FORTUNES IN STRANGE PLACES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7293, 4 January 1902, Page 1

FORTUNES IN STRANGE PLACES.

M. Paul Bourget, an his account of a visit to New York, says tfba#, joins of tib<* mart striking things to the mew-comer ia the incredible number of people-— "non seulement dihommes, metis memo de jolies femmes "—in whose mouths 'the glitter of gold plates accompanies , every word and smile. This is not co astonishing -when one remembers that in the coursfc of last year no fewer than 3,000,000 artificial teeth were "placed" in America onjy. But on© would imagine thai the men wit© have the reputation of being the cleverest d^ti^^^^^orl^ffonia. be^ble to that the glitter of the gold plate nugbs not strike the obsenramt. foreigner. Or -ia this onrions display yof "wealth;^ only; another freak of fashion? Meanwhile, it is interesting to note th» amount of precious metal used annually : for merely "restoring" faulty, teeth. Th» gold used is valued at 500",00 ft dollars,, while 100,000 dollars' •wortihf of silver and platinum goes the same way. It has also been calculated that there Is annually buried with owners of false teeth a sum of somewhat over half a. millionj dollars. Which fact has given rise to the somewhat gruesome joke that, after all> there are gold-mines nearer ■tome than iibose of Australia or the TransyaaL ■