A LUCKY ACCIDENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 54, 5 March 1898, Page 3 (Supplement)

A LUCKY ACCIDENT.

LIFE GUARDS HORN PLATER COMES

INTO A FORTUNE.

Tf a sudden transition from life in humble circumstances to the possession of a large fortune can be a guarantee to produce happiness, Corporal Gumming, horn player of tho First Life Guards Band, must be one of the happiest men in London. A few days ago Cumming had apparently nothing more to look forward to in life than the modest income.which his ski as a tootler of the horn might bring To-day he counts his thousands by the hundred and if a first estimate is anjth Uing nearanthe correct figure,he is at the present moment worth about a quarter of a million of money. „„„„«„« But the sudden acquisition of unaccustomed affluence has. had no X'^ntrS on Corporal. Cumming. On the contrary, he is so modest about HIS IMPROVED PROSPECTS that he cannot be induced to say anycent One of them said: ~„i,, 'Yes it's a bit of luck, isn't it? I only wish it would happen to me. 1 think I rhould tdec°orate the town for a week or so before settling doAvn to .the quiet en iovment of a country existence. But JC°umming's taken it quietly.enough.and evcpot for the fact that he didn t . sleep ioi about a week after he heard of it, I don t think it's made any diherence. 'Oh yes he'll leave the regiment, of course In fact, he was going out anyhow as his term of service was almost legacy was made. It isiMJd about a century ago, and amoiinte.l to £27,000, which has incr,cf b-e( ■„l c m 0mp° interest to something like £240,000. Cumming saw the newspaper announcement quite accidentally.