The wageworker., 1910-12-02
WOMAN OF GENIUS


on. On the contrary. there are peo-
pie who always act unwisely and yet
always get on. The explanation may
be in the fact that the former have
no originality to lift them above the
level of competition and the latter
have genius.
My wife soon after we We're mar
ried developed Il passion for what
called old trumpery. She attended
auctions. and any hdeous rug. rick
ETY. clock or crazy chair put up for sale
was sure to be bid in by her to lum
ber up the house. AS to bric-a-brac.
I couldn't turn round without smash
ing some ungainly pitcher. big at the
Sirth and little at the bottom. espe
ciaily made to be knocked over
There were old swords. old blunder-
busses, pieces Of armOr. rugs SO home
ly that it would make one sick to walk
over them. engravings yellow with
age. pieces of tapestry with pictures
ON them of stiff looking people looking
sour as vinegar. In short. everything
in the house was either old or ugly or
both.
A practical man, with no nonsense
about me. managed to keep the wolf
from the door as Il bookkeeper. l had
inherited $1,000 from my father. which
/ placed in Il savings bank to draw
per cent interest. 1t did not remain
there long. My wife's insane passion
for auction purchases ate into it grad
ually. but surely, till my nest egg had
been turned into lot of miscellaneous
truck which any sane man would con-
slider fit only for junkshop.
Mrs. Moneypenny had friends who
were as crazy on this subject as her
self. They would come into the house
and go from room to room admiring
this bit Of coffee colored lace fit only
for rag bag. that miniature Of some
fat woman with Il coronet on her head
in a Clipped oval frame. Il clock with
Il pair of rusty weights weighing per-
haps twenty pounds each and the
sound of u donkey engine in winding.
My DEAR said one day to her de-
spairingly. my $4,000 is reduced to
five hundred" H
"Eive hundred! Then l made mis-
take in my figures. l thought there
was only three hundred. After all. l
can get it,
Get what?" cried aghast.
1.-The Rembrandt! l have absolute
proof that it il genuine. and it is go
Ing for song"
"Oh. heavens" l muttered. sinking
on to a sOfa-"to be tied to lunatic!
And to think what is to become of our
poor children!'
She sat down beside me and put her
arms about me. but said nothing.
What could she say? She was under
the control oe her passion. with no
power to resist it. She must be not
only dragged down to poverty herself.
but drag husband and children with
her. Within forty-eight hours she had
the last cent in the savings bank and
got her picture. n dingy painting of a
man dressed like Il supernumerary in a
theater. the only feature plainly visi-
BILE being the tip of red nose
The day after the thing was brought
home one of her friends. lady, met
me on the street and congratulated me
on the valuable addition to my ..col-
lection"
! stared at her grimly and passed on.
while she looked at me. wondering if
had lost my senses
Going home. l abused my wife for
an hour. She was patient about it
ana made no reply. but ut last when
begged her to get rid of the stuff and
reform she agreed to do SO.
very WE'LL ] replied. II will send
for Moses who will ,,,o,,o ,.,,, ~ ia