Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1906-05-18
RICH FOR A MONTH
SUDDENLY ACQUIRED WEALTH
QUICKLY SQUANDERED
People Unaccustomed to Large Sums
OF Money Almost Always
Plunge Into Reckless
Extravaganza.

The sudden acquisition of unaccus
toned wealth is responsible for many
strange freaks on the part of the newly
enriched, says London Tit-Bits. Thus d
Durham collier. after inheriting the sum
OF I20,0 900 from an uncle who had emf
grated to Australia, purchased male
and female elephant from a travelling
menagerie, had a large and gaudy car
riage built, to 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
humble collier, glad Of the compare
lively scanty wage that he receives each
week from the clerk in the pay shed.
The case Of once popular French
novelist is still remembered in
Partisan literary circles. Reaping a
harvest from two or three capital
books that took all Paris by storm,
the author purchased palace in Italy,
villa on the Riviera, a castle in
Scotland and a town house on the
Champs Elysees. 1t seemed his am
bition to possess as many residences
as a prince of the blood. Although
AL these properties were heavily mort.
gagged, the smash came within a year.
and the novelist, loaded with debts.
that he never would be able to repay
calmly disappeared, and was after
ward recognized as an Arab trader
and lord of many caravans plying be-
tween Harrar and Jibutil.
The novelist, who had adopted a suit
able Arab name, stood high in the favor
Of Emperor Menelik. Consumption cut
short a career that for variety and ad-
venture far exceeded any romance that
the novelist himself had ever penned.
Another freak capitalist" was
Spanish lady of Bandajoz, who, winning
100000 in the Manila lottery, collected
the money and set out secretly for Paris.
leaving her husband and children in
complete darkness as to her where
abouts
Eight months later she returned to
her home penniless, but accompanied by
80 huge trunks, the contents of which
accounted for the vanished thousands.
On arriving in Paris she had appar-
emily set about spending her money with
will. Clothes of every description and
artificial aids to beauty had eaten up
the whole of her fortune. Dresses. cost
ly underwear, corsets, boots, gloves and
hats. all marked with the names of the
most fashionable makers, represented
three-fourths of her purchases In the
remaining trunks were cosmetics, false
hair, figure improvers. face creams, chin
straps, cures for obesity-in short. every
kind of article advertised by beauty
specialists" and the quacks who abound
in all big cities. Beyond being the best
dressed woman in Bandajoz 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 { 6 6OO.-
O00) within year. and was only saved
from complete disaster by the odd
chance that he had papered his bedroom
wall with hundred ruble notes. He
ended by giving Russian lessons for
small fee in Paris.
The exploits of the late marquis of |
Anglesey are paralleled and exceeded |
by those of the son of wealthy Hun
garian sugar refner. The young man
not only had replica of the Roman |
Colosseum erected on one of his estates. |
but would himself descend into the |
arena. in imitation of the emperors OF |
Did. 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 900 for the specimen that
him and his friends with a
half hours entertainment.
The Hungarian authorities put stop
o these savage exhibitions, and while
he remainder of his wealth lasted he
lad to content himself with an ordinary
circus. He died dramatically, when on
he verge of being declared a bankrupt,
" taking poison at the close of fare
veil feast, to which he had invited his
leighbors and tenants.