The Washington times., 1918-08-18

And l couldn't imagine such things ever
happening with a rich husband who
couldn't tie his own shoes without the aid
of his valet, and in a home where I'd al
ways have to be on my dignity for fear the
butler would turn up his nose at me or the
upstairs maid do limitations of me in the
housekeeper's pantry
But how about Mr.. Gallatin?" the Wis
itor asked. He was so in love with you,
and you really promised to let him marry
you, you know"
"Oh, Mr.. Gallatin was the best of all OF
them" the Countess said quickly. He
was splendid. You see thought maybe 1t
would be different with him for husband,
because he was a student, and he'd trav-
elled so much. But even he never took me
in his arms-which wanted him to do as
soon as we were engaged-and gave me a
real lover-like squeeze. He just said I'm
very happy, madame! I almost had a
chill.
You see wealth imposes too many limi-
tations. l studied it all out. The greater
the wealth the greater the limitations The
poor woman who is loved by her husband
may truly have him to herself. The
wealthy woman-though her husband loves
her equally as much, can have only a
part of him. There is barrier which not
even the greatest love may cross. There is
too much of the superficial. 1t must always
be a matter of play acting-living up 10
ones environments There is no chance
to live ones true, inner life. Wealth's re-
sponsibilities and consequences keep them
apart"
Then the little countess told how she had
met the man she married-the truck gar
dener. He had been something of an ad-
venturer and had gone exploring in South
America. Disaster overlook his party and
he was stranded. He managed to get back
to New York, where he was presented one
evening to the countess, who was then at
the height of her popularity. He told her
something of his adventures. and said he
was sorry he could not tell her more at
another time, but he was then just starting
into the West, where he hoped to get a
little farm on which he could make living.
He had mo money and didn't care to ask
financial assistance from his friends. He
had decided, he said, to start over again
and work at farming until he had earned
a little farm of his own. He didn't want
to be tied down to Society" he said.
But the Countess made him see her again
before he left for the West And again
Then. when he settled on his ten7acre tract
in Colorado, working it on a sharing ar
rangement with the owner, he wrote to
her. She didn't show her visitor the let
ters, but they must have been very inter-
esting. The Countess's eyes softened as
she spoke of them. Anyway. she packed
her biggest wardrobe trunk one day, wrote
farewell note to Mr.. Gallatin breaking
the engagement, and for the first time in
her life purchase1 a railroad ticket her
self-straight to the Colorado farm.
Il wouldn't have missed these two years
and the years to come for anything in the
world" said the Countess, and to illustrate
her feelings about them she jumped out Of
her broken chair and Topped herself down
on the lap of her blushing farmer husband.
See" she said to the visitor, with de-
licious smile, Il could never do this If you
were calling upon me in a millionaire's
home, could II"
They're gradually paying for their little
fagm-the Countess and her farmer hus-
band. She feeds the chickens and the
stock, and helps with the hoeing. He does
the planting and the marketing. After
awhile. they say, they'll have hired man
to help, "but," adds the Countess, that
won't be until we can afford to build an
other room to the shack for him to sleen
in. OF course, he'll eat right at table with
us-I never want to feel like l had a ser
want around"