Evening capital news., 1914-06-20
TheEvening Story
How the Church
| Lost a Fortune
BY RUTH GRAHAM

was another, perhaps a stronger. rea-
son for his cwn celibacy. He owned
considerable property which he deter
mined to put into church. The Civ
ing up Of this fortune he considered In
compatible with matrimony.
His mother, who was as practical as
the son was visionary, strongly object
ed to his plan. She had helped her
husband by good household manage
ment to make the fortune her son en-
joyed. and she had no desire to see it
put into a church. If 1t were to go
for any such purpose she preferred
to have 1t given to the poor.
One day Mrs. Whiffles called on Miss
Laura Edmohds, whom she knew her
son fancied, and said:
Laura, / wish your assistance"
"How can serve you, Mrs. Whit
fesT'
Marry my son."
"Whatv
IT mean what ! say. Paul needs to
be revolutionized. He has nensensical
ideas about living the life Of celibate
and giving the fortune my husband
left him-he had better have left 1T all
to me-to the church Paul has always
liked you. and l think you can get
him If you want him."
"Why, Mrs. Whifflesr'
"Listen to me. Paurs property pays
8 per cent on $4,000. and Paul him
self is good boy, though impractical.
sentimental and generally ridiculous
| bnra bio Fasiv NJ. re oonnorx,a5 uo
isn't bit like me or like what his ia
ther was"
But, Mrs. Whiffies"-
Don't but me, please. You are too
sensible n girl to throw $4,000 a year
ever your shoulder When you get
Paul you get his property. The ques-
tion is do You want it or shall it go into
stone and mortar with Gothic naves, a
hand carved reredos and an altar
Pardon me for interrupting you,
Mrs. Whiffids. but will you kindly tell
me how / am to marry your son when
your som
simplest thing in the world-out-
Herod Herod."
"Please explain
THE first thing Is to get hold of him.
That will arrange for you. All you
have to do after that is to work to
build two churches instead of one and
much bigger ones. Keep forcing the
gas into the balloon. Never let up.
Regret that you haven't fortune to
build all these churches"
..Then whHt?"
Hell think you the only sensible
girl he ever met. He'll come to me and
tell me all about it. I'll do a part of
the rest myself. I'll suggest that you
two together can build a church to
beat the Cathedral of Cologne. Live
on nothing Sacrifice everything, even
to living on bread and water. The
bread and water will appeal to his i'm.
agination. Work in harmony for a
great purpose"
But wouldn't relish living Oh
bread and water"
No more wond Paul. can't get
anything dainty enough for him. But
to mortify the fiesh-ima gination-he
will beat ST. Simeon Stylites."
How funnyr'
"Will you dine with us next Thurs
day evenipg?'
why, Mrs. Whites, Thursday
You don't ntend-I believe / have nc
| engagement for that evening"
"Well, La ura, goodby. You'll help me
I'm sure. You're no fool I've knowr
) you since you were a little girl, and
I'm sure there is no nonsense about
you"
"But, Mrs. Whifies, when I've out
Heroded Herod, as you call It, ant
have, as you proposed, put the money
into the church at the expense Of on
: stomachs"
"oh, you must do some sentimenta
lovemaking"
What elser'
"Get him; that's all. Get him."
"And after have got him?"
"Oh. Laura, you make me tired! Al
these churches that you and he hav,
been building together will collapse
Ii you can't manage Paul you're no
the girl take you for. Goodby, dear
0 Thursday evening at o'clock"
Miss Edmonds appeared at Mrs
| VHilncS pFohptiy AI I, AHu uluncI WA
: announced few minutes later. Sh
a was as bright In action as she ha,
! seemed dull of comprehension. She ha,
! spent the interval since Mrs. Whites
visit porinE over descriptions of cathe
J, drals. and her knowledge on the sub
: ject made the young clergyman fee
like country meeting house architec
;, beside AEichelangelo.
4 Mrs. Whiff1es did her part afte
4 Miss EdInonds had departed. an
when Paul called on Miss Edmond
d few days later he found her as we
+ up on medieval asceticism as she wa
d on cathedrals. When he finally pre-
posed, with the proviso that they MARI
: and spend all their money except
d thousand q year on churches. she d.
: clared that the amount reserved 70
i themselves was extravagant-
When the couple returned from tn