Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-05-21

uOSt pSOple WOulu nave COuSlQ9TGQ II
good-looking face. The nose, which
slightly turned down, was rather
clumsily constructed about the nos
trils; and the mouth, while fairly we'll
nodded, was too prominent, although
there was something straight and firm
in the lower lip which partly denied
the full curves of the upper; 1t was a
mouth which would improve, or grow
repulsive, according to the life it's
owner lived. The outline of cheek and
chin were almost classical, and the
head was not only we'll shaped, but de-
noted brain force He had pleasant,
cultivated voice, and only his mode Of
expression, his use of strong smile,
conveyed the idea that he was an
American. Although he was the rich
est young man in the world, he was
not in the least conceited; that had
been knocked out of him at Harrow;
and Harvard, where he had finished
his education, had rot succeeded in
replacing it. However his preposterous
fortune might distort him in the
future, he was at the moment de-
cidedly likeable. Lord Ancestor had
met him in America. Playing against
his team, at polo, an accident had
happened to one Of Ancestors ponies,
and Stand1sh Vandraken had chival-
rously replaced it with the very best
of his own string. After that they
saw good deal of each other.
1t is the custom to express sur
prise at the attraction of two people
seems to grasp the truth enunciated in
that proposition of Euclid which says,
1.-TWO paralleled straight lines being
extended ever SO far in either direc-
ton will never meet" TIE converse
being also true, it is the unparallel
lines which do meet Standish Van
draken and the Earl of Ancestor were
unparallel lines, which had met, in
spite of ten years disparity in their
ages
II may be blase," said Ancestor,
breaking the silence, "but there's one
sensation still left to be exhausted,
one daily event to be looked forward
to-
"And that"
Watching you trying to spend more
money than you can spend, Vandraken
and trying to get the value of 1t at
the same time"
That's one of the penalties of being
as rich as l an grumbled the young
er man. IF l live on the interest OF
my income, l am accused Of boarding
money, and if l live on the interest OF
my capital am accused of vulgar
ostentation. I rather think you your
self
mot at ALL" interrupted Lord An
cester. IT assure you that the spend
ing of an income like yours Is, by its
very magnitude, lifted out Of the mire
of vulgar ostentation and into the
realm of regal magnificence. All! here
comes your priceless wine and my
whiskey-and-soda.''
'Lieb Fraunlich "a, sir, and Tuiler-
les Burgundy-six guineas, sir" said
the waiter, putting down two bottles.
reclining In baskets, on the small
round table. "And the whiskey-and
soda, ninepence."
"Are you married, waiter?" asked
Vandraken, looking round furtively.
But the occupants of the other red
leather chairs were all absorbed in
their own discussion OF women, war,
horses, etc.
Married, sir? Yes, sir"
well, give this to your wife, with
my kind regards said Vandraken,
handing the astonished man a roll of
bank-notes.
Certainly, sir Shan pour out the
wine?''
NO" answered vandraken. go
and get some cigars"
There's rule against tipping the
club walters, but guess there's none
against tipping their wives" remarked
Vandraken.
How much did you tip. her?"'
about three hundred
"Three hundred! That is less a tip
than an endowment" said Lord An
cester. II wonder why he dosen't
bring the cigars?"
He's probably having a fit out in
the hall. No; here he comes, calm as
ever-the experiment failed. But
thank goodness, got rid OF three hun
dred!"
Ancestor ran his eye down the cigar.
case, and selected. "The very best are
two-and-six. I've taken shilling
one"
II shall follow your example. You
were right about that wine; it doesn't
taste like anything. Waiter!"
eyes, SIR
Get me whiskey-and-soda. And
waiter! take away those two cobweh
repositories. What's the use?" he de
manded, excitedly, of Ancestor. What's
the blighted use of having two hun
dred million dollars, when it won't buy
any more for you than an ordinary in
come will? That's what l want tc
know. Why, ought to be able to buy
fve-guinea cigars and ten-gulnea wine
and lots of them; but even II could
get them, which I can't, couldn't
smoke any more, or drink any more
than any poor devil scraping along
on ten thousand year Same way
with women. can plaster them witt
diamonds and upholster their fur
niture with fve-pound notes; but they
| can't sell me more than they've got
and if they could-well, can pay fol
any amount, but can't buy any more
than any other man. The fate which
gave me the wealth of hundreds O
men should have given me the capac
4 ity of the same number-that's what
claim"
There's you whiskey-and-soda, Van