Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-05-20

the extent Of your present resourcesT
"Well, I have just completed my COL
legiate course at Harvard, and-I may
say without vanity, as statement SIM
ply of fact-raduated with honors. !"
II congratulate you.
"I have not yet felt called upon to de-
termine my future business or profession,
but Of course shall do so soon after am
married, as have no desire to live an
idle life. do not question my achieve
ment Of success in whatever l may un-
dertake. In fact, the education have
received may be said to preclude the pos
sibility of failure. "
"In addition to the education, what
amount Of cash capital can you control?"
"About $5, 900, sir"
The banker flashed at the young man
glance of doubling astonishment,
which gave way to look of amuse-
ment. But that expression was quickly
suppressed, and with polite gravity he
replied:
"That can hardly be characterized as
large sum. Indeed have to pay as
much or more to each of half a dozen Of
my employees Still, in the hands Of a
shrewd man Of business, possessed OF q
thorough education. in practical affairs,
it might be made the foundation OF a
very successful career. I am not aware
that such training is yet included in the
Harvard collegiate course "
"N-no, hardly"
"I thought not. Has the idea ever oc-
CURED to you that Gma spends that
much every year in dress alone9"
Chester sank back in his chair, with
gasp. No, he had never thought Of
that. He had not even thought whether
her dresses did or did not grow ready
made on bushes, As for calculating
their cost, nothing, even in the highest
mathematics, .had ever afforded him
even suggestion for such computa-
tion. He did not readily find words to
say so, but his countenance answered for
him, and Mr.. Willmarth, repressing a
smile, went on with an almost confden-
tial manner:
Gas she is my only child-left moth
erless when an infant-and have never
had any occasion for practicing economy
with her, all her whims have been hu-
mored, and I may have thoughtlessly
formed in her habits that will i'll adapt
her for finding contentment without the
qualification Of rather expensive tastes.
Her expenditures for perfumes and toilet
knickknacks are more than the salary Of
an expert bookkeeper, and many pro-
fessional man would be happy to see his
annual fees reach such sum as she
pays for flowers You understand do
not revert to these things with any pur-
pose Of mere ostentation, Nh. Sewall,
but simply as factors in the problem Of
securing my child 3 happiness by marry
ing her to man whose present, and, 80
far as we can positively affirm, prospec-
tive, capital is limited to $5, 000."
"And do youth, energy and education
count for nothing, Mr.. Willmarth"
asked Chester little bitterly.
"They may be satisfactory securities
to the original holder, but are not read
lily convertible into cash. Their value is
merely speculative.
"But, sir, Irma and love each other
and can only be happy together. The
voice Of the heart Is louder than. the
chink Of dollars"
"Rhetorically perhaps, but I have not
found it so practically. Every child,
once at least, cries for the moon, and
being unable to get it abandons that
desire, but goes on crying for something
else. You and Irma are each others
moon just at present. "
"You are very hard hearted, Mr..
Willmarth.
my child has never had reason to
complain Of me, and will not, I think,
even in this matter when her head gets
to work The head is much better ad-
wiser than the heart. You may very nat
urally suppose that I might take it
upon myself to continue to provide for
my daughter, and even do more, in
case Of her marriage, but if so you will
do well to disabuse your mind Of that
erroneous anticipation.
Excuse me, sir. / am an American
and a gentleman. sue to you for the
hand Of your daughter, but I do not beg
for your money"
IT am pleased to hear you say so. 1t
shows manly spirit in you. Neverthe-
less let me say what was about to-
that when Irma marries she will have
to be entirely dependent upon the man
whose wife she becomes until die,
and I am likely to live good many
years yet She is old enough to make an
Intelligent choice, and I hope she will
If she finds for herself course in which
true love runs smooth, shall not seek
to roughen it for her. But, on the other
hand, I will not attempt by financial
fabrication to smooth a rough course
chosen by herself. I shall explain this
clearly to her, and if she still chooses to
marry you I will interpose no active
opposition. But I must decline being
made in any way party to so Ill ad-
vised step as her marriage with you in
the present state Of your finances. "
The old banker stood up during his
utterance Of that last sentence, showing
that he considered the interview at an
end. Chester also arose to his feet and
listened, silent, perturbed and bafaed.
Nothing that he could say, as he very
well knew, would have any effect upon
this man, who probably had wallet or
a bond box in the place where anybody
else would have heart. If the old fell
low had shown temper, he might have
expressed defiance, which would have
been some relief, but no good chance
was given him for that. He had simply