The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-09-23

sack in the corner OF the room. peeping
out OF the mouth of which / could dis
Germ the only piece OF silver ! possessed
sighed.
why sigh?" he urged. Surely lady
endowed with SO much philosophy as your
self has a mind above the trivial ex-
changes of everyday nfe OF can II ne
that your books are only a shamY why,
only lately charming little treatise OF
yours fell into my hands during pro-
fessionai visit which I paid one evening
to the house OF a well known money
lender It was entitled The Inequality
OF Wealth a charming pamphlet, most
logical and so true" His expressive eyes
dwelt upon me with an adniring glance
began to feel indignant
Surely" | remarked. with asperfty,
Having robbed me of my vaiuahles. you
can now spare me your brutal wit"
20, madam, you pain me- But with
your permission I will resume my coat
made no response, but stared at MIN
in my iciest manner.
''Then, madam" and he put on his coat.
without your permission. But there" he
continued, IT am forgetting my duties as
host. While inspecting the lower re-
gions I discovered six half-pint bottles
OF champagne. Three have gone-tne
other three are here"
He placed two glasses on the table,
continued: unfortunately. the nippers
are downstairs. To procure them should
have to leave you could not be so
rude-ergo we must have recourse TO the
poker" He poured II out with steady
hand. and I noticed. with pang, that
two rings had foolishiy left upstairs
decked his aristocratic fingers.
1T is rather an inferior brand" he re-
marked, filing his own glass Accept
my apologies Madam. may I have the
honor TO clink glasses with your"
tried to freeze him with glance OF
supreme contempt He looked at me re-
proachfuily. "Is n possible" he muir
INJURED, 'that I am mistaken In you; that
your works, which I have studied with
such delight and benefit to myself. are
merely theoretical; that you. who have
propounded a scheme perfect in every de-
tail. scheme by which Dives should
share equally with the poorest OF his
brethren his ill-gotten riches that you
cannot rise superior to the annexation OF
a silver teapot or a little useless brfc-a-
brac ?'-and he contemplated the empty
mantelpiece and the deserted sideboard.
Great heavens,' he said suddenly.
''Why, you must take me for and he
stopped do your?
Yes" I answered promptly.
"a thief or a burglar?" he asked.
Both" rejoined.
"You misjudge me; you do indeed. You
are very hard. very hard. The few years
that have been In my profession have
had many clients, but never yet have
been called a thief" He heaved deep
sigh, and added by way of explanation.
You are the first one | have met per-
sonally." He took out my little silver
watch. "You left 1t on your dressing
table," he said suavely, In answer to my
look of recognition.
II see / have half an hour to spare.
and I will point out to you where you
are mistaken, and IL you would like to
embody my short history in a newspaper
article you have my sanction" and he
bowed graciously.
with your permission will take one
OF your essays as the text wherson to
hang my sermon. The essay refer to is
entitled Our Rightfto Live. 1t Is a
charming piece of work for woman
logical. clear and convincing There is one
passage only 10 which | will refer. II
s impressed lndelibly upon my memory"
lie took up the poker, opened another bot
tie OF champagne. replenished the glasses
drank. and proceeded. The passage Is
this: All men who can work and who
will work have right. divine right, to
live, not exist merely. but to live, and to
share freely In the worlds superb abun-
dance Do you remember that excerpt
! nodded assent
We'll" he continued, -four years ego
| was Is. / had just left Rugoy. when
my father, who had occupied high po-
sition as building society director. pass-
ed unobtrusively away TO another sphere,
leaving liabilities OF an odd million or so.
The widow and the orphan, the ruined
clergyman--in fact. all the mbecile idiots
who had lost all their savings--vcnted
their rage upon me. l was flagellatod by
the press cartooned by the comic PAPERS
and verbally assaulted at every street
corner, so | changed my name and dis
appeared. You would be surprised at the
s..a.culty young man fresh from a public
school experiences in obtaining employ
ment In fact, there Is none for him. II
was then I came across your little treat
ise."