The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1906-10-08
A Rich Mans Privilege.
Az !. A. TIFFANY.

Tie had not known her more Than a
year: yet II seemed like a lifetime;
for he felt that he had only begun 10
live since his first meeting with her.
She had seemed like child that
night-she was ten years younger
than he--and not many months out
OF college; but with all her girlish
grace and freshness. her pouting. baby
lips and clear. sweet voice. she had
the poise and intellect OF woman OF
80.
With him Il had been case OF love
at first slght-loye hot. tempestuous.
yet unselnsh.
The introduction had come about ac-
cidentally. II was by the merest
chance that he had met Dick Darling.
ton that evening at Altman's restau.
rant. Darlington seemed 10 be one
OF n supper party OF half dozen men
and women who had dropped In after
the theater. Darlington had put out
his hand and said.
''ielloe Brinsleyl You are Just In
time 10 do me n favor. Special mes
songer here a minute ago with word
for mo 10 20 up and see the old man
tonight You know leave for Eu.
rope and trip round the world for
my concern tomorrow. ! want TO
Introduce you 10 my cousin. Miss Nal.
colin. and TO get you TO see her
home"
A moment later and Darlington was
gone. leaving Brinsley with a young
lady whom he Immediately declared
TO himself was simply divine"
For the last year Brinsley had
been Miss Malcolm's shadow. His
first advance had been TO send her
n magnificent bouquet. after he had
known her a week. When he called
In the evening he found her wearing
one OF his roses on her breast She
had smiled that enthralling smile OF
hers and thanked him prettlly for the
flowers.
From presents OF flowers the way
had been easy 20 automobile rides
opera boxes and suppers tete-a-tete. HI
had contrived to learn the date OF her
birthday. and when II came he hac
ventured 70 send her present OF {
magnificent necklace.
She had met him that evening will
n grave face and a constrained man
ner. He thought she was going IL
make him take his present back. She
gave him chair and seated herself
in another near him.
MIR. Brinsley." she said. IT was
very kind OF you 10 think OF my birth
day: but you have no-you ought not
90 send me such presents"
She took up the leather case that
was lying on a table at her elbow:
and he thought that she was going 20
hand II back TO him. But she opened
II. and apparently succumbed to the
dazzling beauty OF the gems.
"oh. aren't they lovely!" she ex
claimed. 1T must be nice TO be
rich. Mr.. Brinsley-if only for the
pleasure that one can give to others.
And then. too. the rich man has so
many privileges. It's really terrible
to be poor. have only two thousand
a year, for everything"
She toyed with the necklace for
moment, then closed the case with
sigh. and laid Brinsley's present back
on the table.
II don't know what makes you so
good to me-" she said. after mo-
ment's silence on both sides.
Brinsley had been waiting for some
such opening. He started TO tell he,
that IL he was good to her, 1t was
simply because he loved her. but she
had jumped up, exclaiming:
"Oh. l must show you my other
presents-some Of them very pretty,
but none 80 valued as yours"
Several times in the weeks follow.
ing he had tried TO come to the point
of telling her he loved her; but she
had always interrupted him and put
him off with a pretty maiden uncon
seriousness that might have seemed
like supreme finesse in an older won
an. Yet they had been calling each
other by their Christian names for a
long time back.
Once-it was at Christmas-he had
kissed her. The impulse had been ir
resistible; but though Mollie had not
made fuss, he had not done 1t again
A piece Of mistletoe hung In tho
doorway between the two parlors;
and as she came from the inner room
they met right under 1t. Suddenly
he had put his arm round her waist,
drawn her to him. stopped over and
kissed her lips. It. was entirely I'M
premeditated, but before their lips