The daily morning Alaskan., 1902-03-25
Self UndGrValuatiOn
IOrIrinaL1

sixteen. an age when glrls come 10 up prcclate the value of beauty, Esther scallzed that her mlsshapen foot was 4 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, a manly fellow Of eighteen. Edgar Wharten noticed the sweet. melancholy face of Esther Barnes at the windows and longed for admittance to the house; but. realizing that poverty and riches arc bad com panlons. he made no effort to attain the desired consummatiOn. Esther, too, noticed the young man coming and going from hls home opposite and long cd Co meet him. but the remembrance of her deformlty came in to Interfere with the carrying out of her wish.
 Having no means with which to se- cure a college education. Edgar entered store as clerk. He soon saw tha' there was no prospect of promotion Tor him at home. SO he went out "on 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 Co conduct business of his own. be was forced Co go on selling goods to swell the coners 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 CT and son. and he read it. The letter contained a request that the writer's brother would lend Edgar SlOOOO that he might set up as a merchandise bro ker. which Mrs Wharton knew was her sons desire. Edgar said nothing tc his mother about having seen the letter and went o1 on a four months trip. When he returned. his mother gave him a kiss and a certificate ot deposit for SiOOOO at the same time informing hlm that the money was at hls disposal on condition that he make no Inquiries as to who was the lender. Edgar. who knew his uncle Co be a singular man.,made the required prom lse. When he asked for the note to sign. he was told that there was no note. Then Edgar set up In business for himself and made money rapidly. Five years later he bought home sim liar Co the one opposite.
 When Edgar Wharton was thirty two years old. he lost his mother. lt was a groat blow to hiui. and it seem ed as if it would bc impossible to oc- cupy the house alone. Indeed he de termincd to rent it and make a short trip abroad In cleaning out his moth CTS writing desk he came upon some thing that surprised him, a note from Esther Barnes. It contained nothing of importance. but Edgar was unaware that his mother ha any acquaintance with the sweet faced woman who had lived lover the way He wrote his discovery across the face of the note, requesting permission Co call upon one who had been his mothers friend with out his knowledge. and sent it Co Es- thcr In return he received the de- sired permission. but SO coldly and formally stated that he determined not to accept it. A few days later Esther received a brief note from him that be was suddenly called away and would not be able Co avail himself of her kind permission. The writer had sail- ed for Europe.
 When Edgar returned. he had made a resolve Co ind out the secret of hls mothers acquaintance with Esther Barnes. He hunted through her pa pers tlll be came upon a note from Esther Co his mother. which read as follows:
 Your note of thanks Is received. You must not consider yourself under oblga- ton Co me. tt is who am obliged Co you.
 Edcar's curiosity now drove him tc ignore the unsatisfactory wording ot Esther's invitation. and In half an hour he entered the grounds he had kept aloOf from for so many years Esther responded Co bis card. entering the room with slight limp and with SC unlnviting a manner that Edgar was repCled. Esther gave a very unsats factory explanation of the secret oi her acquaintance with his mother. On the whole, the call was a failure. All he had learned was that the secret acquaintance was made accidentally turing his absence from home.
 A few days later Edgar met his un cle In the street. Thinking that time had absolycd him from his promise, ht poured forth hls heartfelt thanks. Ills uncle denied having furnished bin with dollar. Astonished, Edgar rush cd home. resolved to discover tho source of the loan, and dlyed into a trunk where he had seen some old checkbOoks of his mother. After ar hours search he found the entry of q deposit years before:
 Cheek Of Esther Barnes. sioOoO
 This is not love story. At least tho love In lt Is not set forth. It is giyer Co show the misfortune which may oc .ur in consequence of self undcryalua lion. How Esther Barnes loved Edga' Wharton. though only seeing him; how she learned of his necessity from his mother and furnished the amount un Ter promise of secrecy; how Mrs