The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-04-13
PRINCELY INCOMES
EARNED BY CHILDREN.
At the Age of Ten Joseph Hoffman
Received Fifteen Thousand
Dollars q Year.

The concert stage has proved a gold mine
to several musical prodigies. among the
latest of whom is Pepito Rodriguez. the
marvellous boy pianist. Five years ago he
first saw the light at Ferrol. in Spain, and
at the age of 3 he could play any air from
memory which he had once heard. He has
received very little regular musical educa-
ton, yet last season he was being paid at
the rate of $500 to $1,000 a night for his
~recitals in Paris. and has just contracted to
give a series of fifty performances in the
United States at $500 apiece, SO that 1t
may be safely argued that by the time he
Is old enough to go to school he will have
made a fortune that would turn many a
wealthy city merchant green with envy.
At the age of 10 Joseph Hoffman, was
earning $4,000 a year. He studied under
Rubinstein and toured through Europe.
giving concerts In all the principal cities:
but, signing for a larger income. he crossed
the '~herring-pond' and gave ffty-two re-
citaIs. which brought him in n profit Of
$500 10. and quite lately he retired to finish
his education. Another marvellous youth,
Otto Hegner. made a fortune of $4,000 ere
he was out of his teens and then retired:
but. weary OF doing nothing. he began to
teach music at enormous fees, which ag,>
gregate the respectable total Of $4,000 a
year.
The most successful child actor was un-
doubtedly the late W. H. Betty. nicknamed
the Child Roscius. He went on the stage
at the tender age Of 5. and at II was star
ring at Covent Garden Theater. London.
and throughout Britain. So great was his
popularity that for more than q year he
made $500 a night. and at is he retired with
a sum OF $4,000 to be educated. Five year.
later he reappeared. but his popularity had
waned. so he very wisely vanished into
private life again and lived on his early
acquired fortune.
Italy is justly proud of her boy sculptor.
Victor Righetti, who was making the
sum of 1000 per annurn when
only 10 years old. Long before he could
walk Righetti was modelling figures that
sold for $3.50 each, and although not yet
out of his teens he is making a larger in
come than any other Italian sculptor. while
some of his most recent work has been
mentioned in the same breath with that OF
Michael Angelo.
Willie Hoppe of Cornwall Landing. n.
Y, is the cleverest billiard player for his
age that ever lived, and. although he has
yer to see his twelfth birthday. his income
has averaged $3.50 a week for some time
past. He has toured through Europe and
defeated such masters of the game as Der:
Taylor, B~urroughes and Voscono, who Is
said to be the finest player living. At
Green's Academy. Chicago. recently, his
highest average was eighty-three. making
an unfinished run of 156 at 14-inch balk line.
Another marvel, though In a totally Diff
erent direction. is Will Gwin, the boy sur
geon- Before Re could walk he was pres
ent at all the operations his ~father-himselt
q clever surgeon-undertook.. and not long
ago he gained his certificate at the New
Orleans University, the examiners stains
that he was the cleverest osteologist they
had ever met. Though only years of age
he fs consulted by patients whose age is
ten times his own. and his income rups
sell into teUe dgureS