THE WOES OF WEALTH.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 214, 10 September 1928, Page 6

THE WOES OF WEALTH.

Lady Houston, who recently inherited an estate of nearly £7,000,000, complains that she is bewildered by begging letters from all parts of the world, written in" every language, more especially in German. It is curious to note how when any person makes a large gift to any public cause, he is immediately besieged by people aekinohim to make similar gifts to a thousand other causes. If a man gives an organ to a church or to a public hall, he is inundated with requests' to give organs, or other musical instruments, to every conceivable kind of building or musical society. One man who was reputed to be of great wealth used to receive letters from pious but impecunious folk offering to pray for him for so much a time, and enclosing specimen prayers duly priced. This is a field in which competition would be likely to reduce the rate, and it would be difficult for the average layman to assess the exact value of different prayers, as offered by different suppliants, in terms of pounds, shillings and pence. Those who possess great riches often miss the best tilings in life, since they never quite know how far their friends value them for themselves and how far they value them for the sake of what they possess. They also have not unfrequently an uncomfortable suspicion that sorrow for their death is liable to be tempered by interest m the will. A bereaved relative, telegraphing to his wife, said: "Hear with grief Aunt Agatha's death. Will in our favour." "Two words too many, sir, said the clerk in accepting the telegram. "Oh, ah," replied the sorrowing nephew, cut out with grief'." Among the minor worries of the wealthy must be counted the difficulty of finding profitable and safe investments. Du Mauner, illustrated this by a picture of a prosperous dean meeting a crossing sweeper in race and tatters on a cold, snowy day. "Ah, my man," said the dean, "you do not have the worry of having to find a good investment which shall combine first-class security with a high rate of interest." But if the very wealthy have their trials they have compensations that temper the wind to the lamb that is not shorn. —W.M.