The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1899-09-16
\W0MAN5l INFLUENCE.

ueESoh 10 De pldCcu III the cndlT III Queb-
ton. u am very much alive, as you
zee. iou and Miss Hilton really amuss
ma; your ideas Of S'conset are as differ.
emit from the reality as night from day.
1t Is whole host of delights in itself. l
en- really not an object OF sympathy, 30
-FOUR pity has all been thrown away"
80 1t has, you bad girl. Why didn't
you tell me before. 1 might have saved
some. Still I'm glad to see you back.
Uncle will be delighted. He has been
positively unbearable, and l do hope
your presence will improve his temper.
Oh, l had quite forgotten: Your cousin
is with you, isn't he? Is he nice? How
does he like things, and how do you
like him?"
Alice moved nearer to Margaret, and
taking her hand, laughingly gazed into
her face.
yes, he Is homo. He came yesterday
afternoon, and Well, it is simply
uncomfortable. Fancy tho position Of
PLAYING hostess to a man who feels you
have taken his birthright. Yet, there
are people in this place who think me
| fortunate. Some persons never see be-
yond the surface"
We'll, don't think about it, my dear,
said Alice, consolingly. 1T isn't your
fault. ! am anxious to see your cousin.
His return is all over the neighborhood,
of course. I'm afraid 1t won't please
Nrs. Downs. She may think poor dear
| Alfy's chances lessened thereby. He
| has pinned to mere skeleton during
your absence, Margaret.
A contemptuous expression passed
over Margaret's face.
Il do wish some one would marry him
and carry him OF to another neighbor-
hood" she said. Il am so thoroughly
tired Of seeing him around. He may
| be the paragon his mother thinks him.
| I daresay he is. He hasn't brains
enough to be otherwise. But prefer o
little wickedness to want of sense"
Don't be sarcastic discussing Ally.
my dear. He Is a very nice, girlish
| young man, and his bank account will
| reach from here to the Gulf of Mexico. ;"
Perhaps II it were shorter he might
| be better" commented Margaret
Money causes all the trouble in tho
| world"
THE want Of it. you mean, suggested
| Alice, sagely. 1t is wonderful power,
no doubt 1t makes beauty more beau
tiful, virtue more virtuous, and great
ness more great. The very thought Of
1t makes me wax eloquent. Seriously,
my dear, poverty is the meanest thing
under the sun. Nell agrees with me
there. / had a letter from her this
morning, and to cheer you l will read
! it."
How is Nell?" asked Margaret,
smiling at thought her mind eonjured
up. Il don't see that plaque she
painted. Have you become unapprecia-
tive Of her genius?"
NO." returned Alice from the depths
of her desk, where she was hunting for
her letter. But uncle gave me that
lovely little landscape on the left there,
and when I hung it by Alice's plaque,
the contrast between It and her indigo
lake and impossible trees was startling,
even to my inartistic eye. stood it for a
few days, but at last nature would bear
no more, and the plaque now reposes in
my trunk, where the sun can not fade
or the dust injure. Here's her letter.
my DEAR ALICE: At last am sitting
down to answer your letter, and ac-
knowledge it's welcome inclosure. My
head Is buzzing the things l have to say,
but I'll begin at the beginning. Graft
tude before everything In my category.
will therefore thank you for your
Check. / spell it with capital, you
observe. don't know that it is correct
according to the rules Of photography,
but under the laws which make us i'm
portant or insignificant in proportion as
we are rich or poor, it is perfectly in
order. Henceforward l shall adopt it as
showing my deep and abiding respect
for money.
This particular money came in quite
apropos. We had been getting our sum-
mer wardrobe Il use this word advisedly.
as 1t sounds more imposing than enumer-
lting details, and you will not have to
strain your imagination much to bring
% mind the painfully emaciated condi-
ION Of the family purse. 1t looked ex-
xemely humble, assure you, despite
he fact that poverty is always proud.
But the moment your check arrived,
what changed 1t Immediately swelled
With pride, like the tabled frog whose
Mcture l used to admire SO extrav-
Agantly, and though it has been consid-
,rabiy depleted since, it still remains
az
Now, Alice, o word Of advice. Keep
IN with the old bear and make him
leave you some money; for, horrible
thought, the Reynoldses seem to be grow
ing poorer. l think it decided mis-
Ako on the part Of mamma and papa to
have had so many children. But have
aoticed that this mistake is common
among poor people. l suppose they
want numbers somewhere, SO they make
ap in babies what they lack in dollars,
II matters don't mend with us, shall &C
20 writing stories; l always did think
lad talent.
l
in your last letter you mildly In
auired II we liked our new fat. My deal
mild, the question was superhuous,
Plats weren't made to be liked; not the
cheap flats, at least, and those are this
only kind we indulge in. Our present
one is q narrow tunnel. probably trifie
broader than the road which is popu'
!, larly supposed to lead to eternal bliss
We have daylight at each end and vary
Ing degrees of twilight in the middle
| and our bedrooms are SO small thai
Bess, being a girl Of resources, kneels
J Upon the bed to say her prayers ant
, prevent me from tumbling over her feet
which, to say the least, are not in pro
!, portion to our apartment
: Speaking Of Bess, I'm dying to know
II she ever mentions Mr.. Spencer in he
letters to you. That man is my abom
| nation, and SILVER at the rossibilit,
: Of such q brother-in-law. He likes her
. know, for he comes here nearly ever,
night, sits in our best chair, which N
haze NEARLY worn out and talks through