The Washington herald., 1908-05-13


man. IT live on the interest Of my in
and if I live on the interest Of my cap
Ital am accused Of vulgar ostentation.
I rather think you yourself
Not at ALL interrupted Lord Ances-
ter. II assure you that the spending of
an income Ike yours Ia. By its very mag
nitude. lifted out Of the mirs OF vulgar
| ostentation and into the realm Of regal
magnifcence. An! here comes your price
less wine and my whisky-and-s soda
Liebfraumilch. "A. sir, and Tuileries
bursundy-six guineas. sir" said tbs
waiter putting down two bottles, reclin-
ing in baskets. on the small round table
And the whisky-and-s ninepence"
Are you married. waiter?" asked Van
draken looking round furtively. But the
occupants Of the other red-leather chairs
were all absorbed In their own discussion
Of women, war. horses, &C.
| Married. sir? Yes, SIR
We'll. give this TO your wife, with my
kind regards" said Vandraken, handing
the astonished man roll OF banknotes.
Certainly, sir. Shall pour out the
wine?"
NO" answered Vandraken. go and
get some cigars"
There's a rule against tipping the club
walters, but I guess there's none against
/ tipping their wives" remarked Van
draken.
How much did you tip herr
About three hundred
| Three hundred. That is less a tip
than an endowment" said Lord Ances-
ter. I wonder why he doesn't bring the
cigars7"
Hes probably having a At out in the
hall, No; here he comes, calm as ever
tho experiment failed. But, thank good
ness, I got rid of three hundred
Ancestor ran his eye down the cigar
case, ard selected. The very best are
twO-and-six. I've taken a shilling one"
7 shall follow your example. You are
right about that wine; it doesn't taste
Ike anything. WaiterF'
Yes. sir"
Get me a whisky-and-so And. wait
er! take away those two cobweb reposl-
tories. What's the use?' he demanded,
excitedly1 Of Ancestor. What's the
! blighte1 use Of having sos, 000 900 when it
won't buy any more for you than an
ordinary income will? That's what I
want to know Why. I ought 70 be able
10 buy hve-guinea cigars and ten-guinea
wine, and lots of them; but even II
could get them, which I can't, I couldn't
smoke any more, or drink any more. than
/ any poor devil scrapiHg along on ten
| thousand year. Same way with women.
1 can plaster them with diamonds. and
upholster their furniture with R5 notes:
but they can't sell me more than they've
got, and IL they could-weI, I can pay
for any amount but I can't buy any
more than any other man, The fate
which gave me the wealth OF hundreds
Of men should have given me the capa-
city of the same number-that's' what ]
claim"
There's your whisky Van
/ dFaken." said Lord Ancestor, looking
| cynically amused at Vandraken's com
plant
Bring two more, waiter" said Van
draken, gulping it down It's all very
we'll TO order them" he grumbled but
/ II I drink them, the chances are Fll have
| q head in the morning What's the good
or having $500 a day. If you can't hire
/ 2 man TO have your headachA7 They
/ say you can buy anything you want ia
/ London. They lie One can't hire or
buy, even for 500. .000.0 .0O0. a man to take
the consequences Of even the very small
/ est Of ones own physical follies
! It wondeT'-Lord Ancestor was medi-
tating aloud-'I wonder"
What? You wonder? You surely don't
pretend that there is the remotest pos
sibility OF such a thing"
/ It am no scientist: therefore, 10 my
/ irresponsible intelligence nothing Is I'm
possible. though many things are I ad-
nit, improbable. Why I have a letter
/ in my possession now. written 20 a man
/ I knOw-a millionaire. like Eourself-of-
fering 20 sell an invention that would re-
/ leve him of the consequences Of his fol-
/ lies, il he cared 10 commit any or
course II is probably only q millionaire
trap"
vandraken leaned forward eagerly.
'No ?-have you? What did the man do
about it?''
Nothing whatever. He very naturally
thought it a fraud man as rich as
| he is has to be on his guard against
frauds Showed me the letter and was
going to burn it, but ! asked him. II I
might keep it as a curiosity. That's how
came by it"
/ And you-do you think IT'S a fraud?''
"Au those sorts OF things are frauds
until they are demonstrated Then they
| become inventions. I should classify It
as a remote but interesting possibility"
/ Nandraken was getting more and more
excited He drank another whisky-and-
soda without noticing it. The room was
nearly empty now.
Great Scott Suppose It shouldn't be
fraud. Suppose some one really has
! invented some sort of a dodge of that
kind Why. I'd give millions for II. Just
fancy being able to do anything you
want. and as much as you want. without
having 10 stop 20 consider the conse-
quencesi Why. If I let myself go. I'd
look old and haggard and dlssipated in
no ttme-blear-eysd puffy. and purple
the kind Of face you see around the Bru-
terion bar that puts you off your drink.
But II there were no consequences Of
that kind, think what a time I could
have for a few years! What value I
could get out Of my money! I'd deny
myself nothing; I'd experiment with for
hidden fruit east and west OF Suez
north and south OF Paris BY Godi I'd
get the good out OF my youth" He
poured himself out another whisky-and-
soda. 7 say. Ancestor. let's have another
drink-just one more.
Lord Ancestor shook his head Not
for me. You see, I've got to take the
consequences of my own drinks"
"A small cold bottle, then. Oh. all
right if you won't! But this idea has
got into my head. I can't 60 TO sleep
TIL l see that letter You'll show it to
me tonight. won't your
''The letter is at my rooms, II you
care to walk around there with me-"
I'D crawl there on all fourgl''
Its probably fraud. you know"
We'll, suppose it is? It's only a mat
ter OF a few thousands: and, if Il isn't
a fraud, it's the one chance TO I've I'D
to my income. to avoid being cheated of
the value Of my money-those Internal
millions, which are the greatest fraud OF
all, because they can only buy me what
is within the reach Of any ordinary In
come. And after e few years Of it.
Mind you Ancestor, 1 don't wsut to
racket about all my life. but after
have drunk all / want to drink. and