CHARGED WIFE INTEREST

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24135, 29 November 1941, Page 16

CHARGED WIFE INTEREST

"A FARTHING'S worth of cheese, sir?" gasped the old grocer. "I can't sell you less than two-penny-worth." His would-foc customer,} famous poet of the Regency days, raised his brows. "Then let me have two-pennyworth." And the grocer having produced it, the poet, took a knife and carefully sliced the cheese into eight portions. Taking one of them, he placed his farthing on the counter and left the shop, the grocer looking after him in amazement. "There are amazing records of men and women, a lot of them wealthy, whose sole object in life seemed to be to collect more money than was necessary

and who kept account of every farthing which had to pass from their purses," states a London journal. Joseph Ludlow, for instance, left hehind him at his death a fortune of £60,000. When his papers were being examined the solicitors found among them a large accounts hook. -Mr. Ludlow had itemised every halfpenny he had spent during a period of fifteen yea rs! A few peculiar expenses read: "Coin lost at Duke of York's Steps, one penny . . . coins given to street musician, two farthings . . . overcharge on one pair of duelling pistols, threepence . . - admission over toll bridge, one penny. But perhaps his character may best he judged from this amazing item on the credit page: "Interest owed by Louise (wife) for one week on two shillings, one penny."