Middletown transcript., 1903-11-07

4 =
slow to forgive?
Yes, she responded quickly; but then 1
am very difficult to offend. Oh, mol
think that character is rather over-drawn!
| always say that people do not take cir
cumstance into account as much as they
should. OF course you know, Mr.. Fame,
am not SO stupid as 10 imagine that
there are not plenty of men-woman too,
for that matter-who treat others badly
but l do not believe, as rule, it is doi.e
wilfu!ly. We will suppose that man is
very much attached to some girl, and
separated from her by Chain of circum-
stances over which lie has no possible
control. Well, that man may and prob.
ably will change and, as the world put it,
use her badly; and yet no one ever thinks
of the circumstances which may have in.
fluenced him. He has not seen her fol
months, or even years, and as long, OF
perhaps twice or three times as long, a
period must elapse before he can possibly
see her again. Very likely, even then,
they have only poor prospect before
them. Well, if such man meets rich
woman, who shows plainly that she likes
him, who is not actually disagreeable to
him-nay, whom if it were not for "poor
little Kitty" at home, he would think a
very fascinating, nice woman-and mar
ries her, do you think him very much to
blame?
l don't know, Mr.. Fame answered.
suppose not.
And yet one is sorry for the poor little
maid, said the girl gently. One is always
SO sorry for her that one forgets to be
sorry for the man at all.
And yet he sometimes needs it most,
Gerard put in eagerly. Oh, Miss Brans-
combe, women often have no idea how
hard life is for some of us!
No, she said softly.
Now, for instance, suppose man were
bound by will to marry particular
woman?
Yes?
And suppose he met some one else with
whom he fast found himself falling in
love? Well-with a sigh and a slight
shrug-I suppose he ought to 20 away at
once, and never let her know it?
That depends, she returned gravely.
We will suppose that your ideal has a
large fortune at stake.
Exactly.
Which he loses if he does not marry
certain lady.
Yes.
Then, if he intends to win the girls
love, and leave her for the sake of little
money! with great scorn in her voice-I
should say he ought to go away; but,
stopping short and looking at him in
tently-1 do not believe such an individ-
ual ever existed.
Why not?
Oh, love would prove the stronger of
the twain! she laughed. Money is not
everything, Mr.. Fame. In fact, in some
parts of the world-say Sandune, for in
stance-it is worth remarkably little. Do
you know l once made splendid joke |
about money, though l didn't know it
was iok at the time? When l was being
prepared for confirmation, the clergyman
asked me what was the root of all evil. |
Well, had not had very model "bring-
ing up;'' in fact was educated by sort |
of rira voce method, and was altogether
at disadvantage amongst the other girls |
of the class. who were ready primed with |
cut-and-dried answers to cut and-dried |
questions, which they knew would be
asked. Well, this clergyman turned
upon me rather suddenly, and said, Miss
Haw-Miss Branscombe, can you tell me
what is the root OF all evil? l was rather
taken aback for moment at being thus
suddenly addressed; and then answered
as pat as possible, Satan. Everybody
laughed but the Vicar, who looked very
cross indeed, and said, Certainly not.
Just think moment. Well, thought q
good many minutes, but l couldn't for
the life of me arrive at any more satis-
factory conclusion; and there we sat, /
very red, everybody gaping at me, and
all bursting to give the answer, while the
Vicar drummed on the table and looked
just as cross as two sticks. At last, after
a desperate glance at the row of eager
faces, l volunteered, in very meek
voice-Money. Everybody laughed again
Irregular roar this time; SO volunteered
still further that, if it wasn't money, it
was certainly the want OF it; and after
that the Vicar told me I'd better be quiet.
And what was the answer? Gerard
asked.
Oh, the regular answer was selfishness!
Gladys replied. But then how was to
know that?
No, of course not.
My dear child, said Mrs. Mcdonald,
entering at that moment, here is letter
from Edith, asking if we can 60 to them
next month.
Quite impossible! Gladys answered,
possessing herself of the envelope and
crushing it in Ter hand without looking
at it. How did Edith find us out, won-
der?
Find US out! Mrs. Mcdonald repeated,
in puzzled tone.
Yes, auDtie dear, how did she know
our address?
The letter was sent to-home, Mrs.
Mcdonald answered.
Gerard Fame could not but notice the
awkward way in which she broke off and
substituted one word for another, and,
partly to cover her confusion, he turned
to Gladys and said suddenly
say, Miss Branseombe, you never told
me in what part of the world you live.
For a moment Gladys did bot speak;
then she looked up and said very quietly-
Did not? We have house in Lon.
don.
CHAPTER III
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