
At his country seat he allowed Of
no repair save a little brown paper or
a bic OF broken glass. During the
harvest he would amnse himself with
going into the fields to CLEAN the corn
on the ground OF his own tenants,
and they used to leave a little more
than common to pleasethe old gentle-
man, who was as eager alter it as any
pauper in the parish. To save bed
coverings, before his death, he would
90 to sleep completely dressed with
boots and hat on. Hedied m~iserably,
his mind weakened by worry and
priyation. The value OF his fortune,
which went to two sons, was not less
than 1000, 900.
Another celebrated miser was Eph.
rain Lapes Pereira, Baron d'Agui-
lar, formerly cashier to the Empress
Maria Theresa OF Austria. Strange
to say, the early years OF his life at
the Austrian Court were years OF
splendor. Then he moved to England,
married q wealthy lady and settled
down. He lived in sumptuous style;
kept several carriages and twenty
servants. He was married twice, and
after the second marriage be left his
family and friends and withdrew him
self from the fashionable world. He
turned farmer. At this time he was
worth 81, 100000. After q year ID
the country his place began to be
known as "Starvation Farmyard."
His cattle and poultry were a mass Of
skid and bones, and peasants began
to hoot at the Baron whenever he
appeared for the mean treatment of
his animals. He always insisted on
being present when the stock was
being fed go that he might see that
there was nothing stolen or wasted.
He went about his farm clad in mean
and dirty clothes, and refused TO
spend money to buy new ones. After
a life of seldshness and meanness he
died in March, 1902, leaving property
estimated at 81, loo, 600. His dia-
monds alone were worth $l50,000,
while his solid silver plate WEIGHED
over 700 pounds.
But exceeding BY far the example Of
John Elves is that Of Daniel Dancer,
whose life ia the most striking exam
pie perhaps in all history Of the insa-
TABLE thirst for gold. His father died
and lett him, together with a sister, q
comfortable fortune. Dancer and his
sister lived il O miserable hut near
Harrow in Middlesex, England. Their
iare consisted OF a piece Of cheap beef
atI fct4aAAAr ronI f14w&~ltrns III -