The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1924-06-05

Et&OilS OF 2ORlS tNlCf GfaOkSs
A short time since there died at
Como a rich man who was noted for
e very strange eccentricity. Although
for years ne had never been outside
his grounds, he would proudly in
form his visitors that he had that
very day walked to certain villages
in the neighborhood
What he actually did was this.
Whenever he made up his mind to Wis
it a distant village or town he made
an estimate of the distance, and COW
cred it on foot on a carefully measur-
ed walking track in his grounds.
When he wished to call on his friends
in the district he would not only do it
by proxy, but would conduct con-
yersation for hours by sending serv-
ant to and fro with questions and
answers
A well-known Italian count, WHO
died recently at an advanced age, had
for many years defied the weather by
drinking a solution of camphor, which
he considered an efficient substitute
for clothes. Summer and winter alike
lie, would sleep without particle or
covering and with the windows of
his room thrown wide open, and would
walk for hours in his garden on a
bitterly cold day in the garment most
people devote to night wear.
There is in Cape Breton a worthy
and much married gentleman who has
Just taken his eighth wife to his heart
and home. And grewsome hore it
must be to greet Homecoming wife,
for seven of his rooms, each painted
In black and white and literally gar
nished with skulls and crossbones, are
dedicated to wives Nos. / to z.
AS the birthday of each of these de-
parted spouses comes round the by no
means disconsolate husband enter
tains his friends at dinner in the room
specially devoted to her memory and
improves the occasion by telling an
ecdotes to illustrate her many vir-
tues.
In Vienna there is living today
Count k, wealthy nobIeman of
Polish origin, who occupies a sumptu-
ously furnished fiat in the most fash
ionable part of the city.
When he wants his servants he sum-
mons them by bugle calls, much to
the annoyance Of his neighbors. His
favorable pastime is TO hire an omni-
bus and, dressed like an ordinary
driyer, to drive his cumbrous vehicle
wherever aristocratic equipages ara
thickest.
Ho c1apdo n fortuna <,xyorxy x,xso, ~,
the costliest of clothes, yet never
wears any but suits discarded by his
vast appears in The ballroom deck
ed from head to heel in white, with
the exception of black shirt and tie;
and when he dines-always at one of
the most exclusive restaurants-he be-
gins his meal with a cup of black cof-
fee and, working his way backward,
winds up with the soup.
Not long ago, too, there lived near
Hastings a gentleman whose eccen-
tricities very naturally excited con-
siderable attention. Punctually at the
stroke of noon each day he would
appear in his front garden with a gay
ly colored turban on his head, his
ISCL SAO0 Will AiSH1J
and jewelled sandals, and with
coolie cloth around his waist, and,
quite Indifferent to the amusement
he was providing for a crowd of spec
tators, would first pray aloud to the
sun, "the father of light and good"
and then PROSTATE himself before a
quaint miniature temple in which was
enshrined a grotesque idol with dia-
mond eyes.
To give but one more example Of
eccentricity up to date, there is a
certain lady in California who once
every year performs a singular act of
self-imposed penance. Many years ago
her husband, to whom she was very
devoted, lost his sight, and Mrs. VIII
liams-for that is the lady's name
made VOW that If he recovered 1t
she would, in gratitude for answer to
FER prayers, crawl on hands and knees
cnce year from her house to the
church, distance of a quarter of
mile This VOW she has religiously
kept for more than twenty years.