NOTHING TO THEM

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXIX, Issue 284, 10 December 1934, Page 2

NOTHING TO THEM

MAGYAR CHEF AND WIFE WHO WON £30,009 NEW YORK. October 1.1 Up unti! last spring William Merringer was just a Hungarian chef who rooked such good hassenpfcffcr that patron .after hs third helping, called for the chef and gave him two tickets on the Irish sweepstakes. The chef, pleased by the praise of his art, male Out the tickets to Maggie —his wife, Margaret —who worked as jnn tress in t/he apartment building where they lived. Having no faith in sudden fortunes, ho gave her £1 for good measure. On Friday, March 23, Colombo, the favourite, won the Grand National, and the Merringers won £30,000. Mrs Merringer, though she knew that her ticket bad drawn the favourite, did not even listen to the race over the radio. It was too silly to believe that, a horse rare in England could mean wealth to her. She was about her house work when a neighbour rushed in with the news. Stout, dark-haired Margaret Merringer hesitated between fainting and dancing. She was dancing about the room when neighbours and reporters flocked in. What, in the six months since that day. has sudden wealth meant to the ch< f and .the janitress, to the 18-year-old son William, and 10-year-old daughter Margaret?? No Diamond Headlights It hasn’t meant "diamond headlights and golden wheels,’’ as t did to Willy the Weeper of the ballad. Nor has it meant, lawsuits and bitterness, such as broke up the Doughertv family after the two Doughertv boys won £3O 000 in the 1930 sweepstakes. The Mer ngers made a brief visit to their native Hungary during the sum-

mer. They have moved —but only one block. They left their co-operative apartment, in a row of identical yellow brick buildings, at 41-20-53rd Street, Woodside Heights, Queens, for a -habny two-storey frame house at 13-8-53rd Street. To the casual eye the new home, which they have bought, is even less pretentious than the old. Ti.e pat<-h of front yard is uncared for. The little house is overshadowed by a large apartment house. They live on the upper floor of the house. On the ground floor Mr Merr : nger’s brother lives with his: fam’ly. That is all their sudden wealth has meant. They haven't bought a car. They haven’t even put in a 'phone. Though Mr Merringer no longer is a janitress, Mr Merringer still is r. chef. It has. however, made them distrust strangers. Affable toward both neighbours and reporter® last March, todav the Merr ngers close their door and say "No” to all questions. Tt 's Orly through neighbours that one can 'ec’T. about them. Tn the hall of their old apartment house two women stood waiting for the janitress who succeeded Mrs Mcrringcr. They looked embarrassed when asked where the Merringers had moved. Neighbours Seem Resentfub "They went to Europe.’ the older woman said. "I don’t, know where they nre now.’’ Resentment towards the Merringers was evident n their manner. "My!’ the younger woman said. "Are ne,ople still after them. There were many before they went away that t made Mrs Merr nger sick. She couldn’t see people any more.’’ The two women looked at each other and, after a moment’s hesitation, the older said, "If you don’t to 1 ! who told von. I’ll tel] you wher« thev are now. .Inst the next block.” The two giggled scornfully and gave the address.