Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-11-17
Tie Sunday Story
Why She
Didn' t Mary
b. SARAH P. LANcDoN

| III Il
III By SARAH P. LANCDON
Agatha Goodwin was brought up on
very wholesome principles. A. a little
girl she was permitted to read only
books with excellent morals. The sto-
ries allowed her were largely those
showing that It is no disgrace to be
poor: that labor II highly honorable:
that wealth IL often source Of evil.
Yet, side by side 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 Il always In order; that. while
labor y honorable poverty 10 hard to
bear. She was also given to under
stand that, while other girls might
marry poor men and b happy n cot
tags. she must have 4 husband who
could keep her In the society IN which
she had been born, for her father was
not rich man. Indeed, his wealth
was not up to his family's social posi-
ton. This was the reason given her
for the exception In her case
But when Agatha came to be twenty
IN uncle who had never been married
died in Mexico, where he had been
interested in mines, and left her moth.
er an enormous fortune.
Before this windfall Agatha had
fallen in love with q 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 70 which
she was accustomed she must marry
rich man. It was, Of course, out Of the
question that she should marry tho
artist But when the famtly were re-
joicing oyer their good fortune Agatha
said to her mother that now, there be-
ing great wealth in the family. she
might marry a poor man whom she
loved.
Then she discovered that the access
sion Of wealth did not change the fact
that she must marry wealth. 1t only
changed the reason for her doing 20.
The fortune she would inherit added to
that Of some millionaire would enable
her to do so much good In the world.
Think Of the poor whom she could ben.
eft.
Agatha was inclined to argue the
point. Her mother was a great novel
reader and had often sympathized with
lovers who had been separated on
account Of worldly considerations.
Agatha reminded her mother Of this
and she had been taught BY her moth
or to understand that such worldliness
was reprehensible. 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 q fortune the
good lady's romance and repugnance
to sordldness seemed to have deserted
her.
That's very different" she replied tn
her unhappy daughter. but how and
why 1t was different she did not ex.
plain. Instead she told Agatha that
II she did not give up her romantic
nonsense" she would take her to the
other end Of 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 chill
dren and to be discarded a. 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 II.
One day Agatha asked her mother
what was the use Of more money than
one could spend.
why, my dear" was the reply, stAe
use Of mora money than one can spend
b to do good to others"
Then Agatha asked her mother for
something TO give away to q needy
family.
Mrs.. Goodwin suggested sending
to . charitable association . ~
guest 10 Investigate the case. Again
and again Agatha asked for funds to
help others, but was always put Oh
BY some excellent reason. She did mott,
quite see that adding to fortune BE-
cause 20 much good could be done
with It resulted in the good being
lone. The family income ~as 100000
! year. half Of which was all they could
spend without throwing It away. but
Agatha could not wed her poor artist
because It was expected that she should
lily her fortune with another, that %
much good could be done with Il
The years sped on and Agatha's
mother lived on. Agatha grew from
voung woman to an old maid She
had no desire to marry any one but
her artist Besides. no man with Z
fortune came along who asked for
,er hand Zach year the chance Of
q ..