The daily Alaskan., 1907-01-09
Miss HarmOunt

came to arrange for the hospital she was to build l saw in her carriage a lovely girl of twenty, attended by a short. fat old woman, q sort of duenna, 1 vent any liability to scandal. To me ] tEc uld woman served as background 1 to bring out her COmpaniOnS beauty. i I understood that Miss HarmOunt was enormously rich: but. judging from her apparel. which was plain, and her | expression, which was sad. her wealth did not bring happiness. IL occurred to me that like families who dress plainly and put their servants in gor- geouS livcricS she laviShed the tinery she might have bcdecked herself with on her duruua. who was arrayed in silk. while her fingers sparkled with jewels.
 Miss IlarmuUntS face haunted me. If 1 read. Der dreamy eyes thrust themselves between me and the page. If walked out saw them looking down from the biuc heavens. I was imuaticnt for ihe evening. for l had an invitation to a reception tO be gtv- on to Miss Harmount at the residence ut one of the magnarcS of the town, was SO impatient that arrived among the first. Miss HHrmount was standing with the hostess and her dueuna "reretving." The host offered to present me tO her but | told him that Miss Uarmowt belonged tO us all. and l went up and spoke to her. I tried to say something about her munificcuce. but she fixed her eyes up- on me with an embarrassed surprise, and I supposed any reference to her gift must be repulsive to her. so stumbled in my speech, whereupOn she smiled kindly.
 Giving place to newcomers. l went away to dream 0f The lady and to blame myself for not remembering that she must hr SurtrIted with being called g,.l.rouS She waS SO surround ed ,.urin. lhr evening that | had no fuvtarr opportunity to get word with N,.r. Her ,tu,,.ra never left her. and l judged that she must have Splne secret iar,ururr over her companion and the Ii~pbSitiuu Of her millions for l no t:rgI that she received quite as much lftruf.su .S Miss lIarmoUut. Doubt irSS she wa~ the key that unlocked the money vaults and decided for the young hrtrr>S upon her hequeStS.
 Miss llarmomt made uS several wis. X during the summer. One day | was passing the plarr where inc hospital WAS briu. erected. and. seeing her car -iag. there. | went into thr grounds. anpr.y ir get word with her. ] snuud her sitting alone uu u wooden p,urn. wh.lr hrr durnna. or manager ,r whatryr' >h' mi-H hr. Wa> walk .uy about thr building experimenting inc work a> if she had hreu a man. l lvproarnyd Miss Uarmouut with hat n hand aud reminded her that | had urt hrr at rlr ryrepTinn She had no lerd 10 be reminded of the meeting. Indeed .~ >pnu aS she saw me romiug Ter Sad far. lighted up with pleasure.
 You ~rrm." said. "tu have an cN. .cllrut rNr,wr.,r."
 ..She k 30 remarkable w"mau. re- piled Miss IIarmount. with the same smile she nad given once before.
 'I >apr.,~r yuu will nrvr" have a -luSbarI ;u manage yuur af.uirS:'
 "Why uor:'
 You women of ,.ralth rau never inow nut ,lat you arr loved for that vcaltG awl n"J yourself. Therefore you either d. u', mar~y "r risk making ris:sN"."
 ~y,@ a~. right. That is th" penalty vomru pay for lHr@" p.'><">>t'nS.'
 Now | haul hrru Irran'n@ "t Miss Igruurm eyer since | naI first set .ycS ou hop. Yet knew that her wealth. wa~ an fu~rparablr barrier be wrru uS. rha,tcd awhile with her ,n th" subject had started. saying ,~r<cutly.
 Would it please you [" kuow that here k oun who would love you for .OurSclr alouc:"
 Miss IIarmouut lowered Ter eyes, nd color ramc to her checks.
 Yes"
 Il ku.,w SUrh person.
 Who k hr:'
 To know who h.. iS woui do you Q good. II" k poor. You are rich. ie would never take you and your lilli0nS tcgatrer.'
 Would n, have m" give them mp for
 im:"
 No"
 Then why have you told n.c of his ayr:"
 "Eccausc to know there k one who 7vcS you for yourSeif alone must give ou pleasure"
 Miss IIarmomt turned away.
 You have not told me this persons umr." shr sal presently. Do not an t;. Thi, fortune. aS you Sa". stands
 ctwvru u>. Think what a position I night. place him in if were 10 say. Take me without the fortune,
 file would be overiuy"d if tue for nnr had never existed"
 You may tell mr his uIuc." she