Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1912-11-13
Why She
Didn't Marry
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 honorable;
that wealth is 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 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 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, 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
an 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 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 to which
| she was accustomed she must marry a
rich man, 1t 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-
/ ing great wealth in the family, she
might marry 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 so.
| 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 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
er 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 fortune the
| good lady's romance and repugnance
| to sordidness seemed to have deserted
her.
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 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 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 1t.
One day Agatha asked her mother
what was the use Of more money than
one could spend.
why, my DEAR" was the reply. 1.-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 a re-
quest to investigate the case. Again
and again Agatha asked for funds to
help others, but was always put OF
by some excellent reason. She did not
quite see that adding to a fortune be-
cause so much good could be done
/ with 1t resulted in the good being
VAOSt~N~
a year, half of which was all they could
spend without throwing 1t away, but
Agatha could not wed her poor artist
because 1t was expected that she should
ally her fortune with another, that so
much good could he done with it.
The years sped on and Agatha's
mother lived on. Agatha grew from a
young woman to an old maid. She
had no desire to marry any one but
her artist Besides, no man with a
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 crochety. Chill
dren, especially If they We're healthy,
noisy children. annoyed her. She grew