The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-03

I am that unfortunate creature,
millionaire. But it is not my fault
My father made the money and
thoughtlessly left it tof me. say
"thoughtlessly" because. as an in
diyidual. | have comparatively little
use for wealth. 1 like living In green
depths of country and making friends
with trees. Richard Jeffrey and
Thoreau are my favorite authors
Of course. | can spend on other
PEOPLE the money l don't want Tor
myself and 1 do. But arranging all
that eats up a great deal CT time
and grey matter Besides, many per-
sons are of opinion that, unaided'
bestow my donations in quite the
wrong way They offer to help me-
especially old ladies. Young ones
don't offer" but they have ways OF
showing my duh intelligence that
offers from me might be entertained
and lead to something useful to
everyone concerned,
Now. am not particularly young
or handsome | shall never see
tNrity-five again, and l am one OF
of those long. lean. pale near
sighted chaps who-it seems 70 me
themselves. Yet | should be binder
than ] am if l were not aware ina,
good number of pretty girls IN
several countries would be "liiihs
to take me ON as a husband. h nUt Z
than once I've had a close shave
always however, up to date, some
thing has held me back at the last
ditch. .
but that's the story.
was introduced to Miss Arliss at
flower show. 1t WAS just the right
place for being introduced to her'
because she was like flower her-
self-almost any kind of flower she
might be, according to perfume, dress
and hat. That day it was pale PINK
rose. with the suggestion Of golden
heart. She said she lived in the
country and adored it. This pleased
me. and though-when 1T came to an
invitation from mother-the "coun-
try turned out to be no further from
town and town ideals than Henley. !
fell for it, as we say on my side OF
the Atlantic.
It was a day dropped out of heaven
when ! went, blue and gold sweetly
mingled with green where its glory
was mlrrored in clear waterdepths.
Diana Arliss was lily as she
stood tall and slender and white in
her punt, bearing me in purple
cushioned ease along the glass-like
river under the shadows of arched
trees. She talked a little-not too
much-about poets l loved. The
orld that we spell with capital
and cali gay seemed to have little
lure for her She was the most ex-
quiste creature, / thought, that
had ever seen. In my old place on
Hudson river she would be like a
clear flame come to quicken an I'M
lit lamp.
After luncheon. in cool dining
room whose long windows opened on
TO Town, mother encouraged Diana
and me to have our coffee out of
doors. Were sfch open air fiends!
she smiled. 'Di Will you show
whore we take our coffee and Gigs,
every day, if its only half fine. |
have note or so to dash off and
catch the afternoon post. hut III
join you in few minutes IL nothing
desperate happens!"
Something Desperate rat., must must h I'VE
not only did l miss her, I forgot her
existence. If / hadn't ] should have
had no drop of red blood in my veins
Diana had led me away from the
bold river front of the lawn to
small. wild garden that trimmed the
was ankle high. and laced with little
blossoming things which no more re-
scented being stepped upon than do
! flowers on a carpet Along a hedge
OF box. blue irises rose like an azure
| mist, and the place was turned to a
dryad's drawing room by vast
beech which domed it with emerald
| Beneath this supertree there were
! deck chairs cushioned with blue to
match the irises and another mere