The daily morning Alaskan., 1902-03-27
THE PRACTICAL
 Versus THE IDEAL

 in the fact that the former have no originality to llft them above the level of competition and the latter have genius.
 My wle soon after we were married developed a passion for what l called old trumpcry. She attended auctions, and any hldeous rug. rlckcty clock or crazy chair put up for sale was sure to be bid In by her to lumber up the | house. As Co brica-brac. l couldn't turn round without smashing some un- galnly pitcher, big at the girth and lit' tie at the bottom. especially made to be knocked over. There were old swortls. old blundcrhusses, pieces of armor. rugs so homely that it would make one sick to walk over them. en- cravings yellow with age. pieces of tapestry with pictures on them of sti1 looking people looking sour as vinegar. In short. everything In the house was either old or ugly or both. A practical man. with no nonsense about me. l managed Co keep the wolf from the door as boohkecpcr. | had inherited 5000 from my father, which 1 placed In savings bank to draw 8 per cent Interest. lt did not remain there long My wlfcs Insane passion for auction purchases ate Into lt grndu. ally. but surely. till my nest egg had been turned Into lot Of miscellaneous truck which any sane man would con. slider Gt only for a junkshop.
 Mrs. Moncypcnny had friends who were as crazy on ths subject as her self. They would come into the house and go from room Co room admlrlns | this bit of coffee colorcd lace. ilt only for rug bag; that miniature Of some fat woman. with coronet on her head, | In a chippcd oval frame; a clock with a pair of rusty weights weighing per haps twenty pounds each and the sound of a donkey engine in winding. Then they would go away. thanking her for showing them her reelection
 My dear" | said one day to her de- spalrlngly. "my 5000 Is reduced to i've huudrcd.'
 Five hundred. Then | made mis- take In my figures. | thought there was only three hundred After all. l can get it"
 Get whatT | cried, aghast
 ''The Rembrandt! have absolute proof that lt Is genuine. and it Is going for a song"
 "Oh. hcavcns.' | muttcrcd, sinking on Co a sofa-"to b. ti,d Co a lunauc! And to think what is Co become of our poor childrcu"
 She sat down beside mc and put her arms about me. but sad nothing What | could she alyg She was under the con trol of Ler passion. with uo power to resist lt. She must br not only dragged down Co poverty herself but drag hus' band and children with her Within forty.clght hours she bad the last cent in thc savings hauk aud got her pie turc. dingy painting of a man dress cd like a Supcrnumcrary ln a theatcr. thc only feature plainly visible being the Up of rcd nose.
 The day after tbr thus vas brought home one Of her friends, a lady, met me on Che street and congratulated me on the valuable addition Co my "collec- tion"
 | stared at her g mly and passed on. while she looked al mc wondering lf [ nad lost u'y ,.r.rs
 Going home. aAu cd my wife for an hour She va. patient about it and mc ,, uo reply. 'J at last. when | beg -pJ h.r Q @,1 Iitlt.r stuG and re 'a.nL she aer,l '' 'o so
 every ve,," l rHo1 "I wn send pr Nu,r. who pli wr'" you % bid 'g 'a. 'ot Ne w.t s.l u few Lun .ej dollars oul ot .t'
 "ifayp ,,:t ;u ... G.aL" shg replied | yal nvu',ta. Co 10 business. an'
 v'll do a,l tlaj 's necessary"
 The uryt day a.. morning paper cou '.apd u I1tcc t.lt Mrs Mourypenry .as Co s,H rj auction lcl treasures .l.ca she had been years accumulate .s 30, she Ua 1l'ut Co "o abroad to
 iar another "co,lccuon'
 At S.M ot Uus anuomccmrW | .cg'v antci lui r,,iycd on remcm i Diu- uat Che Jdhuggc wgs Co bc ll For days h.forp tlr sale was bcsct y people wi;h printed lI.;s In their .uls aslll. ur Utli such a uuuher ould bc uaI for at private sale. | J J.urd away fou uIl saying that ! l udn't know u.4 d.jut care prona. ily a dollar would secure anything in he lot and i wauld hc a large price
 We'll. the sHlc came on 1 was busy It thr ollc mHaIns trial h0laucc ] and got home after it was gil over Evcryboly bad gone and found my wife looking depressed When l saw Che house devoid or the trumpcry with which lt had been incumhcrcd re !oiccd
 "Thank heaven" exclaimed. tits Eone What did you save out Of Che wreck"
 "Unluckily. two of the persons cS pected would take the most of it at thc largest prices were suddenly called lway. anu that spoiled everything.
 How muchT l asked
 "I had figured on S2J,O0O, but didn'i ,ct it."
 You mean S2JO"
 "No: tho total is S17.9J0, and fou' thousand Of tbis Is for the Rembrandt The rest went very chcap-thai is. con sdcrlng what it ought to have brought"
 or course. supposed she was ioE ng til saw the bank certificate oi lcposlt The next week, as advertised my wife went abroad for a new 'colec ion" from which she cleared $2l.O0O ] rr.- ..-... .l.l [ hu... -..l..nnl lLr