, 1891-09-19

dh1 AAOL4 year , III W ear = tuQ, anu
year after year, is a mighty and admir-
able power, probably not yet attained on
this planet.
OF curse it is understood that the
spending must be personal, and that it
must have an object. 1t will not do to
throw the gold into the sea, to burn the
~banknotes, or ven to gamble. Still
less must the ideal millionaire shirk his
burdens by ''tying up his capital" in en-
terprises or industries where it will re-
main for long periods latent-potential
wealth only. This is simply to make
ones self an agent of the public expend-
iture; the personal element sinks out of
sight. But let him build a palace in a
night, like Aladdin; drink a priceless
pearl, like Cleopatra; throw n bridge of
gold across the Hellespont; give a feast
where fountains shall u precious
wines, the dishes be set with diamonds.
the guests be seated on chairs of gold
and ivory, and every breath they draw
be freighted with the value Of priceless
treasures. The magical, the impossible
are what we demand of boundless riches,
and we are continually disguised, be-
cause, after all, nothing very much out
OF the common seems to take place.
Count de Lisle, however, was still an
unknown quantity; he had not shown
h he could do, and he might there
fore still do anything. His fancy of a
great free school and a museum of art.
which a few persons were cognizant of,
looked well enough for a side issue, but
for him it could hardly be more than
that. 1t was known that he had pur-
rhaaa1 a fraCf nf 1a,1 aa,nr1 Ill. -
extent on Long Island, and was having
it laid out and improved, with a view,
apparently, of making n private or semi
private park of it, and no doubt the
site of h school would be there. He had
houses at Newport and Saratoga, and pal
aces, it was said, in various European
countries; he had, since coming to New
York, given orders for the building of "A
steam yacht which was expected to COM
bine the best qualities OF Cleopatra's
barge and an Atlantic greyhound. AS to
the Trent house, as it was still called, no
one knew exactly whathe was doing with
that; he had already taken up his quarters
there, but it was understood that altera-
tions of some kind were still going on.
After all known facts were allowed for,
it was felt that the real nucleus of the
matter had scarcely been touched, and
that the sensation was yet to come.
Then, where had the counts money
come FROM? So gigantic a fortune could
not have been long in existence, or it
would have been heard of. Was its
source in the mines of Mexico? 1t was
from Mexico that the count had come to
New York; and, according to his own
account, he was the son of n single
French gentleman, and had received his
title of nobility from Napoleon-a COM
plimentary gift merely, unaccompanied
by revenue. Perhaps he had found the
key to open the long closed treasure
house of the Montezumas. Perhaps he
had stumbled upon a hoard laid up at
the period of Maximilian's accession,
when France anticipated gaining a per-
manent foothold in the country. Per
haps he had discovered a diamond mine
or his own account richer than those OF
Golconda. Or possibly he had only come
suddenly into a number of great inner.
~itanees, to which circumstances had
given a multiplied value. The founda-
ton of the wealth Of the Rothschilds
had been laid by speculation on the re,
suits of a war. There had lately been a
great war in Europe, but it was difficult
to see how it could have put so much
gold into any one mans pocket. Be
sides, the present accommodations of tht
Rothschilds were the gradual increase OF
several generations; whereas De Lisle's
fortune had, SO to say, sprung up in 3
night.
In the course of the season the count
was seen at the principal houses in town,
but he never remained at any place
more than fifteen or twenty minutes,
and always aroused more interest than
he satisfied. Without seeming to be SO,
he was careful in his selection of ac-
q~uaintances; only the select circle could
say they knew him. 1t was evident
therefore, that the count did not intend
to use any of his power in the amuse
ment of defying society-as of course h
might easily have done. He was going
to be conventional, like ordinary men
always with the difference that he was
the richest man in the world. But that
fact actually rendered his convention
atty eccentric.
February came, and people were say
ing that the season was over, when all at
once invitations were issued to a dinner
and reception at Count de Lisle's. Here
was a sensation at lastl Every one who
was invited had a different idea of what
it would be like. There were two hun
dred and fifty invitations all told-a good
sized dinner party, but still by no means
a larger amount of guests than New
York's highest circle could easily have
furnished. In fact, the number could
not well have been smaller; but then
they We're the choicest of the choice. The
most beautiful girls, the most aristo-
cratic ladies, the most distinguished
gentlemen. 1t would be a brilliant &C.
c~asion; no m had a right to complain,
although, of course, those who were not
among the elect might be expected t.
feel disappointed.
There was one point about this affair
that excited a good deal of curious spec.
ulation. The count was a bachelor, and,
a a number of unmarried women were
to be of the party, it was natural that he
should ask some lady to assist him in re-
ceiving his guests. Who should this
lady be? 1t was assumed that she would
be some recognized leader of society,
somebody who would be recognized at
nee as the right person in the right
place. But when it became known las
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