A curious instance of that mania for spending which attacks
some of the newly rich has this week interested London. A young man named Tasker recently inherited a very large fortune in personalty—t700,000 is the sum reported —and immediately began flinging it about. He bought a yacht of five hundred tons ; he bought a needless house, for he lived in a fiat ; and he began to buy jewels. Mr. Streeter's chief salesman, a Mr. Rogers, thought this a most com- mendable taste, cultivated Mr. Tasker assiduously, and per- suaded him to agree to buy the "Agra diamond," a rose- pink coloured stone ; the "Hope blue diamond," now in Chancery ; and a quantity of other jewels, for which bills and cheques were given to the amount of £100,000. At this point somebody, probably some decent solicitor, woke up Mr. Tasker, and he resisted the completion of his bargains, first because his health unfitted him to make them, and secondly because, as regards the Agra diamond, there had been misrepresentation. The first plea was abandoned, young Tasker being more of a goose than of an invalid; but the jury, after four hours' deliberation, gave a verdict which cancels most of the bargains. The Hope diamond is declared not purchased, the contract for the Agra diamond is set aside, and altogether Mr. Tasker avoids 90 per cent. of the liabilities he had so recklessly incurred. The Judge said Mr. Streeter himself had nothing to do with the matter, but the story is curiously illustrative of the ways in which money is squandered—and made—in London to-day.
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