Huge Fortune Left to Waiter

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12513, 31 July 1926, Page 11

Huge Fortune Left to Waiter

| BROTHER WHO DID NOT FORGET |

There is at least one millionaire in France who will accept a fifty-centime tip most gratefully and thank the giver with the air of a poor man receiving a gift from tho rich one. He is a waiter in a Bordeaux cafe who received a most unexpected shock the other day when he learned that he had been left a million dollars by a long-lost brother in Ecazil. NOEL Soulan, of Bordeaux, was busy about his daily task of serving drinks and wiping talues when a police-officer called and summoned him to go at once to the police station. Wondering what on earth was wrong, tho waiter went to learn that he had been called through official channels to go to Brazil to receive a fortune lefthim by his brother. One million dollars—twenty-seven million francs. It was enough to make the average waiter’s head swim, but Soulan received the news very calmly, went back to his cafe and continued to serve drinks and receive his little tips as usual. Asked what he intended to do about his suddenly acquired wealth, he said very simply, “Oh. I think I shall go on working for the present. I am a man of habits now. I am very well contented with mv place, and I could not bear to be idle.”

This legacy is the first that he has heard of his brother for fifteen years.

Born fifty-six years ago at Buenos Ayres, Noel Soulan came to France as a youth and served his term of army service. On his release from th© army h© managed a little cafe for a while, but on the outbreak of th© Great War he was again called to the colours and served with credit on the Oise and in Belgium. Once more he returned to civilian life as a waiter in a cafe, an industrious, thrifty man saving what he could for a rainy day. , Fifteen years ago he had saved a litthe nest egg, only to lose it, for at that time when he was corresponding regularly with his brother, who was seeking fortune iuFrazil.he received a request to send out goods to the value of five thousand francs. He sent them, but never received a line in reply, and had come to think that he had lost both loan and brother. BROTHER WHO REMEMBERED But the brother, though silent, had apparently not forgotten. Ranching and trading he built up a fortune which mad© five thousand francs, so much to a cafe waiter, simply insignficant. And now he has repaid his brother’s loan with more than handsome interest. Th© waiter is to doff his apron very soon and sail to Brazil to claim his fortune. He is not in the least excited about it, but he has, at any Tate, no longer reason to sigh over the five thousand francs he cast upon th© waters.