The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1907-01-11
There Is far more fiction than truth

III inc ACCOUNTS Ol Jue IUSdl opSuo-
thrifts OF former ages. For instance,
the statement that Caesars supper
bills for four months were more than
& 100000 Sterling-Or almost So
00O,000-is probably exaggerated.
Some explanatory notes are needed
also with the anecdote of Antony CIV
ing his cook town of $4,000 inhab-
itants. Next morning, very likely, An
tony rebuked him for failing to take
a joke But the case of Count De Cas-
tellane is one of those modern In
stances which in a measure is open to
the inspection of the world.
In Glass by Himself.
The modern spendthrift is in a class
all by himself. In nearly every in
stance he has developed his prodigal-
ity by sudden rise to large wealth,
wealth Of proportions far exceeding
the dreams Of the alChemists of an
other time. In the cases of the late
marquis Of AnglesCy and the late Max
Lebaudy, young men who received i'm
mense estates by inheritance, the lack
of restraint allowed them to develop
| the most reckless extravaganza. Both
died very young, neither having the
physique necessary for the strain OF
throwing millions away.
Anglesey castle, in Wales, was
never so charming nor SO gay as dur
ing the brief tenancy of the young
marquis. Like Count Boni, he did
things handsomely, but it was his
own Inheritance he was sQuanderlng.
Much of his wealth was laVished in
an attempt to adOrn his own slight
figure. In two years he spent $1,000
600 and was adjudgad a bankrupt for
a sum considerably more than $1,000
600.
Wardrobe a Wonder.
Jewelry, gorgeous figured waist
coats and a private theater were the
principal avenues through which his
money disappeared He gave $4,000
for a single pearl and $3.50, 600 worth OF
icwelry was sold during his bank
ruptcy proceedings His wardrobe
was the envy Of every dandy. tie
owned 227 suits, 562 wastCOats, 4o5
ties, 27S pairs of gloves, 100 oyercoats
one of them of sable fur, which cost
$5,000-15O pairs of pyjamas, Is smoK'
ing suits, 81 lounge suits-but the cat
alogue is entirely too long to be fol
lowed. The sale of his effects at the
castle occupied several weeks and was
agreeably divided, One day OF the
sale would be known as the day OF
waistcoat poems, another as bath
gown day, and so on.
Reckless and riOtous living and fall
ing into the company of swindIerS
were responsible for dissipating the
millions of the late Max LebaHdy
who, indeed. died of consumption be
fore all his money left him by his ia
Their, a wealthy French manufacturer
had gone from him. He arranged bull
fights and private theatricals on an eX
travagant scale, kept race horses, in
dulged in every freak which suggested
itself to him and gave his money t
everyone who asked Of his bounty
Two brothers survive him and eacl
keeps his money on quick move
One of them fitted out an expedition
for the conquest of the Sahara and TO
the last three years has been jocosel,
alluded to by European newspaper
as Jacques l., emperor of the Sa
hara," for so he styles himself. Tn
other brother has spent some of hi
money on building gigantic airship
and one of his inventions actual!
made a record fight.
America has had its share OF gol
geous spendthrifts. There are S
many of them that only once in awhil
one distinguishes himself by some frea
which compels attention. The frs
of the magnificent money spender
was John w. Steele, still living /
Franklin. Pa, and known best a
Coal Oil Johnny" His reign Taste
but a few months, but in that shor
enthusiastically seven months-he
said to have squandered $3,OOO,OOO.
Coal Oil Johnny was youth {
90 when in 1861 oil was found on tn
farm which had been bequeathed
him. Had he held on to his farm b
might to-day been one of the envie
Standard Oil group, but he did nc
rise to his opportunity. Instead, b
planned how he could cut dash wit
the enormous sum paid him for hi
property.
Unique Rich Men.
He began by lining his clothin
with bank notes. He pinned some Q
his coat; he gave away notes; /
lighted cigars with $40 bills; b
tipped walters with S. or $40 at
-" time: he hired the Continental hot
in Philadelphia and boarded ever
y body free. Another time he had
' bathtub filled with champagne an
= took a bath in the costly liquid. t.
. backed a minstrel company. FIR