Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1933-04-20
Rich or Poor
BY MARY GOULD
G by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate
WNII Service

VI VIVIAN, you must nave hho"n'
- all along. that l wanted to
marry you!"
Fred raised troubled eyes to the
small, slender girl.
SWELL" Vivian countered, what II
i did? And of course l did think
But you never said anything-and now
this has just swept me off my feet.
Fred. Can't you understand"
Understand Fred's eyes were an
CRY now. "Of course | understand.
Here l am, poor young man. But
I'm good enough till this rich old fel-
low comes along and"
That's not fair, Fred, and you
know it. 1 love Thorley MOrehouse
If he didn't have penny I'd still
want to marry him"
I'm sorry, Vivian. 1t sounds rot
ten. But you sec how 1t looks. You
and I've known each other for months
and batted around together and l
thought it was all settled"
yivian's hard dignity left her.
Erred, I'm awfully sorry" she said.
81 thought so, too. honestly. / did
do-like you. And didn't meet
Thorley until last month. And I'm re-
fusing you because hope he'll ask me
to marry him. It's my fault"
you're right. of course. Vivian It's
just my hard luck. Well, I'll have to
run along now
AS the hall door of her small apart
ment shut noisiig behind Fred, Vivian
sank down in a big, cushioned wicker
chair. She forced back the tears and
looked about her cheerful. comfortable
little living room. A great vase of
Thorley's roSes-the outstanding thing
in the room. But the real room with
its charm and its comfort had been
there before she knew there was
Thorley Morehouse in the world-eX-
cepting as she had heard of the big
brokerage house of MOrehOuSe and
Morehouse.
But she had met Thorley-she'd
been sent to get story from his
brothers wife Oh how the women or
Russia were meeting their new re-
sponsibilities Thorley'S brother had
been doing some Investigating in Rus
STA. and the Star on which Vivian was
reporter, had given her the assign
ment She hadn't got the story. Mrs.
Jack MOrehOuse wouldn't talk. And
Thorley. who lived with them. had
walked in on them chatting over tea
and cinnamon toast.
That was the end of thingS-or the
beginning-for Vivian. Thorley was
forty-five-not an impossibly old man
to yivian's twenty-five years. though
Fred seemed to think so. He was
coming to see her tonight and Vivian
knew the message he was bringing.
bell rang. Vivian opened the
door into the hall and waited. listen
ing to firm, running steps coming up
the stairs.
Hello. Vivian" said ThOrley. as he
came, with a breath of the cold out
doors, into the warm little room.
Thank you for the roses" she said
stiffly.
"Oh!" Some of the youth had gone
from Thorley's voice. Were they all
right? Color and everything"
Lovely" said Vivian. They're
in the kitchenette. 1t seemed warm
here"
"Oh!" said Thorley again. well,
Vivian, / suppose you know why I've
come tonight" He took her cold
hands in his firm warm ones. But he
did not try to keep them when she
drew them away. 81 know I'm not
good enough, Vivian-tOO old, and all
that. But adore you. When | was
youngster there was girl | liked a
lot-but she turned me down because
was poor. And there's never been
anybody else. Vivian
Because you were poor. ThOrley?
How despicable But-Im sorry.
Thorley I can't"
Fifteen minutes later Vivian sat
alone again in her room. She'd give
herself five minutes mOre-the last
she'd ever let herself think of Thor
lev. Then she'd telephone Fred.
The telephone rang The Star of
fee. One of the young reporters. Had
she heard the news? Another big
crash Morehouse and Morehouse had
gone under. Thought she'd be inter
ested. Maybe she'd like a chance to
come down and write up good
story of that Mrs. Jack MOrehOuse she
interviewed the other day.
SIS Mr.. Morehouse poor nOw?' asked
Vivian. "Then I'm through mean
I'm resigning. Tell the boss. Good
by." And as quickly as she could she
got Thorley's house on the telephone
His voice, after minute of waiting.
"Oh. Thorley,'' she said. You're
poor. And I'm so glad. Come back
IThorley, as fast as you can. l wan
to tell you why l said I couldn'
marry you and tell you why now
can"
To Vivian. the things she said made
sense. To Thorley, II didn't matte
that they didn't. He was with her Ii
ten minutes
"But, Vivian" he said as he hell
her, sObbing, in his arms. 81 dom
know what you mean. But l don
care. I'm not poor, Vivian. But doe
that matter? 1t doesn't really mat
ter. Money isn't what matters"