The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-07-26
NEVER DREAMED OF RICHES

NEVER REAmEU Ut RlGHES
Romantic Stories of Sudden Wealth
outdone When Two Workers in Shoe
Factory Fall Heir to s5OoO,o0
Each-WiiI Continue, to Work at
Their Benches Despite Life Of Lux
ury They Might Lead-"Might Buy
n Car" Says One of Them.
| Romantic stories Of sudden and un-
| expected wealth were all outdone
when two workers in shoe factory at
Haverhill. Mass learned recently that
/ they had fallen heir to 100000.
| Il intend to have the house paint
ed" Patrick Canning. the elder Of
them, said when told of his good for
| tune. That Is the first thing. Then
might buy a car. I might-but
again, might not I never owned
one, and am not quite sure whether
/ want to-"
James Canning, his brother, and
sharer in his good fortune, had a SIM
liar program. 1t was all so unexpect-
| ed, and they were so happy in their
modest way Of living they felt bewil-
sdered.
to an Edward j. Curley, who lived In
Kentucky. Years ago he had given
them $4,000, and had enabled them
to build their own homes and to have
/ small nest-egg. But they thought
this gift was all they could ever dream
OF getting from their kinsman, who
spent his time between Kentucky and
Paris.
But Curley had other plans. His
life, too, had been of humble origin.
and he had greater interest In his
relatives than he admitted to any
one.
1t was only after years Of hardship
that fortune smiled on him. He had
come to America II years ago, when
he was nine years old. Somehow he
had picked up an education at east
ern academies and had started to teach
school In New England.
Relative Never Married.
i He obtained a school in Kentucky
when the Civil war broke out. He
hoped to make good, return to New
England, and marry girl he had met
who belonged to wealthy family.
He enlisted In the Confederate army
and became major. The veteran of
. many Of the greatest battles of the
war, he visited the girl In New Eng
land But she could not forgive his
service under the Confederate flag.
: He returned to Kentucky and be-
came interested In the distilling bust
ness. He piled up great fortune.
The correspondence between him and
the New England girl continued until
her death at eighty, But he never
married.
OF the five grand-nephews, only
, James and Patrick Canning survived
While letters from their uncle were
not frequent, they kept In touch with
him, and upon the rare occasions that
he did write, he manifested friendly
interest in their affairs.
Notwithstanding they protest that
his final demonstration OF affection for
them was wholly unexpected. They
\ duIlElpdtCu SUIUS SOEl VI KEmEtu-
branee, perhaps but not so much as
i they received.
Never Dreamed Of Wealth.
However that may be, the fact "a
: that Major Curley bequeathed to the
' two brothers his entire estate.
g 1--WE figure we've always done pretty
WELL" said James Canning. .We've
: had our health, and worked hard. The
e money uncle gave us many years ago
established us so that we didn't have
l to fear poverty, but as for being rich
well. don't know" and he shook hii
e head. "Pm afraid I'm too old te
change my way of living. The chill
: dren ought to enjoy the money, though
: My boy Ia shoe cutter; dom
know what he'll want to do. Wher
the factory opens think I'll 60 bacl
: TO the job. I'd be sort Of lost with
: out it."
Patrick Canning was pruning tire,
: in his little garden. EYES," he said, re
luctantly, sit's a lot of money. M,
wife and probably will go away on ,
> little vacation, but wen come bacl
; to HaverhiIl. No, / don't expect {,
leave my present home. Why shout,
> I? It's been good enough to live II
:, for good many years, and why no
now? We love 1t, our friends liv
5 here Why should we go away and b
lonesome and unhappy just becaus
. the world thinks we ought to? Wei
: stick here, my wife and L"
e -
g. DAN iInK MUTu 0NHc