The Washington herald., 1908-05-11

/ same time.
That's one of the penalties of being
as rich as I am. grumbied the young
man. II I live on the interest OF my in
come, am accused of boarding money,
and If I live on the interest OF nv cap
ltal / am accused of vulgar ostentation.
l rather think you yourself"
Not at all, interrupted Lord Ances-
ter. L assure you thai the spending Of
an income ike yours Is, by It's very mag
nitude, lifted out of the mire Of vulgar
ostentation and into the realm OF regal
nagniheence. All! here comes your price
less wine and my whisky-and-soda.''
Liebfraumileh, ~ sir, and Tuileries
burgundy-six guineas, sir" said the
waiter, putting down two bottles. reclin-
ing in baskets, on the small round table.
! And the whisky-and-sOda. 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. sc.
! Married, sir? Yes, sir"
Wei, give this TO your wife, with my
kind regards said Vandraken, handing
/ the astonished man roll of banknotes.
wine?"
No answered Vandraken. Go and
/ get some cigars"
There's 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 tlp
than an endowment" said Lord Ances-
ter ! wonder why he doesn't bring the
cigars?"
He's probably having a fit. out in the
nan. No; here he comes, calm as ever
the experiment failed But, thank good
ness / got rid of three hundred!"
Ancestor ran his eye down the cigar
case, and selected. "The very best are
tWo-and-slx. I've taken a shilling one.
I shall follow your example. You are
risht about that wine; it doesn't taste
Ike anything. Waiter"
Yes, sir"
Get me a whisky And. wait
er! take away those two cobweb reposl
tories What's the use?" he demanded.
eXcttedly, of Ancestor. whats the
blighte1 use Of having 500. 0OO.O 900 when II
won't buy any more for you than an
ordinary income Will? That's what
want to know. Why. ought to be able
10 buy five-guinea cigars and ten-guinea !
wine, and lots OF them; but even II I /
could get them, which l can't I couldn't /
smoke any more, or drink any more. than /
any poor devil scTaping along on ten 4
thousand a year. Same way with women.
l can plaster them with diamonds. and /
upholster their furniture with e5 notes;
but they can't sell me more than they've 1
got. and il they cOuld-Weu. I can pay
for any amount, but / 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 numbeT-thats' what
claim"
There's your whisky-and-soda Van
draken.' said Lord Ancestor, looking
eynieaiiy amused at Vandraken's COM
plant
Bring two more. waiter" said Van
draken, gulping it down. IT'S all very
well to order them" he grumbled. but
II / drink them. the chances are III have
a head in the morning. What's the good
Of having e5,O00 a day, II you can't hire
a man to have your headache? They
say you can buy anything you want in
London. They lie. One can't hire or
buy, even for 5000 000. 900. a man to take
the consequences of even the very small
est of ones own physical follles.
4 wonder'-LOrd Ancestor was rnadi
tating alOud-'I wonder"
''What?. You wonder? You surely don't
pretend that there is the remotest DOS
sibility Of such thing"
Il am no scientist; therefore. to my
intelligence nothing is I'M
possible, though many things are, I ad- :
nit, improbable. Why, / have a letter
n my possession now. written TO a man
knoW-a millionaire, like yOurself-of-
ering 70 sell an invention that would re-
ieve him Of the consequences Of his fol- l
les, If he cared to commit any. OF l
course, 1t IS probably only millionaire
rap"
vandraken leaned forward eagerly
'No?-have you? What did the man do
bout it?" =
Nothing whatever. He very naturally q
hought it fraud. A man as rich as r
le is has to be on his guard against
rauds. Showed me the letter, and was
-oing TO burn it, but I asked him If a
night keepit as curiosity. That's how o
came by it," q
And yOu-dO you think it's a fraud?" n
"AN those sorts of things are frauds n
Ia
ecOme inventions. 1 should classify il
s a Temote but interesting possibility"
Vandraken was getting more and more u
xcited. He drank another whisky-and- Il
oda without noticing it. The room was u
early empty now il
Great Scott! Suppose it shouldn't be
fraud! Suppose some one really has ?,
lvented some sort of a dodge Of that =
ma Why. I'd give millions for IT, Just ~
7ncy being able TO do anything YOU o.
ant and as much as you want, without
aVing TO stop TO consider the eonse- IN
uenees, Why, if I let myself go. I'd bl
'ok old and haggard and dissipated in T
o time-blear-eyed, puffy and purple te
le Kind of face you see around the Bru fiji
'rion bar that puts you of your drink. m
ut II there were no consequences of bs
lat klhd, think what a time / could &C
ave for few years, What value I Sc
'uid get out Of my money! I'd deny d.
yseH nothing; I'd experiment with for fr
dden fruit east and west nj Suaz al
lrth and south of Paris. By God ia pr
Il the good out of my YOUTH He m
'ured himself out another Whiskv-and
da. i say, Ancestor. let's have another &c
ink-just one more" ed
Lord Ancestor shook his head. "Not fir
r me- You see. I've got to take the 0u
nsequences Of my own drinks" tn
"A small cold bottle, then. Oh. ali DO
sht, if you won't! But this idea has
t into my head. I can't go TO sleep ge
see that letter You'll show It to co
e tonight, won't your 7
The letter is az my rooms. If You inl
re to walk around there with me. rel
I'd crawl there on all foursT' an
It's probably a fraud, you know" lat
Well, suppose Il is? It's only q mat sa1
: of a few thousands; and, if il isn't ad
fraud, it's the one chance to live m no
my income, to avoid being cheated of no
2 value of my money-those Internal wa
lions, which are the greatest fraud Of ga
because they can only buy me what his
within the reach of any ordinary in il.