The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-04-26
contest over the Will Of Maltby G. Lane,
which occupied the attention of the


public some months ago. The contest
was settled by compromise with the
heirs and the will set aside. Mrs. Lane
signed contract, which was fled In
court, agreeing to pay Judge Curtis
and Mr.. Hastings s26, 600 for their serv-
ices. Two of the children of Mr.. Lane
contested this and a compromise was
effected.
A MAN OF MUCH ROMANCE. ~
The announcement made the other
day that Mr.. Timothy Hopkins had re-
signed the treasurership of the South
ern Pacific Railway Company calls re
newed attention to the marvellous ro-
nance of this man, who cut something
of figure in these parts last autumn.
His retirement from the railway service,
observe, was marked by a great act of
benevolence on his part He presented
the Stanford University of California
with 1000 volumes and 1000 pamphlets,
composed entirely Of railroad literature,
reports collected from various states.
It probably cost Mr.. Hopkins about 8
cents personally, and would be worth
10 the Stamford University just what
ever the market price Of paper junk
happens to be in California at this time.
Still, it shows that Mr.. Hopkins, on
whom fortune has smiled and winked
SO graciously, is disposed to give away
something, and now that he has taken
his place among the nAlionaires Of the
country there is a hope that he may yet
furnish q corner stone for achurch. BY
his recent settlement with the Searles es-
tate Mr.. Hopkins came into possession of
100000. This, taken in connection
with the million-dollar estate given him
by his foster mother before her death,
makes him very rich man. AS his in
stincts are of a penurious character the
probabilities are that he will never be
worth any less money unless overtaken
by some distrustful stroke. For these
S4,000,oo0 it may be said that MIR. Hop
kins practically never rendered parti-
Gle OF service. The only labor involved
was the changing Of his name from
Timothy Nolan to Timothy Hopkins.
Certainly Mr.. Richard Whittington-he
Of the famous cat--could not point TO a
more remarkable career than that
has fallen unto Mr.. Hopkins. Picked
up from beside the washtub Of his
mother by the kind-hearted vito Of old
Mark Hopkins he became in time her
adopted son, and although spoiled as a.
railroad brakeman and educated to be
something of gentleman he manages
to secure very fine slice of old Hop
asins' estate by maligning and tradueing
the memory of his benefacbors. It is
said that he is a shrewd fnancier-that
I can readily believe end that
his talent is in the direction of eco
monies, It is related that while treasur-
er of the Southern Pacific Railway Com
pany he instituted one reform alone
which saved several thousands of dollars
a year to the company. He found that
the correspondence Of the company was
being conducted in all of its branches
on Irish linen paper. He introduced a
fair article Of MANILA paper into the
service and this saved the corporation
at least $1,000 per AMMAN. AS the Hop
kins estate was largely interested in the
Southern Pacific railway it may be said
that this was about the greatest service
he rendered it for the S4,0O0,00o which
have fallen to him like mama out of
the skies. Il Mr.. Hopkins tastes were
political we might expect to hear of
him turning up as United States sen
ator one of these days, lam told, how
ever, that he cares nothing about poll
tics and is chiefly devoted to his flower
garden at Menlo park.
HOW SOME PEOPLE LIVE.
We are always hearing about tn
queer modes of earning livelihood
which are encountered IN this wonder
full city. I saw, in one of the news
papers the other day, statement that
certain young men are now picking up
daily bread by exercising the pet dogs
of the fashionable women of the city.
When the weather is not propitious for
pro1nenading the women who own and
cherish dogs are not able to perform
that interesting function of exercising
their pets, For weekly stipend these
young men, known as dog exercisers,
call at the houses of their customers
and take their dogs out for what might
be termed scanine constitutional"
These young men are necessarily OF
high character and known probity, and
in course of time they will become
valuable dog fanciers and dealers. But
the people who have the queerest and
most devious ways of picking up
living are the husting women. ''Lady
agents are thing of the past. The
Discrimination Of woman to engage in any
business which smacks Of the agent
feature is, so well recognized that
such houses az the Appletons, Harper
Bros, etc, have ceased advertising for
agents to canvass for their works Of
art and resort to innocently worded
"ads. which catch even the most wary.
Then personal interview with suave
and persuasive manner follows and my
lady, who would not for worlds become
an agent, is engaged as special repre-
sentative, and her conscience is thus ap-
peased. 1t is wonderful how many
women, and high up in the social swim,
too, are engaged in booming this,
thst or the other thing. The booming
is generally done in their own imme-
date circle of friends. The method
pursued is identical with that of the
society man who only orders certain