Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-12-27
HOW WEALTH CAME.

"There the carriage is now, with Mil
dred VGsey coming after her dress. You
have only got it done in time, my mother
said, leaning forward to watch the Vesoy
carriage.
"No" she added, "I was mistaken
They have gone by"
She will call for it as she returns" ]
said, shaking out the rich silk. As 1 stood
admiring its flow and luster my mother
lifted herself little eagerly.
'Put it on, Louise. am sure it would
fit you, and l should so like to see you in
such a dress"
1t was what most people would call
handsome. AS l turned from the glass tC
my mother she drew a deep inspiration.
'It Miss Vesey could look half so well
in that dress, she would soon secure that
Captain BUNS they sity has fluttered about
her so long. l wish that was your dress,
and that you were going to marry some
man more likely to be able to furnish
them to you than Max Hurlbut."
Max Hurlbut was n vcXed question be-
tween my mother and me.
"Oh, hurry, Louise. Here's Miss Vesoy
almost at The door,"
l seized my own dress and was hurrying
from the room when my foot caught amid
the trailing folds of the silk, and l fell at
length upon the floor just as Miss Vesey,
with the license she probably thought her
station entitled her to, opened the door
and walked in.
"Of course that is not my dress in which
you are performing such extraordinary
gymnastiC exercises" said Miss Vesey
haughtily, "but it resembles it wonder
fully. Really, 1 should like to see mine
now"
With an inclination Of tho head fully as
naughty as her own-for Captain Burns
had followed her into the house, left the
room, and having resumed my own dress
returned with Miss Vesey's hanging over
my arm.
GLOW exactly like the dress Miss
Streighton had on when we came in" she
exclaimed, with an attempt at sarcasm.
Miss Streighton, would you be good
enough to let me compare your dress with
miner"
Nothing that Miss Stroighton possesses
could possibly bear comparison with any
thing of Miss Vesey's," 1 said coldly,
though was throbbing with anger.
l sat down, however, when they were
out of sight more disconnected than ever
with my poverty.
Somebody knocked. 1t was little boy
from the village-Max had sent him
with u letter for me- The letter was not
from Max, certainly, but my mother, sup
posing it was, watched Inc with an express
nf I
Mother, /" said as folded the letter
with my hands trembling, "Aunt Shaw
is dead and has left me all her money"
My mother stared away at me a minute
and tainted away in her chair.
In the evening Max came, and just as
he had finished reading the letter which
brought the great news who should knock
and then walk in with an air of graceful
assurance but Captain Burns.
Secretly and almost unconsciously felt
throb of gratified vanity to think that
thus early after seeing me he had wandered
from Miss Vesey's side.
l could not help as 1 sat there seeing
how different the two were, and as 1 was
struck by the comparison of Captain
Burns polished exterior, the stylish ele-
gancc Of his garments, with the workaday
attire and bronzed but open features Of
Max.
The unpleasantness found expression
in remark l made to Max after Captain
Burns had gone.
"Of course you won't work at your
trade any longer now"
"Why not?" he demanded. "I'm not
ashamed of my trade !"
And he went away with that, more
coldly than we were in the habit of part
ing, great deal.
l was young, eager for society, passion
ately fond of admiration and tolerably
calculated to shine in the one and attract
the other.
Early in my entering upon this new
life Captain Burns had come obsequiously,
and like IN utter stranger, and sought my
acquaintance, through the mediation of a
mutual friend.
My mother liked him already, and he
so ingratiatcd himself with her that he
was always welcome at Mount Holly.
Max came sometimes, but when he
came two or three times and found Cap
tain Burns there he ceased coming alto
gether. He just staid away, and did not
send for him.
don't know well how it happened, but
Captain Burns was always at Mount Holly,
and somehow I became engaged to him
though l had never openly broken with
Max
Not long after that we were dancing at
the Holly house when one Of the men serv-
ants rushed into tho hall, calling that the
house was on fire.
ran with the rest at first but suddenly
that my mother had retired
to her chamber and was probably still
l few back to seek her Her
apartments were directly over those in
which the fire had originated, and the
flames had already made such progress
that it seemed impossible to reach her
l had covered my misty ball dress with
a large wooden shawl and was bracing my
self to thread that avenue of fire when
strong hands snatChed me back and bore
me out to the lawn.
"Be STILL said Max, for it was he, 81
will save her "
scarcely dared then to lift my head
When did saw Max staggering under
the weight of the burden he had brought
through fire and smoke.
We took house in the village at once.
Max had to be carried to it. We claimed
him, and as he had no kin there our claim
was not contested.
Weeks and weeks my mother and were
his nurses. 1t was long and terrible ill
ness. He was frightfully burned and so
SCARED that we kept him from looking at