Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-09-16
CHAPTER xxi (Continued)


The book in Mr.. Smiths hand
slipped to the floor with a bang;
but no one was noticing Mr.. Smith.
"Oh, Hattie. don't blame the hun
bred thousand dollars" cried Miss
Maggie.
Jim says it was. and Fred does.
too. They talked awfully Fred said
it was all just the same kind Of a
way that Id tried to make folks
call jim James He said I'd been
trying to make every single Jim we
had into a James, until I'd taken
away all the fun of living. And |
suppose maybe he's right, too" Mrs
Hattie sighed profoundly. Well
anyhow I'm not going to do it any
more There isn't any fun in it any
way 1t doesn't make any differ.
enoe how hard | tried to get ahead
| always found somebody else a
little 'aheader,' as Benny calls it. Sc
what's the user"
There isn't any use---in that kind
OF trying. Hattie"
mo, | suppose there isn't. Jim
said | was like the little boy that
they asked what would make him
the happiest of anything in the
world, and he answered Everything
that ], haven't got And | suppose
| have been something like that. But
I don't see as I'm any worse than
other folks. Everybody goes for
money; but I'm sure / don't see why
If it doesn't make them any hap,
pier than it has me! We'll. / must
be going" Mrs. Hattie rose wear.
lily I'VE shall begin to pack the
first of the month 1t looks like a
mountain to me, but Jim and Fred
say they'll help, and"
Mr.. Smith did not hear any more
for Miss Maggie and her guest hat
reached the hall and had closed the
door behind them. But when Mis-:
Maggie returned Mr.. Smith was
pacing up and down the room nerv'
ously.
Well" he demanded with visible
irritation, as soon as she appeared
will you kindly tell me If there i:
anything-desirab le--that that con
founded money has DONE"
Miss Maggie looked up in sur
prise.
you mean - Jim Blaisdell':
money!" he asked.
Il mean all the money! NEAR
the 100000 that those three people
received. Has it ever brought any
good or happinss-ayywhere?"
ooh, yes, | know" smiled Miss
Maggie, a little sadly. But
Her countenance changed abruptly
A passionate earnestness came t.
her eyes. Don't blame the none,
blame the spending of it. TIL,
money isn't to blame. The dolla
that will buy tickets to the movie
will just as quickly buy goo
book; and if you're hungry, it's III
to you whether you put you
money into chocolate cellars o
roast beef Is, the money to blam,
that goes for a Risky bill or
gambling debt instead of for shoe
and stockings for the family?'
"Why, n-no." Mr., Smith had ap
parently lost his own irritation il
his amazement at hers. why, Mis-
Maggie, you-you seem worked Vi
over this matters
Il am worked up Pm Away
worked up-over money It's beef
money, money, money, ever since
could remember! We're ali after i,
and we all want it, and we strait
every nerve to get it. We think it
going to bring us happiness. But i
won't~~unless we do our part. An,
there are some things that evel
money can't buy. Besides. it ism
the money that does the things, any
way--it's the man behind the money
What do you think money is goo
for, Mr.. Smith,"
Mr.. Smith, now thoroughly dazet
actually blinked his eyes at the ques
ton, and at the vehemence wit
which it was hurled into his face.
Why Miss Maggie, it--it-I--
i"
1T isn't good for anything unles
we can exchange it for something
we want, is it,"
why, II suppose we cam Civ
it"
But even then we're exchangin
it for something we want. aren
we? We want to make the othe
fellow happy. don't WEI"
well, yes. we do" Mr.. Smit
spoke with sudden fervor. "But
doesn't always work that way. Loo
at the case right here. Now. yer
likely this--er-Mr Fulton though
those 100000 were going to max
these people happy. Personifcatio
of happiness-that woman was,
few minutes ago. wasn't she?" M
Smith had regained his air of as
! sfieved irritation.
mo, she wasn't. But that wash
tie moneys fault. 1t was her owl
She didn't know how to spend i
| And that's just what l mean, when
say we've got to do our part
money won't buy happiness, unles
we exchange it for the things tn;
will. bring happiness.
IF we don't know how to get an
happiness out of SIS, we won't kno
how to get it out of $500. or $500
or 100000, Mr. Smith. don't mea
that we'll get the same amount o,
of S., of course--though I've see
even that happen sometimes--but
mean that we've got to know how
: spend Sand to make the most :,
it," -
II reckon-you're right, Mi
Maggie"
Il know I'm right, and it isn't ii
l. oney's fault when things 6
wrong. Moneys all right. I 10,
money. Oh, yes. l know--we'l
taught that the love of money is II
root of all evil But don't think
should be so-necessarily. l thin
moneys one of the most wonderf
things in the world. It's more thu
i trust and gift-it's an opportul
I itv and test II brings ont uh q 4