The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-06-04
THE CURATE AND
THE MILLIONAIRE
By BARRY PAIN.


spoonfuls of port into his glass and
passed the decanter, "does it never &C.
cur to you to ask yourself what is the
good of it alp
Never" said the millionaire. with
decision.
You never regret-you see, after all,
money is not everything, is it?"
"That observation is frequently
made" said the millionaire, thought
fully. land it is very misleading.
Money is not everything. but it is
much nearer to being everything than
anything else is. There is quite a
good deal of cant talked about money
1t is comforting cant, of course. One
gets the same kind of thing about
birth. Personally, l always mistrust
! anything that comforts"
| But is it all cant? Take the ques-
ton of health for instance. Money
! cannot give health. and it is better to
I be well than to be wealthy"
81 often wonder why people go on
saying that money cannot give health
when they must see every day that
money does give health and that pow
erty causes illness. If work is injuri-
Gus to me, can afford to give it up.
If have to winter abroad, can do it
easily, without considering the ques-
ton of expense. If an operation is re-
1 CURED, can pay the very best man to
do it and under the very best condi-
lions. The poor man can do none of
these things. My ordinary way of life
is much more healthy than his. The
food that eat is of the best quality
and in perfect condition, while he eats
adulterated rubbish and stale garbage.
His house is i'll warmed and insani-
tary, and mine is perfect in these re-
spects. The poor man dies. and in nine
cases out of ten it serves him right"
"Isn't that rather terrible thing to
say?" said the curate nervously, play
ing with his wineglass.
''In nine cases out of ten poverty is
the result of stupidity. You blame
man for his moral defects, and blame
him for his mental defects. One is
just as fair as the other. And both the
mental and moral defects are about
equally capable or incapable of rem
edy."
Surely not" said the curate earnest
ly. "a sinner may be reclaimed, but
you cannot give man an intellect"
"You should use the same word in
both cases. You may reclaim mans
intellect just as you may reclaim his
morals. l have done it. l did it in
my own case. I admit that mental
reclamation, like moral reclamation, is
rare"
cit all seems so dreary and fatalist-
ic," said the curate.
$50 it is" the millionaire agreed cor
daily. Gas l told you, don't like COM
forting cant. The best fable that ever
was written was the fable of the fox
and the sour grapes.
The curate seemed to reflect for mo-
ment. "Tell me-" he said darkly, do
YOU value the affection of your rela
tives and friends and those whom you
have about you?"
"Of course the millionaire owned
Perhaps one values that most of all ;"
"And do you mean to tell me-" asked
the curate. flushed with triumph. that
that kind of thing can be bought with
money!"
The millionaire concentrated his at
tention on his cigar with the air of a
man who can provide platitude with
out troubling to think. But of course"
: he said, you can buy affection as east
ly as you can buy a pound of tea and
on almost the same commercial prin-
ciples."
The curate stuck to it. Are you sure
that it is genuine affection?" he said.
There" said the millionaire, 81 don't
trouble myself. get respect and sub
servience while am there, and really
l don't care what they say when am
not there. You see. don't think about
these people very much. 1t would an
, noy me if they showed hostility while
l was with them. 1t would give one
, all the trouble of having to think of
new things to say. But they are per
; fectly welcome to say what they like
behind my back, because they haven't
got any money worth mentioning or
any position, and they don't matter
But, as a matter of fact, money car
generally buy genuine affection. an af-
fection that is just as real as that
where there has been no value re-
ceived"
Really. this is too cynical" said the
curate.
Not at ALL" replied the millionaire
.'In fact, am, on the whole, less Gym.
zeal than you. | still believe in graft.
tude, and it would appear that you
don't. Generosity is an admirable and
popular quality. You must admit that
And it is very easy for rich man tc
be generous. He just plugs in few
presents. as gardener puts in seeds
and afterward he gets the fruits
quite genuine fruits too. | sometimes
wonder how anybody who is not mil
lionaire believes in genuine affection
1t is certainly luxury for the rich"
"Well," said the curate, with sigh
81 must not let you Off We owe $25(
on the church restoration at st. Bar
; nabas. Give me a subscription. II
see if it makes me think more highly
of Won