The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-10-25
RICH MEN OF A MONTH.
How Some Suddenly Acquired For
tunes Have Reen Qickly Squan-
dereSl

The sudden acquisition OF unaccus-
toned wealth is responsible for many
strange freaks on the part Of the
newly enriched. Thus, a Durham col
her, after inheriting the sum Of 20,-
00o from an suncle who had emigrated
tosAustralia, purchased male and fe-.
male elephant from a travelling me-
nagerie, had a large and gaudy car
rage built, te which he harnessed
them, and then drove out with his
wife and children till stopped by the
police. He spent his money in six
months, chiefly at race meetings, and
is now once more a humble collier,
glad of the comparatively scanty
wage that hereeeives each week from
the clerk in the pay shed. >.
The case of a once popular French
novelist is still remembered in :Pari-
sian literary circles. SReaping a har-
vest from Two or three capital books
that took all Paris by storm, the au-4
thor purchased 9 palace in Italy,
villa on the Riviera, a csstle in Scot
land and town house on the Champs
Elysees. 1t seemed his. ambition TO
possess as many residences as
prince of the blood. Although all
these properties were heavily mort
gagged, the smash came within a year,
and the novelists. loaded with debts
that he would never be able to repay,
calmly disappeared and was after
ward recognized as an Arab trader and
lord of many cravans plying between
Rarrar and Jbutil.
The novelist who had adopted a
suitable Arab name. stood high in the
favor of the emSeror Menelik. Con-
sumption cut short a career that for
variety and adventure far exceeded
any romance that the novelist himself
had ever penned.
Another freak capitalist was a
Spanish lady of Badajoz, who win
ming 40, geo pounds in the Manila lot
terry, collected the money and set out
secretly for Paris, leaving her hus-
band and the children in complete
darkness.
Eight months later she returned to
her home penniless. but accompanied
by thirty huge trunks, the contents Of
which accounted for the vanished
thousands.
On arriving in Pairs she had appar-
entity set about spending her money
with a will. Clothes Of every descrip-
ton and artificial aids to beauty had
eaten up the whole OF her fortune.
Dresses, costly underwear, corsets,
boots, gloves and hats, all marked
with the names of the most fashiona-
BILE makers. represented three-fourths
Of her purchases. In the remaining
trunks were cometics, false hair, fg-
ure improvers, face creams, chin
straps, cures for obesity-in short,
every kind Of article advertised by
sbeauty specialists" and the quacks
who abound in all big cities. Beyond
being the best dressed woman in Ba-
daioz for several seasons, she had
reaped little benefit from her good
fortune.
More extravagant still was the Rus
sian gentleman who gambled away an
inheritance of 100000 rubles (600,-
600 pounds) within year, and was
only saved from complete disaster by
the odd chance that he had papered
his bed room with hundred ruble
notes. He ended by giving Russian
lessons for a small fee in Paris.
The exploits Of the late Marquis
of Anglesey are papralleled and ex-
ceeded by those Of the son of
wealthy Hungarian sugar refner. The
young man not only had a replica of
the Roman Colosseum erected on one
of his estates, but would himself de-
scend into the aren't, in imitation of
the emperors Of old. Dressed as
gladiator and armed only with the
short Roman thrusting sword, he
would engage lions, tigers and bears
in single combat, often paying as
much as 1000 pounds for the speci-
men that furnished him and his
friends with a half hours entertain
ment.
The Hugarian authorities put
stop to these savage exhibitions and
while the remainder of his wealth
lasted he had to contend himself with
an ordinary circus. He died dramat-
icaliy, when on the verge of being de-
elared a bankrupt, taking poison at
the close of farewell feast, to which
he had Invited his neighbors and ten
ants. It'd Bits.