Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1930-09-27

! highest prices for his CLONES. taught
him to consider himself above the
ordinary playmates Of our decent
working class neighbors. led him
to Measure and hoose his compan-
ions, not by their worth as individuals,
but by the clothes they wore, the
kind of homes their people lived in
Character meant nothing TO me whcn
chose my Donnie's associates.
AT fifteen had as snobbish son
as any one could wish. He boosted
to his companions that his suits
were made to ord, that they cost
as much as the millionaire's son who
owned the string of department stores
in our town. He Dragged of the fact
that he always had money in his
pockets without working.
I would sit by the open window
and listen with complacent smile
on my face. I thought it vas cute"
Then-the crash came. BY the dis
honest dealings of the business finn
that had my real estate holdings in
hand, lost all OF my income prop
erty at one feel .woop. A month later,
the bank in which my ready money
was deposited failed on account OF
frozen assets in the same company. 1
wa left with only the flIty-dollar a
month stipend from my husbands
insurance, the home, and DON WITH
his expensive tastes.
About this time Don, being In hlgh
school, began going with girls. he
was a handsome chap, and when not
crossed had a very lovable disposl-
ton. The girls liked him. His repr
tation of always having money drew
them to him. The boys, too, who
profited by being "in the punch"
when Don's lavish spending pro-
clivities were in evidence, toadied TO
him. All in all, he was well pleased
with himself and standing afar OIL
in admiring silliness-thought my boy
was heading toward success in lie.
What leader my Don will MAKE
some day." I used to murmur fondly
to myself when saw him lettering
and laughing in the center OF group
of his classmates.
When the teachers complained OF
his misconduct or of his overbearmg
ways I always found excuses for him.
and blamed the teachers or the other
boys, always-anyone and everyone
but Don.
Several of the wealthiest families
in the town bought cars for their
Youngsters about this time. They
used to drive them to school. Don
took it into his head that he, TOO,
ought to have a car. AS usual, ne
had his way. I mortgaged the nome
to give it to him.
Three years later when ne was
eighteen, about six weeks after MS
graduation from high school, we iost
the home by foreclosure of the mort
gage. Now was stripped down TO the
| fifty dollars north, and Don want
/ ed to go to college.
Fifty dollars month? How far
would it go with youth who was
accustomed to living on the oasls
of 2 millionaire's income? The next
four years was to prove that tnat
diminished income was but one drop
in the bucket which I tried TO I'LL
by going out in service. The twenty
dollars a week that I got from the
millionaire whose children 1 nursea
went after the fifty month 10 sup
ply Don'S needs.
But all I could do could not ap-
pease him. He was forever grumplins
forever dissatisfied. This boy ma :.
that. the other fellow had this. Inc
bunch was going to do this or tna'
or the other. He couldn't afford n
come up lacking. He couldn't hno
a lob that he would have. Fhey an
required too much time or weren
ND to his style. Ee couldn't siiofo
10 be known to have TO do certain
kinds of work. None OF the fellows
who we're anything ever did. SO II
~, And sacrificed everything