Small Fortunes Thrown Away.

Otago Witness, Issue 2251, 22 April 1897, Page 52

Small Fortunes Thrown Away.

What Rich People do when Disappointed,

Many a man has spent tbe best part of bis Jife in trying to perfect or advance fome pet scheme or other and then, finding himself unable to manage it, has transferred his task to someone else. In this way several discoveries of vital importance have been made. But some people, after failing to do a thing properly, are far too jealous to let other persons have a try. Instead, they deliberately destroy all record of their work, in order that nobody may be able tD make a more successful attempt at it.

A well-to-do manufacturer tried for 20 years to deeign a. machine for wasbiDg clothes, which would have been a wonderful economizer of time and labour had he completed it. But afc the last moment something went wrong, and though the obstacle was a small one, the manufacturer could think of no method of surmounting it. He knew that a skilled mechanic could easily have solved the problem, but, rather than allow any stranger to have a band in bis invention, he smashed the whole thiDg up. An expert who saw the machine in its incomplete Rtatc asserted confidently that there was a fortune in it, and that only a little care was require/! to perfect it.

It is madnes? for a raw amateur to attempt to run a large theatre, even with a big reserve of capital, and so a wealthy young nobleman found out recently. He erected a superb buildiDg in a large town, obtained s. license, and paced some really good pieces on the boards. For a time thing 3 went well, but soon the curiosity which the inhabitants felt regarding the venture died out, and, in spite of all the nobleman could do, the theatre had to be closed, not for want of funds, but because of the empty benches. On hearing of the nobleman's breakdown an enterprifiog gentleman afc once offered to give £20,000 for tbe concern. But tbe young fellow was so bitterly disappointed that he flatly refused the offer, and ordered the beautiful theatre to be pulled down. The ground on which it stood i« now used as a stonemason's yard. A wealthy gentleman some yean a^o builfc an observatory, provided himself with a stock of costly instruments,, and seriously took up the study of astronomy. He got on indifferently, although ho didn't realise the fact. Instead, hs began to brag, and at last became co confident that be had di'covered a new planet that he immediately wired for a clever astronomer who lived iv a village some miles aw&y.

The astronomer came in haste, and was at once told of tbe great find, but instead of expressing surprise he smiled pityingly at the amateur.

" My dpar fellow, you are all astray," he said. " Your planet is Venus ! "

" Nonsense '. " cripd tbe amateur. "Do you take me for a fool ? "

"I can prove what I have stated, at any rate," replied the astronomer. And he forthwith did so, in such a manner that the amateur was soon convinced.

"You're right, and I am a fool " said the disappointed man " I've done with astronomy, though, and this observatory is done for tco. No other man shall use tbe instruments with which I have failed bo dismally."

The amateur kept his word to the letier, and, beside* destroying all tbe valunWe Btock, he r&.sed the observatory to the ground.