Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1902-06-18
The GIRL WHO LAUGHS.
END OF EONEY.
BY BARRY PAIN.

eNN~~~@~~~N~>e
"But does it never occur to you,"
asked the curate as he poured two
teaspoonsful of coffee into his cup,
docs it never occur to you to ask
yourself what is the good Of it all?"
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, "and it is 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. Personal
ly, always mistrust anything that
comforts"
"But is it all cant? Take the ques-
tion of health, for instance. Money
: cannot give health, and it is better to
DS WSll ludu W Uc 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 iniuri-
Gus to me can afford to give it up. If
have to winter abroad l can do it
easily, without considering the ques-
tion of expense. If an operation is re-
quired, can pay the man to do it, and
under the very best conditions. The
poor man can do none of these things.
My ordinary way of life is much more
healthy than his The food that l 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 insanitary, and
mine is perfect in these respects. 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,
playing with his spoon.
''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 Of remedy"
Surely not" said the curate, earn
estly. "a sinner may be reclaimed.
but you cannot give man an intel
lect."
"You should use the same word in
both cases. You may reclaim mans
intellect just as you reclaim his NOR
als. have don't it. l did it in my
own case. admit that mental re-
clamation, like moral reclamation, is
rare.,'
at all seems so dreary and fatalis-
tic," said the curate.
$50 it is," the millionaire agreed
cordially. "As told you, don't like
comforting cant. The best fable that
ever was written was the fable of the
fox and the sour grapes. Everybody's
a gentleman who feels like it, and
wealth is not everything. Oh. yes! |
Know these consolatory stories for
those who are out of it. But they are
only stories, and, as matter Of fact,
wealth is everything, as near as you
can get it. What wealth cannot do
nothing else can
The curate seemed to reflect for
moment.
"Tell me-" he said darkly, "do you
value the affection of your relatives
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 easily as you can buy
pound of tea, and on almost the same
commercial principles"
The curate stuck to it.
"Are you sure that it is genuine af-
fection?" he said.
There" said the millionaire, 81
don't trouble myself. get respect
and subservience while am there, and
really don't care what they say when
am not there. You see, don't think
about these people very much. 1t would
annoy me if they showed hostility to
me while I was with them. 1t would
give one all the trouble of having to
think Of new things to say. But they
are perfectly welcome to say what they
like behind my back, because they
haven't got any money worth mention
ing, or any position, and they don't
matter. But as matter Of fact,
money can generally buy genuine af-
fection, an affection that is just as real
as that where there has been no value
received"
Really, this is too cynincal, said
the curate.
"Not at ALL" replied the millionaire;
"in fact, l am on the whole les Gym
ical than you. I 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 to be generous; he just plugs in a
few present, as gardener puts in
seeds, and afterwards he gets the
fruits-quite genuine fruits, too. 1
sometimes wonder how anybody whois
not millionaire believes in genuine
affection; it is certainly luxury for
the rich"
'rWell," said the curste, with sigh,
"I must not let you off. We owe $3.50
on the Church Restoration at st. Bar