Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1911-11-22

/ ElHdUy$d pOOfSF man EAtddu ftuB66t1@0dkS
has spent greater amounts for an
Evenings advertisement. But the hard
eyed old financier didn't do business
on the charitable plan.
Transaction Z typical OF Sage.
One may recall that he let his wife
iyearn for years after velvet carpets
But he did finally tell his relative he
might have what money he needed
lund er certain conditions In the end
Elizur Sage asked only $50. which
was sent him, and In return he gave
Russell Sage a mortgage on his place
Ito guarantee this enormous sum.
The newspa pers got hold of the
story at. the time, and as a result q
New York museum proprietor offered
Elizur Sage 5000. q week to appear
with his son In the museum as the
man who had succeeded In borrowing
$50 Of Russell Sage. The nephew
never appeared and the experience
has made him "a bit chary OF news
papers and museums. That they told
only what was true of his rich rela-
tive has not softened the sting.
$50 900 all his own, to do with as he
pleased and there was no Russell
Sage alive to ask mortgage. There
rs more tragedy in this than may
crop ont Of white paper and black
Ink. THERE'S here the ruin Of youth.
the :wrecking OF hopes and enjoy
ments. IN the end there is prosperity
when the age for such things Is past.
when the ability to enjoy is dead.
Elizur Sage was So years old when
the legacy came. ss N B q i'si3 M
sf Il might have acted different II Il
had been younger, he said. 'but l
wasn't mo young man any more, and
I guess havin' a little money didn't do
much like maxim me crazy
Neither did It make him happy. In
all the things EliEur Sage says Of his
gift gold there IS no trace Of any gen
uinei enjoyment. He Is more secure
than he was. but that Is all. He isn't
sure that his money has made him en-
joy life more. s@ ,S5 f
b Sage did not squander his money.
IA bit Of native shrewdness Is re-
sponsible for the fact that the sharp
ers haven't 1t all. .5s3 rs
& Sage invested at least : large part
of his legacy in land. ~ js5s ~
h He still has the land, incumbered or
otherwise. and It has appreciated.
ss Wealth Falls to Bring Happiness.
He is neither happy nor satisfied
Il went into the war at IL, b he said,
in beginning his story, and l was in
the service until i was 16, In the first
Chicago Board OF Trade regiment.
Captain Sexton, my commander. was
postmaster In Chicago. On
leaving the service went back to my
father, who was in Will county, I'LL.
nois, in little town. He was car.
penter and learned this trade from
him. He also owned farm At 20,
in 1863, i went to farming on his place
and stayed there till 1872 or 1873,
when my father died and the estate
-ras divided. Then T. ran a little
grocery and meat market for about
five years and then came to Indiana
and rented farm. Then for year
/ was back on farm in Illinois again,
and in 1890 l came back here to In
diana, I've been here ever since"
Sage was more than willing to say
that previous to the coming OF the
$50 900 he had been absolutely poor.
No i had nothing IN those days
but a living. ! was happy and care
less then" he said. Nothing worried
me. When got done with a hard
days work slept. That was all there
was to it. 1t was good in a Wayne
cares and nothing. guess I was Just
about as we'll of. AS long as any
body has his health guess he's about
as happy as he can be made"
what happened when you got the
was asked.
well. the frst thing, it put me
into a peck O. trouble. Friends l |