CHAPTER XIV 



Curious instance of life insurance — X., a specially fortunate speculator 

 in freehold property — His remarkable purchase of life interest of a 

 younger son of a peer — Death of the earl, of the heir, with other 

 deaths — The younger son heir to the earldom and 50,000/. a year- 

 Enormous windfall to X. — His noble generosity to the impecunious 

 peer — His attempt to insure his life — Unwarrantable refusal to 

 appear before the company's doctor — Sudden withdrawal of proposal 

 by X. — The end of X.'s career. 



There are probably many very curious experiences 

 of the practice, advantages and otherwise, of Hfe 

 insurance. Having been for more than fifty years 

 the local agent of one of the leading offices in 

 London for both iire and life assurance, there have 

 been several remarkable instances which have come 

 to my knowledge of the practice of this valuable 

 system of thrift and perhaps /orccd economy. The 

 following statement is so unique and so incredible 

 that I might have some reluctance in committing it 

 to writing, if the principals who appear in it had not 

 gone to their long home. I, however, refrain from 

 giving names, in consideration of those persons to 

 whom the story relates. Well, then, the father of 

 X. was a solicitor with a good country practice, who 

 was highly respected throughout the county wherein 

 he resided. He had several sons, and the subject 

 of this singular story was the second, who was 

 brought up to his father's profession. He was 



