The Iola register., 1902-02-07
Self differentiation
tOriginal.1

deformity preyed upon her mind. AT
sixteen an age when girls come to APP
preciate the value of beauty, Esther
realized that her misshapen foot was
a blight, and this so affected her that
she could see no beauty in herself
whatever.
When Esther was fifteen, there came
to live in the little house opposite her
stately home a widow, Mrs. Wharton, |
with one son, Edgar, n manly fellow |
of eighteen. Edgar Whartcn noticed
the sweet, melancholy face of Esther
Barnes at the windows and longed for
admittance to the house; but realizing
that poverty and riches are bad com
panions. he made no effort to attain
the desired consummation. Esther, too,
noticed the young man coming ana
going from his home opposite and long
| ed to meet him, but the remembrance
| of her deformity came In to Interfere
with the carrying out of her wish.
| Having no means with which to Sc
cure college education, Edgar entered
a store as clerk. He soon saw that
there was no prospect of promotion
!
the road" After five years hard work
he had secured a valuable business,
asked for an increase of salary and
was refused. Having no capital with
which to conduct Il business of his
own, he was forced to 90 on selling
goods to swell the Golfers of another.
One day Edgar saw an open letter on
his mothers writing desk addressed TO
his uncle. her brother. Family letters
, were common property between moth
er and son. and he read IT, The letter
, contained II request that the writer's
brother would lend Edgar $4,000 that
he might set up as a merchandise bro
, ker, which Mrs. Wharton knew was
her sons desire. Edgar said nothing
TO his mother about having seen the
letter and went off on Il -four months
J trip. When he returned, his mother
gave him kiss and n certificate of
5 deposit for $4,000 ut the same time
informing him that the money was at
c his disposal on condition that he make
- no inquiries as TO who was the lender
Edgar, who knew his uncle to be q
. singular man, made the required prom
u Use. When he asked for the note tC
! sign, he was told that there was nC
I note. Then Edgar set up in business
s for himself and made money rapidly
Five years later he bought home sim
q liar to the one opposite.
- When Edgar Wharton was thirty
% two years old, he lost his mother. 1
was a great blow to him, and it seem
~" ed as If it would be impossible to oc
u cupy the house alone. Indeed he de
o termined to rent it and make a shor
'e trip abroad. In cleaning out his moth
n er's writing desk he came upon some
ii thing that surprised him, note iron
m Esther Barnes. 1t contained nothing
,r of Importance, but Edgar was unawar
- that his mother had any acquaintanc
a, with the sweet faced woman who ha
lived "over the way" He wrote hi
u discovery across the face Of the note
lo requesting permission to call upon on
who had been his mothers friend will
out his knowledge, and sent it to Es
ther. In return he received the de
- sired permission, but so coldly an
>" formally stated that he determined nc
u received a brief note from him that h
al was suddenly called away and woul
nj not be able to avail himself of he
al kind permission. The writer had sal
~, ed for Europe.
When Edgar returned he had mao
a resolve to find out the secret of h
as mothers acquaintance with Esth'
ia Barnes. He hunted through her p
"a pers till he came upon note fro
ed Esther to his mother, which read {
20 follows:
n Your note of thanks is received. YC
must not consider yourself under obg
'r- ton to me. IL is ! who am obliged
VS. you.
he Edgar's curiosity now drove him
30. ignore the unsatisfactory wording
Esther's invitation, and in half /
hour he entered the grounds he hi
" kept aloof from for so many yeal
Il Esther responded to his card, enteril
M the room with slight limp and with
uninvitng Il manner that Edgar w
repelled. Esther gave very unsat
'e factory explanation of the secret
her acquaintance with his mother.
o. the whole, the call was failure.
W, he had learned was that the seer
he acquaintance was made accidental
10 during his absence from home.
a. A few days later Edgar met his Il
900 Gle in the street Thinking that tin
'oo had absolved him from his promise,
lse poured forth his heartfelt thanks. II
TO uncle denied having furnished hi
with a dollar. Astonished, Edgar rus
ed home, resolved to discover t
source of the loan, and dived into
trunk where he had seen some G
"i checkbooks of his mother. After
hours search he found the entry of
deposit years before:
Is. Check OF Esther Barnes. $4,000.
the This is not a love story. At least t
the love in it is not set forth. 1t is Civ