The Monmouth inquirer., 1898-12-01
RICH WHO LIVE AS POOR
Men with Fortunes Live in Miserable
Surroundings.


Men with Fortunes Live in Miserable
Surroundings.
AS is we'll known, the great majority
of people are more concerned about ap-
pearances t1an realities. and are in
clined to live in style above rather
than below their means.
AT the same time, there are few
others. who, though wealthy, and con-
sequently well able to afford large es-
tablishments, have no ambition to live
in any sucn pretentious style, but are
content with habitations OF the same
modest order as those of the working
classes among whom they dwell.
A builder in a Northern town is a
man of this description. To the writ
er's knowledge, he is worth at least
100000, and is growing richer year by
year. Yet he has never lived In a
house of a higher rent than 81 per
week. and his household. expenses prob
ably do not amount to more than $500
per annum. And this, despite the fact
tnat the same man is the owner of more
than score of high-class dwelling
houses, letting at rents OF from $500 to
81 900 a year, in addition to several
blocks of cottage property. Whatever
may be said of others, 1t is certainly
true Of him that he wants but little
here below" 1t is scarcely probable
that when ne dies his wealth will pass
into such frugal hands.
Another well-to-do tradesman whose
income Is between $4,000 and $2,500 a
year resides in still smaller dwelling.
For long time past a four-roomed cot
tage has sufficed for his modest require
ments, and possibly will for the re-
mainder Of his days.
Unlike the subject of the preceding
paragraph nothing would induce him
to invest his savings in bricks and
mortar, for he is strong believer in
the potency of ready money-and plen-
ty of it. He has but one ambition in
life, and that is to accumulate sufficient
wealth to enable his two children, a
son and daughter, to live in comfort
and independence after he has shuffiled
off this mortal coil.
The old man has not forgotten the
priyations he endured lin his earlier
days, when the grim spectre of starva-
tion was perpetually lowering over him.
Hence the fund he is so self-denyingly
building up for those near and dear.
May ais cherished hope be realized.
A wealthy gentleman of the writer's
acquaintance contents himself with a
humble abode for which he pays a rent
of $3.50 per month Considering that he
is the owner Of fine ancestral estate in
the country, it may seem somewhat
strange that he should prefer to reside
in a small house in an Industrial dis
trict of large town.
Yet that is where he passes the great
er part of the year, the stately home
of his forefathers seldom sheltering
him more than two months out of the
twelve, though always ready for his re-
ception But for the pleasure the OUT
ing affords his few friends, he would
probably never think of occupying his
country seat at ALL
One can understand, as well as de-
spise, the motive which prompts a
close-fsted, miserly mortal to live in a
wretched apology for house, which
he is able to call his own. He is actu-
ated by nothing but an abnormal greed
of gold: and, though reputed to be
worth thousands of dollars, it is believ-
ed that if the premises boasted of a
weather-proof clubhouse, however un-
suitable for human occupation, he
would take up his quarters there, and
endeavor to find a paying tenant for his
present ramshackle abode.
Meager as is their fare, the laborers
among whom he dwells fare sumptu-
ously compared with him, and he is not
above accepting from them anything
they are disposed to give-always pro-
vided that nothing is expected in re-
turn.