The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1902-07-12
CROESUS
AND CUPID
BY Martha
McCulloch-WiIliams
Copyright. 1902, by the
S. S. Mcclure Company

there anything left to wish forY' Hill
Idreth asked. laying down the lawyers
letter. Helen shrugged the least bit as
she answered: ''Why, yes! If only one
could have been born widow
I 81 am ready to immediate myself.
Widows are easier made than BORN"
lHildreth said, catching her hand.
-'Only make me your lord, Helen Of
Troy, and I will promise to do the dis
appearing act whenever you are
ready"
"You don't understand. OF course l
should hate being made widow.
Made widows have to wear caps, and
land people say such horrid, horrid
things of them If they venture to be-
oh, the least bit human-I mean not
funeral. But If only one could be
born to that estate, with all the GRIEF
over or softened to becoming pensive
memory, why, it would be heavenly.
widows, for all their drawbacks, have
the best lives of ALL" Helen said, puck
ering her forehead the best she could.
Scowling was an unknown art to her.
She had laughed perslstently in the
face of hard fortune. Now that the
tide had turned her gay courage began
to ebb.
"If only had anybody all my own,
should not mind" she went on. But
be selfshly glad. If there was soul
nearer than ninth cousin, this wonder
full fairy fortune would be cut in two.
4 cannot feel that l in the least de-
serve it. But only think! l can have
what frocks l please and silver money
for my poor people instead of pennies"
"Will it spoil you, I wonder" Hill
dreth said meditatively "Yop know
we've always said money was the real
tombstone. Any poor body can be de-
cent; there is so little temptation to be
anything else"
81 wish | knew" Helen said. II
think souls are like flowers, making
the earth they grow in too rich--ruins
II it does not kill them outright"
"You are not extensively rich. All
told, this great-uncle's legacy foots up
will never bother person of your luxu-
rious capacities" Hildreth said consol-
ingly.
Helen laughed. "And l have existed
on less than six hundred a YEAR, she
said "prom,se mo Vance Won will,
never charce-the beastlv money shall
make no difference with us"
.It's hound to make difference
Think Of daring 70 ask Won now tn dine
With mo atI,4rv,sp uildrotb Iargb.
Cd hack, 4Notbing will 90 with Won but
Merry: ~ tho swalldorf And can.
not emf tour dinners there since have
not Tho coin to return them in ,,,ndn
+. "You are horriblew Helen said
nromntlv'. "Rv wav of nunisbman+ 7
invite myself to dine with Won TONIGHT
MOT at I,Allv's either-we,il 90 to thot
FORTY cent Mace where the coffee Is So
sinful that II ALWAYS snypests mn nm.
peal to the notice. Mavbe some of the
nthers will no therev
,"Au of them IFS near the middle of
the week Paw dov ia two davs abeod
for most Of the Gang uiIdratb an.
svered with f,jcl,aring amila cord
sholl like TO see them when thew
know, You are going 70 tell them of
course HelenY"
J "You NAV tell them. shal, NOT sav
a word Helen said setting har f,noer
TIPS together. "I'm beginning to he
cowardlv. she went On "s,nnosa ~
should turn ont that NV money costs
me NV friends and nv ilmsons?n
81 hardly. understand. Uudretb be.
gan.
She raised ber hand ..This 60 nv
have been out In the scurry of things.
1 have Rugged the belief that my-that
people liked me for what was, not for
what might one day become. Latter
~, since Gumpsey's has asked for and
exploited my stories, there has been Sc
perceptible warming up In some quar-.
tiers 1t has made me bit cynical. Now
4 am saying to myself, Suppose the
money draws the sycophants to you
and the fear OF seeming sycophantic
drives away the real onesY That would
be terrible. l hope-oh, how hope
that those care most for will under.