The daily Alaskan., 1912-09-10
Why She
 Didn't Mary
By SARAH p LANcDoN

books with excellent morals The sto- ries allowed her were largely those showing that 1t Is no disgrace to be poor; that labor Is highly houorable; that wealth is often source of evil.
 Yet. side by slde with this democrat. ic. moral training. certain lessons were gradually introduced to inform her that her associates must be from the upper classes: that provision for the future Is always In order; that. while labor Is honorable, poverty Is hard to bear. She was also given to under stand that. while other girls might marry poor men and be happy In a cot tage, she must have husband who could keep her in the society in which she had been born. for her father was not rich man. Indeed. bis wealth was not up to bis family's social posi- ton. This was the reason given her for the exception in her case.
 But when Agatha came 10 be twenty an uncle who had never been married died in Mexico. where he had been interested in mines. aud left her moth CT an enormous fortune
 Before this windfall Agatha had fallen in love with poor artist She did not know whether her love was re, turned. for she gave him no encour. agement. Having been told that to keep up the social position 10 which she was accustomed she must marry rich man. it was, of course, out of the question that she should marry the artist But when the family were re. joicing over their good fortune Agatha said to her mother that now. there be- inr great wealth in the family, she might marry a poor man whom she loved.
 Then she discovered that the acces- sion of wealth did not change the fact that she must marry wealth. It only changed the reason for her doing so. The fortune she would inherit added to that of some millionaire would enable her to do so much good iu the world Think of the poor whom she could ben. eft.
 Agatha was inclined 10 argue the point Her mother was a great novel reader and had often sympathized with lovers who bad been separated on account of worldly considerations. Agatha reminded her mother of this and she had been taught by her moth. CT to understand that such worldliness was reprebcnsIble. There could be no charge of improvidence in the girls marrying poor men. because their fu' ture and that of their children would be amply provided for.
 But on falling heir to a fortune the good lady's romance and repugnance to sordidness seemed to have deserted Der.
 That's very different" she replied to her unhappy daughter, but how and why it was different she did not ex plain. Instead she told Agatha that if she did not give up her romantic nonsense" she would take her 10 the other end or the world.
 Poor Agatha. having come to woman. hood. discovered that her education. the books she had read intoxicating self sacrifice and other virtues were for chtl- dren and to be discarded as soon as they reached an age of maturity. Her mother continued to read novels in which noble impulses were followed. but did not recognize them in her own family.
 Meanwhile money was rolling In upon the family In such quantities that they scarcely knew how to spend it.
 One day Agatha asked her mother what was the use of more money than one could spend.
 "why. my dear." was the reply, "the use of more money than one can spend Is to do good to others"
 Then Agatha asked her mother for something to give away to needy family.
 Mrs. Goodwin suggested sending to a charitable association re quest to investigate the case. Again and again Agatha asked for funds to help others. but was always put oG by some excellent reason. She did not quite See that adding to fortune be cause so much good could be done with 1t resulted iu the good being done The family income was Sioo0oo year, half of which was all they could spend without throwing IL away, but Agatha could not wed her poor artist because It was expected that she should ally her fortune with another, that so much good could he done with It
 The years sped on aud Agatha's mother lived on, Agatha grew from young woman to an old maid She had no desire to marry any one but her artist. Besides. no man with s fortune came along who asked for her hand Each year the chance of meeting such person decreased, and at last Agatha passed the age where children would come to her.
 Single persons do not develop on the lines, the natural lines, of married per. sons. Agatha grew crochets. Chi. tiren. especially If they were healthy. noisy children, annoyed her. She grew irritable. One day frieud asked her why she had never married