The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-07-12
EVELYN AND A FORTUNE.

Tony had big eyes and was always
looking for the marvellous. He was
continually picking up Some wonder
ful tale from tho newspapers and
telling 1t very impress!vely for ten
yeaf-old boy. He looked up from his
bread and butter and peach sauce
now 70 say. There was q man died
tho other day who had thrown away
i've million dollars"
why, how had he done that p"
Efen father was Interested
1t was in Australia and he owned
mining lease. whatever that Is. on
big mine. Only it wasn't working
yet And the man got discouraged
and thought nothing would come Of
II so he sold II for hundred and
hf'y dollars But the other people
VINO bought 1t worked 1t, and they
round out that il was almost the rich
est mine In the country They got
five million dollars out IF It; and if
ne had hung on to it, the FIVE million
would have been his"
%, ! wish | had such a chance :"
said Evelyn, her eyes shining.
She didn't know. nor did anybody
else. that she was to have a chance
that very evening Of losing or hold
ing on to something so very valuable
that II was priceless, She doesn't
know yet that ii was anything hut
an ordinary occasion 1t happened
in this way.
Just after she had opened her
arithmetic and begun to figure a rat
tie and a clatter were heard outside,
and gay voices began to call her.
Evelyn"
"Evle"
'Evie. Evie. come OUT
girls had come for her 10 go roller
skating And II was such a beautiful
night 10 skate. The moon was 50
bright that even looking out of a
lighted room Evelyn could see the
trees and walks and houses all sill
very. She stepped TO the window and
threw 1t up. Il can't GO. girls. |
haven't worked my examples"
20. do them IN the morning
Il can't. / have To help about
the work Mother is gone. you
know"
Il should think that when your
mother is gone would he just the time
you could do as YOU want to-"
20. come out for just little while,
Ev You can study when you get III ="
II was hard to resist. Only one
who has been through a like tempta-
ton can understand how hard 1t was.
For II was the voice of her dearest
friend. Dora HalloCk, that was coax
ing and to go anywhere with Dora
was a delight. But Evelyn answered
bravelY: No, ! know ] wouldn't DO
them when I come in. rnuA woiAt
these examples before / do anything
else"
The joyous crowd ratified away a
little more slowly and less noisly,
"Ev's good said Dora. II haven
worked my examples. either. ] be-
lieve III go in and study too. girls"
Lets all go in, said Hettie Kelly.
Miss Taylor liz getting so fierce that
| don't know what will happen If we
miss any more. We can. skate to-
morrow night, when there isn't any
school to go to the next day,"
And so every one OF them went In.
Miss TAYLOR was as tonished and de
lighted at the good arithmetic les
sons the next day and decided that.
after all, she would not pitt back the
class az she had thought of doing.
Somehow there was n new spirit In
IT. There Is likely to he after a
tussle and victory. Evelyn didn't
know that she deserved the credi,
or any mart of It. But the recording
angel. who puts down earthly strug-
giles and victories and defeats, knew
! think that very great good was
accomplished by that seemingly small
act Of Eveiyn's, Knowledge is more
valuable than n gold mine. and to
throw away the chance of getting 1t
In more foolish than TO sell flve-
million dollar gold mine for one hun
dred and fifty dollars.--Journal and
Messenger.