AN OLD MAID'S FADS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14001, 6 September 1907, Page 6

AN OLD MAID'S FADS.

AMUSING ECXH3XTRICITIES.. The New York correspondent of the Daily Tolegraph says:—The Supremo' Court bere is wrestling with tho problem of deciding whether a. wealthy spinster, Miss Fanny E. Wright-/of London birtii, was mad when at the ago of 57 ■ sho left tho bulk ,of her fortuno of £80,000 -to her' lawyer,* or whether sho was merely eooentrio. According to tho heirs, .the old . lady was' stark,' storing mad,Jbut':tho{ques-." tion for the judges to determine is whero the'occentrioity jof aji'old maid : ends and dementia, as the* law; understands dementia, begins. Here are a few of tho things Miss ..Wright's relatives, are oiting to show tlio lady's mental condition, and, I select thorn from a much, longer list.:.. ■ Although rich, and living in a handsomo house,' sho refused to .mix with lier social equate, but preferred tlio companionship in' her drawing room of tradesmen and workmen. 1 Sho had a mania for washing her-hands, and would stand for 'hours v b«foro a wash-basin. She never used' a ' towel, she "invariably opened tho ' door ' with' her elbow, and- to' open a chest ol drawers sho 'iiscd, lior foot instead of hei hand. To 'amuso her visitors she'would get her bands covered with soapsuds, and tJien* sib in a rpcldhg-chair and blow sud«': into tho air. Sho keipt a box full of copper,,coins, and each, one sho took, out glio carefully washed. Daily after dining 6he used to qall for .'a bowl of water and wash tho , knives .and forks. before , .they . wero taken off the, tablo. For 15 years , Miss Wright ~liad not combed, trimmed, .or washed ' her. hair. Overcome by a. craze -forculture, she at-" tended a literary loefcuro'ono night, and instead of a watch sho carried.a big alariYi clock wjth her in a paper bag. During the lecture the alarni went , off and the mootiug, In the 6irmmer tho lady wore extra thick underwear,, heavy coats, and a; pair of goloshes. iWhon she went to bed ' she would begin t<> undress in 'the collar 1 of her four-storey home and tako'her; cloth- , ing off.Us sho .went upstairs, leaving .her. clothingion.'different landings v Then in -tho 1 morning sho would begin to .dress.upstairs., land finish the operation downstairs, pick- , ing up her' clothing as sho went. She bought many articles.of new clothing, but-', always wore the old Ones. ' As a token of respect to her dead Mother, Miss Wright took tho carpets'-up and left' them lying about in small hoaps. She, ate , queer dishes, such as raw eggs and prunes, and often, she : would purposely'smear her face with ice cream or chocolate cream. . On tho mantelpiece Bhe kept a bowl of banknotes, and to each.caller on leaving' sho would give one, She .believed clocks had souls. Although a teetotaller she' would -, write in, her diary, "Drunk,again yester-, day. . Must really take the .pledge." In the winter she'watered empty-flowerpots. Several times during the night, she would 1 arise,, don a waterproof, and commenco spring-cleaning. When going for, a holiday , she '.would pact a trunk with empty bottles and l Jeavo her clofiies 'at home. / 1

'Despite these little .. failings,; which are called .by'- counscl : 'mercly *an old maid's eccentricities, it wa.<) argued that the lady in a legal sense was of perfectly sound mind- ,