By Nawal Sayed
CAIRO, Dec. 25 (SEE) -Hetty Green, the millionaire
who was known for her frugality, dismissed her husband from their home in order
not to pay his debts and caused cutting off her child's leg.
Hetty was known was the witch of Wall Street. She
was born in Nov., 1834 and died in July, 1916. She was the richest woman in
America during the Gilded Age. She succeeded to combine between wealth and
miserliness.
She is categorized as one of the ten weirdest
Guinness Book of World Record holders, as the World's biggest miser, although
her wealth was estimated by nearly $ 7.5 million in 1965 (currently it's over $
4 billion.)
Her husband was once so rich before he lost his
fortune. Then, she kicked him out in order not to repay his debts.
Her son broke his leg and needed treatment, but
she preferred to treat him at home rather than going to a hospital and spend
some money. The result was that his leg was amputated.
Some claimed that her main dish was just eggs
and she had only one black dress. She never turned on the heat nor used hot
water. She did not wash her hands and rode an old carriage.
Here are the most interesting quotes Hetty
said;
"All you have to do is buy cheap and sell
dear, act with thrift and shrewdness, and be persistent."
"I advise women to invest in real estate.
It is the collateral to be preferred above all others, and the safest means of
investing money."
"I am proudest of in my whole business
life is that I do not take, that I never took in all my life, and never, never!
will take, one single penny more than 6% on any loan or any contract."