Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-29
SUDDEN RICHES
Drawings by E. Hopper

A FEW months ago the se-possessed young scion
~ of American family that for generations
has been notable for its wealth. entered, upon
attaining his majority into the possession of one of the
great fortunes of the world 1t through the greatest
tragedy history costing the life of father with
whom the Young had been terms of actual
chun1shp that he became, at early age, and so
unexpectedly, one of the richest of human beings.
The newspapers proclaimed, with singular unanmity,
that the young "toob it calmly" Manfesty had
been anticipated that he going behave exctably
overit The mere fact that / rebears had been null
timilonaires for than hundred years. and that
the young himself the ordinary of events,
would Individually have become possessed of the great
fortune that the sinking of had brought to him
few years decads ahead of the ordinary of
events, obviously overlooked by the newspapers
which announced that he "took it calmly They
seemed to be disappointed because he acted in such
matter-of-fact manner it.
Reading which, the fact occurred to me that as a
somewhat odd matter of fact few people coming sud
denly into the possession of riches do "act up what
is expected of them. Whereupon a whole flock of in
stances to illustrate this dictum tumbling upon
my memory.
ONE of the earliest happened in my cubreporterhood
~ in San Francisco.
Carrying in my hand crumpled sheet of Associated
Press yellow "fimsy, | threaded my way through the
clutter of huge key loaded brewery wagons looking for
the lucky man. He was Jacob Liebermann driver of
one of the beer wagons for this San Francisco brewery
My limp sheet of Associated Press tissue bit of
cable "fnlsy, filed at Berlin 1t announced that Paul
Lieberrnann wealthy brewer of Berlin, had died, be-
Queathng sum equivalent to hundred and nifty thou
sand dollars of to his nephew, Jacob lleber
mann, of such and such address in San Francisco
had found the San Francisco address to be very
humble, diapdated frame cottage far edge of the
city. Jacobs stout, neat wife, who had little English
had contrived with difficulty to inform that Jacob
might be found around his wagon at the brewery
heaping up his afternoon delivery of kegs of beer.
Jacob was leaning against of the forward wheels
OF his wagon, putting on warped corncob pipe, when
came upon him. He of Gargantuan grossness
manifesv gorilla for strength despite his three hun
dred pounds His face dripped from his keg-heaving
labors (drpped beer, could not help thinking and
his flaming red undershirt soaked. His face
wide and jowly Dore illustration of figure in
volume of Rabeais. and he had the stodity of de-
tached piece of shale.
No doubt he figured as advanced upon him with the
futterng sheet of yellow tissue in my hand, that |
going try to sell him life burial insurance
perhaps attempt to unload upon him set of "Pictur-
esque Turkestan, in hundred and fourteen numbers
dollar down and dollar week; for, at sight of
walking toward him. he removed his crumbng corncob
from between his gnared yellow teeth and stared
with impaling, repeling bleary-bue eyes.
He was Jacob Liebermann, wasn't he? To that he
gave a reluctant affirmative nod. And he had
uncle in Berlin, rich brewer by the of Paul Lie
hermann, hadn't he? Another jerk of Jacobs head; but
nothing by way of spoken reply. He continued
at resentully if wondering how managed to keep
in conceament the patent lamp chimney cleaner egg
beater that little later was going to try to sell to him.
well" said then, "ths uncle of yours Paul Leher-
mann, the brewer of Berlin By the way, you under
stand English, don't your
Now considered that that would be a bit tantaliz-
ing but it wasn't. Jacob didn't look particle curious
"Yah-I speag English" he gutturaed hoarsely, re-
placing his pipe in his lips "But dere is holdings
holdings, and he waved me away with the careless
motion of the outward-held palm bestows upon a
pedder.
However, didn't mind. In fact his attitude rather
pleased for cub reporters whatever else their short
congs may be- usually possess for dramat-
&c values. In my minds eye had picture of how l
a.