Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-06-13

10 Oeuy tndC tne age OF mlTtcleS 10
always noio is to limit the gorgeous.
ness Of dreams. Patricia had not per-
haps exactly counted on the now, but
she had certainly rioted in dreams.
And to her had come the miracle.
YES" Mr.. Creelman repeated, Miss
Meacham has left you six thousand a
year. You ought to be quite comfort
able on that"
Six thousand year! five hundred a
month! Six thousand year may be
genteel poverty to some. but to Patri-
cia 1t was the wealth of Croesus. The
dazzle of 1t was in her eyes, the Won
der of it tied her tongue.
To think that Miss Meacham had
left her a fortune! Miss Meacham.
whom many a time she had wished In
Guinea, as the old lady looked and
looked and found nothing to please
her, while Patricia took down box af-
ter box Of elegant waists and tried
to keep her smile pinned on" as she
said.
Perhaps Miss Meacham, with her
bushy white hair above her brown face,
her little black eyes that seemed to
bore into you like gimlets, had OBJ
served that sometimes the violet eyes
were tired, had guessed the spirit that
kept those lips smiling. Patricia her
self did not think of this. She was
recalling certain conversation.
wouldn't you like to be wearing
some Of these fine things yourself?"
"Ah. wouldn't T."
well, you would become them"
Patricia had been amused by the
quaint phrase.
mot likely to get the chance, I
guess" she replied cheerfully.
who knows?" said Miss Meacham.
"That pretty face of yours may get
you a rich husband"
Patricia sighed. That's just in the
story-books. I'm afraid"
The old lady's eyes bored In deeper
than ever Perhaps there's some poor
boy you'd rather have?" she probed
Patricia laughed. "Not me! I'm all
for the yellow gold. This nice roman
tic love don't seem to last long
enough"
Miss Meacham's smile was queer.
Money has wings as we'll as Love.
you know" And she suddenly turned
away with the little bob of her head
that meant farewell.
Patricia came back to Mr.. Creel-
mans drone.
There is. however. I am sorry to
say. Miss Barrett, little string tied
-ahem-I mean. a condition attached
to this gift
Yes?" murmured Patricia all inter
est
"You are not allowed to marry"
mot allowed to marry" Patricia
repeated blankly. why, don't want
to-"
Mr.. Creelman smiled, We'll. you
might, sometime, you know. And you
can't keep this money. When you
marry this income reverts to the es-
tate"
ooh. WELL" said Patricia. that
doesn't bother me"
Miss Meacham," Creelman contin-
ued. never married, you know. and
she had-er-ideas on the subject"
During the next few weeks. 1.-The
little string" did not in truth bother
Patricia at all. She never gave 1t a
thought. She and her mother were
too busy getting settled in swell
apartments" too busy selecting what
seemed to them elaborate wardrobes,
too busy beginning at last, as they
phrased 1t, to live.
Mrs. Barrett had never had much
to do with" but she was a woman Of
like her in that at least, so they did
not try to Guido Solomon in the glory
OF their attire. Consequently the
somewhat pretentious family hotel
which they selected. received them cor.
daily enough, since no very obvious
threads of the ridiculous chung to their
new sublimity.
II was rather their old acquaint-
anccs who viewed them with suspi
cion. who suspected them OF supercili
ousress, who, in short, regarded them
as upsta. It's. Knowing that a certain
neighbor was rather sorely in need OF
small sum of money. Mrs. Barrett
called upon her with the intention OF
rendering a gift, or loan II preferred
What was her amazement to be tolC
that Mrs. SWEET was no pauper. thai
Mrs. Barrett need not think because
she had money and was all dressed
up that she could coma around patron
izing people who remembered wher
she didn't have so much. In spite o.
Mrs. Barrett's protestations. Mrs
SWEET considered herself insulted.
Mrs. Barrett came home all STIRRED
np," and related the incident to Patri
cha. Indignantly denying having as
sumed any Lady Bountiful aire.
II WASH EXACTLY RELEVANT, Dut !
was this that brought Patricia
thoughts back with sort of jerk t.
Evan Burgess II suddenly occurred
to her that she had seen Evan onl.
once since her good fortune and tina
she had thought OF him not at all
That once he had said how pleased
he was that she didn't have to worl
IN the store any more. and what
Jolly old lady Miss Arnetta Meachan
must have been. And Patricia ha,
not even thought to ask him to be sur
TO come and see them soon. Evan
too, would think that the money ha,
changed them. that they no longe
cared for their old friends.
She went to the telephone. Hello
Watson & Devers?"
Yes"
May ! speak to Mr.. Burgess:
please?"
Hold the line" After o moment
"Hsllo?"
rs It you. Evan?"
"Yes-Patricia."
"Oh, you knew me. did your"
"Of course always know you
VnieA"