The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-03-07

Then the chance came at last, after
another five years of the struggle. It
came in two golden months. Banks had
happened by some accident to open a
circular. AS q rule he weeded out what
were obviously circulars before he be-
gan to open his letters. This was the
circular of minor Germanic lottery,
rotten and fraudulent. With cynical
knowledge that ne was being swindled
Banks sent for ticket As it happened
the lottery had decided to send a big
prize over this side as an advertisement
and attraction. That happens about once
in every fifteen years. And ankS got
the big prize The mist OF accounts rem
dered rolled away; there were even some
judicious inyestments,( and Banks began
to acquire a habit to which for years he
had been a stranger, Of going to bed
before midnight. In the next golden
month Banks venomous and virulent
great-aunt paid tardy tribute to the
mortality returns. For a long time Banks
had never heard of her or seen her
Aseribing to an Independent spirit what
was really no more IAN a want of inter
est, she made her great-nephew, Arthur
Sorts Banks, a rich man. After the dia-
mond tiara and the new carriage horses,
Mona put her foot down. I'VE viii go
on living" sch said. "as we have always
lived. 1 am much toe old to want to
change, but I do want you to do the
really fine thing now.
Banks, as usual, agreed. He began 20
do the really fine thing. But there was
something missing. He sat and stared at
the paper and wondered what il was Il
dawned on him slowly that it was slim
Illus to which he had been accustomed.
Just as the efferent nerves vii not sctu-
ate the muscles until the afferent nerves
have delivered their message, so it seem
ed that his Intellectual processes refused
to respond now to anything but the
keen necessity for making money, to
which they had for SO many years been
used He merely sat and stared before
him, and forS while at least nothing
was done. BY an effort Of viii be did at
last finish q novel which was to be really
good He knew it was not that. The
critics knew that it was heavy and Ia
bored, and compared unfavorablv with
his Journalistic work, and they said SO
The public said little, and cared less,
and they did not buy that novel.
Banks has given UP ali thoughts OF
writing now. He speaks ofsthe profess
sion of authorship with something almost
like disdain. and Mona is acquiring the
habit from him. lie also has so much
else to do Any man who suggests that
Banks is dropping out is always re-
minded Of that.
So there the matter stands His fate
drove him from the hrst-rate TO the
secoad-rate work. And when fate repent
Cd and gave him his chance to get back
to the hrst-rate agaig he found that he
was spoiled fer that and for the second
rate work IS well. ard that ne nad bet
ter take an interest in hortculturs and
exhibit Elenheim orange melons AT the
local show, where his gardener has re-
Gently received the second prize. Ind
Of course the moral II this Is ,.hst
wealth is not everything. Al any rate,
ID should Sc
But rather fancy that I see en- add
tonal moral. That IN life, as in the
pleasing ard Instructive gains Of draw
poker, & does not SO much matter what
cards you have as when gou have theu.