Omaha daily bee., 1918-08-25
Oh ,MONEY!
~ %zamar A6d0a@ ssRzg
Author OF "Pollyanna."

where. What's the use in having a
that money if we've got to shut oul
selves up like that, and wear horric
stuffy black, and everything?'
For shame, Bessiep spoke II
Miss Flora, with unusual sharpness
for her. II think your mother is jus
right. I'm sure the least we can do i
return for this wonderful gift is t
show our respect and appreciation b
going into the very deepest black W
can. I'm sure I'd be glad to-"
wait" Mrs. Harriet had draw
her brows together in deep though,
"I'm not sure, after all, that it woul
be best. The letter did not say tha
dear Cousin Stanley had died--h
just hadn't been heard from"
an that case, l don't think W
ought to do it. And it would be to,
bad-that Gaylord dance is going t.
be the biggest thing of the season
and of course if we were in black
No; on the whole. I think we won,
Bessie. Of course, in two years from
now. when we get the rest, it will b.
different"
"When you--what1" It was
rather startled question from Nh
Smith.
"Oh, didn't you know? There's an
other letter to be opened in two year
from now, disposing of the rest of tn,
property. And he was worth millions
,,o,, tpn1y t,,;11;nocb
But maybe he-er-Did it say yo,
were TOTO get those millions then?'
"Oh, no. it didn't say it. Mr.
Smith" Mrs. Harriet Blaisdell's smile
was bit condescending. "But o.
course we will. We are his kinsmen
He said we were. He just didn't give
it all now because he wanted to give
himself two more years to come back
in, suppose. You know he's gone ex'
ploring. And, of course. if he hadn't
come back by then, he would be dead
Then we'd get it all, Oh. yes, we shall
get it, I'm sure"
"Oh-hw Mr.. Smith settled back in
his chair. He looked somewhat non
plussed.
"Humphl Well, I wouldn't spend
the millions-till I'd get 'em, Hattie, u
advised her brother-in-law dryly.
Il wasn't intending to, Frank" she
retorted with some dignity. But
that's neither here nor there. What
we're concerned with now is what to
do with what we have got. Even
this will make a tremendous sensa-
ton in Hillerton. 1t ought to be
written up, of course. for the papers,
and by some one who knows. We
want it done just right. Why. Frank.
do you realize? We shall be rich
rich-and all in a flash like thisl /
wonder what the Pennocks will say
now about Mellicent's not having
money enough for that precious son
of theirs! Oh I can hardly believe it
yet. And it'll mean-everything to
US. Think what we can do for the
children. Think"
aunt Jane, Aunt Jane. is ma
here?" Wide open banged the front
door as Benny bounded down the
hall. "Oh, here you are! Say, is it
true? Tommy Hooker says our
great-grandfather in Africa has died
an left US million dollars. an that
we're richer n Mr.. Pennock or even
the Gaylords, or anybody! Is it true?
Is it,"
His mother laughed indulgently.
"Not quite, Benny, though we have
been left a nice little fortune by your
cousin, Stanley G. Fulton-remember
the name, dear, your cousin, Stanley
G. Fulton. And it wasn't Africa, it
was South America"
"And did you all get some, too?"
painted Benny, looking eagerly about
him.
I'VE sure did," nodded his Uncle
Frank, "all but poor Mr.. Smith here.
I guess Mr.. Stanley G. Fulton didn't
know he was a cousin, too," he
joked, with wink in Mr.. Smiths
direction.
"But where's Aunt Maggie? Why
amt she here? She got some. too,
didn't she?" Benny began to look
anxious.
His mother lifted her eyebrows.
mo. You forget. my dear. Your
Aunt Maggie is not a Blaisdell at all.
She's Duff-a very different fam
Il don't care, she's just as good
as Blaisdell," cut in Mellicent; "and
she seems like one of US, anyway"
"And she didn't get anything?" be-
moaned Benny. Say" he turned
to Mr.. Smith, Shouldn't
you think we might have given Aunt
Maggie a little OF that money"
Il should, indeedw Mr.. Smith
spoke with peculiar emphasis.
II guess he would if he'd known
1erw
I'm sure he wouldw Once more
he peculiar earnestness vibrated
through Mr.. Smiths voice.
"But now he's dead, an he can't.
guess if he could see Aunt Maggie
ned wish he hadn't died fore he
;ould fix her up just as good as the
est"
"I'm very sure he wouldw Mr..
Smith was laughing now, but his
,oice was just as emphatic and there
vas a sudden fame of color in his
ace.
Your Cousin Stanley isn't dead,
ny dear-that is, we are not sure he
S dead" spoke up Benny's mother
quickly. HE just has not been heard
rom for six months"
But he must be dead or he'd have
:ome back" reasoned Miss Flora,
With worried eyes; "and l, for my
,art, think we ought to go into
Mourning, too
"Of course, he'd have come back"
declared Mrs. Jane, "and kept the
money himself. Don't you suppose
lie knew what he'd written in that
etter, and don't you suppose he'd
lave saved those 100000 if he could?
Nell, guess he would The man is
cad. That's certain enough"
We'll, anyhow, we're not going in
0 mourning till we have to-" Mrs. |