Omaha daily bee., 1896-05-31

you more genuine and wholesome enjoyment.
My goods are of a different class ] fear
| We waste each others time"
| And next there comes the shy boy, asking
| with blush for love. and Natures motherly
old heart goes out to him, for it is an article
| she loves to sell, and she loves those who
| come to purchase 1t of her. So she leans
across the counter, smiling and tells him
that she has the very thing he wants, and he,
all trembling with excitement, likewise asks
the price.
1T costs a good deal" explains Nature,
| but in no dscouraging tone: ''it is the most
expensive thing in all my shop"
II am rich" replied the lad. my father
worked hard and saved, and he has left me
all his wealth. l have stocks and shares,
and lands and factories: and will pay any
| price in reason for this thing"
| But Nature, looking graver, lays her hand
upon his arm.
| Put by your purse. boy" she says, my
price is not a price in reason, nor is this the
metal that | deal in. There are many shops
in crooked streets where they keep the thing
that you are asking for, and where your
bank notes will be taken in exchange. But,
il you will take an old woman's advice, you
will not go to them. The thing they will
sell you will bring sorrow and do evil to you.
1t Is cheap enough, but, like all cheap things.
it is not worth the buying. No man pur-
chases 1t, only fools"
And what is the cost of the thing you
sell, then?' asks the lad.
Patience, self-sacrfce, tenderness" an
swers the old dame; "the love Of all things
that are good and pure, and the hate OF all
things that are evil-courage. staunchness
self-respect when dealing with the strong;
self-forgetfulness when dealing with the
weak; sympathy and chiyalry, these things
purchase love. Put your purse away lad, 1t
will serve you in other ways; but 1t will not
buy for you the goods upon my shelves"
"Then am | no better off than a poor
man2" argues the lad.
II know not wealth or poverty as you un-
derstand It," replies Nature Here ] ex-
change realities only for realities. You ask
for my treasures, / ask for your brain and
heart in eXchange-your's, boy not your
fathers not anOthers."
"And this price, he argues, chow shall
obtain it?"
"Go about into the world" answers the
great lady. Labor, suffer and wait Como
back to me when you have earned this
money, and, according TO how much you
bring me 10 we will do business"
remember talking to a millionaire once
and his complaint was that he himself gained
no advantage from his money.
"These cigars we are sucking" he grum-
bled as we sat after dinner In his magnif-
Gently furnished den "they cost me shil-
lings apiece, taking them by the thousand"
II can quite believe it," l answered, they
are worth it,"
Eyes. to YOU" he replied almost savagely.
w nat w yOu Usually pay lOl Soh'
We were talking in that half jocuar, half
serious vein that excuses personalities.
Three pence" / answered. They work
out at about pence farthings taken by
the box"
"Just So" he growled. "And your 2
penny 3-farthing cigar gives you precisely
the same amount Of satisfaction as this 8
shilling cigar gives me. That means
and pence farthing wasted every time !
smoke. / pay my cook t2OO year.
don't enjoy my dinner much as when II
used to cost me shillings, including a
quarter flask OF Chianti. Whats the d!f-
ference personally to me whether ! drive
up to my office In a carriage and pair or 90
on 2 penny bus7 / often do go on tho
bus, It saves me trouble. II is absurd. vast
ing time, looking for your coachman. when
the conductor OF an omnibus that pases your
own door is hailing you two yards on. When
/ used to walk to the office every morning
was healthier. II Irritates me sometimes to
think how hard | worked for no earthly BEN
eft TO myself. My money pleases lot
Of people don't care two straws about
and who don't care two straws about me,
II could eat f100 dinner myself
every night. and enjoy 1t 400 times as much
as used to enjoy a shilling dinner, there
would be some sense In 1t. AS II Is, the whole
thing is q silly game"
JEROME X. JEROME.