Mexico weekly ledger., 1891-10-22
HI
sPEcCLATIONS.

3EXn
Eel1 York society and Count Lucten dc
Isle agreed Gerry tceH Utth ono announcer.
New York society and Count Lucien
de Isle agreed very well with one an
other that winter. In these later times
we are become somewhat cautious and
skeptica1 in our dealings with eminent
foreigners whom we never heard OF until
they turn up in Fifth avenue with a ro-
mantle and dazzling autobiography and
with some mysterious magnetism, which
ends by attracting the precious metals
out of our pockets, after which the high
born enchanter vanishes. We no longer
embrace this kind Of people so impetu-
ously rs we did. But though it may be
difficult to distinguish between good
paste and q diamond we ali recognize
the diamond itself when we see it. A
charlatan may make US doubt, but a true
man carries conviction with him.
Count Lucien was no charlatan-the
keenest critics were agreed a to that.
His manner were good, without being
too good; his refinement was instructive,
and there was a touch of soldierly stern
ness in him that gave his bearing weight
and distinction. He spoke little about
himself, and never blew his own trumpet.
but he evidently expected to be treated
xrtfb ~ do ito, aud uvDv11 oorfaofIu
know how to assert himself upon occa-
sion. His standing, however, wa that
of a quiet and rather reserved gentle
man, DESTROYS to be on kindly terms
with good people, and conscious, it
might be. that he could give them at
least as much as they could give him.
These qualities would have made him
rendered his position unique, and, in
spite Of the impossibility of such a thing
as American snobbery, it put some queer
modification into the spectacles of those
who came in contact with him. Few
spoke to him or thought of him exactly
as they would have done if he had been
man of ordinary fortune.
He actually had the money-that was
the strange feature. The INT raj
that he was keeping three or four million
on deposit at several New York banks.
The rumor was investigated, and result
ed in thes discovery that the millions in
question were indeed there, but they
were millions, not of dollars, but of
pounds sterling. News came from Bos-
ton and Philadelphia that there was as
much more to his credit in those cities.
1t leaked ont that the great London and
Westminster bank in London was pay
ing Count de Lisle dividends on eight
million pounds. But these vast sums
were but the fringes of the counts for
tune. He was 4 large investor in real
estate and lands; indeed, a wag started
the story that he had purchased all Of
Manhattan island below Canal street,
with its buildings and inhabitants; but
this proved to be an overstatement.
Such fantastic exaggerations are merely
illustrations of the impossibility of con-
ceiving really great wealth.
A million-ten millions-hundreds of
m~illions-the mind cannot grasp the idea
of such sums in relation to ny single
owner; n seems practically about as
good a another; and, in the effort to
bring them within the bounds of COM
prehsnsion, we give way to jests and
fairy tales. Was Count de Isles income
twenty-five thousand dollars a day-or
Fifty thousand-or more? Whether it
were more or less he certainly could not
spend it on himself. And yet the innate
desire in the human mind to see giants
and heroes and gods-men vino in their
single persons are the equivalent of ma
tions-makes Us hope that each new
millionaire will find some way to wear
all his millions as a garment, or, rather,
as a skin, In which his own proper life
circulates. Surely the wants Of man
are infinite; how, then, can any amount Of
money overwhelm him? Be it a billion,
every separate dollar of it ought to be
tingling with vitality, and as busy min.
i~stering directly to its owner as are the
corpuscles OF his blood. That any of i,
should be lying dead seems a reflection
on human ability-on our intellect and
senses. The horse is his who mounts it
the fortune is his who spends it. NJ
doubt great riches need great genius, ani
even genius needs practice. The power
to make ones self legitimately cost, say
q hundred dollars a minute, night ant
day, from years end to years end, anC
year after year, is a mighty and admir-
able power, probably not yet attained OF
this planet.
VI course it is understood that thu
spending must be personal, and that il
q have an object. It will not do te
throw b gold into the sea, to burn thu
banknotes, OF even to gamble. Still
less must the ideal millionaire shirk hi,
burdens by tying up his capital in en-
refprises or industries where it will re
main for long periods latent-potentia,
wealth only. This is simply to make
onefs self an agent of the public expend.
ffure; b personal element sinks ont O,
sight. But let him build a palace in ;
night, like Aladdin; drink a priceless,
pearl, like Cleopatra; throw a bridge O
gold across the Hellespont; give a feas
where fountains shall u preciou.
wines, the dishes be set with diamonds
q guests be seated ON chairs of golt
. ivory. and every breath they draw
be freighted with the value Of priceless
treasures. The magical, the impossibl,
are what we demand of boundless riches
and we are continually disguised. be
cause, after all, nothing very much on
Of the coramon seems to take place.
Count de Lisle, however, was stIf a,
unknown quantity; he had not show,
What ha could do. and he might there
fore still do anything. His fancy of
great free school and q museum of ar,
which a few persons were cognizant O,
looked well enough for a side issue. bu
Tor him it could hardly be more tina,
that. It was known that he had mn,
chased a tract OF land several miles 1
extent on Long Island, and was hayin
Il laid out and improved, with a view
apparently, Of making a private or sem
private park Of IL, and no doubt tb
sffe OF the school would be there. He ha
houses at Newport and Saratoga. and "a
Res, 1t was said. in various Europea
eounfries; he had, since coming 10 Ne,
fork, given orders for the building of
steazn yacht which was expected to con
hne the hest qualities Of Cleopatra,
barge and an Atlantic greyhound. Az 1
the TRanf hauso az IL ave-, Ign 81