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Show ! VALUE OF MONEY ! 1 1 1 I By LOUISE M. ADDEL80N I I I I 1 n - a (, 1038. by MoCtur N'ewipiper Brndlcfcts.) jiTDUT my dear, Ellen Is only twenty-two, and John Baxter must surely be " "He's forty-eight, but what of It?" Mrs. Gray's sharp little eyes peered defiantly de-fiantly Into the shocked face of her visitor. visi-tor. "Ellen Is dependent. She may never get another opportunity like this; and Baxter is In many ways suitable. Ellen will be able to Indulge herself to her heart's content. She will have Jewels, fine clothes, travel. How could she attain these things except by marrying money?" The little lady with the gray hair and sympathetic eyes looked troubled. "I know that from the standpoint of wealth Baxter Is eligible. But, after all, what Is the real value of money? Can It purchase love? Can It buy real and lasting happiness?" "Money," said Mrs. Gray, emphatically, emphatical-ly, "can buy even love and happiness. Money Is the most Important thing In life. My niece will be happy. I have no regrets about having Influenced her for her own good. I am glad she has me to thank for wealth such as a girl In her position never dreamed of." Mrs. Gratton shook her head doubtfully. doubt-fully. "You are making a mistake. Adele," said she, as she rose and drew on her gloves. "Money Is an Important factor a wonderful possession. But there Is a limit to the things It can do. You are unnecessarily making a sacrifice sacri-fice of Ellen. With her youth and good looks she can afford to wait." "I disagree," said Ellen's aunt, with a decisive movement of her hand. "I have done the right thing by my niece, nnd Ellen will find it out." "There Is no knowing what Ellen will find out." said Mrs. Gratton, thoughtfully. thought-fully. "Well, good-bye, and I hope I hope the dear child will be happy." "I have no doubts on that score," answered an-swered Mrs. Gray. "Good-bye, and don't worry." Seven years had passed since Ellen's marriage. Seven years of flitting from summer resort to winter resort, from Europe to America, from North to South. East to West; the envied of friends' and acquaintances, and the boasted pride of Aunt Adele. On the eighth anniversary of her marriage Ellen's El-len's daughter was born, a fair-haired little creature, with heavily-fringed violet vio-let eyes and n rose-bud mouth. Ellen took ti e greatest pride in her. spent many hours In t.e nursery for the shisT Joy ot' looking at her. "A very sweet little heiress." said Aunt Ail-le. "A treasure of a baby." declared Mrs. Gratton. when she came to see 1 Kilen two months after the Infant's arrival. Ellen smlle-l wistfully. Mrs. Gratton was pained to see tears In her eyes. "Dear frond." said the young mother, moth-er, tremulously, "I nm afraid afraid." "(if what, my child?" asked Mrs. Gratton. Site had no children of her own. and bad gone to school with Ellen's El-len's mother. "I don't know. Of losing her, I suppose." sup-pose." "Don't be absurd, honey." said Mrs. Gratton. "There is no reason why yon should be afraid." "Of course I'm a silly. Aunt Adele says I might to he the happiest woman In the world. I suppose I nm. rea'.iy, esvcially since baby came." She bent forward and kissed Mrs. Gratton's wrinkled cheek. "I'll try not to Indulge In-dulge in any fancied sorrows." A year later saw- Mrs. Gratton In Ellen Baxter's sumptuous home again, greeting n pitiably white and trembling trem-bling hostess. In the older woman's arms the fl.vM of her grief broke loose, and Ellen's tears. Interspersed with broken sentences, poured forth rumul-tnously. rumul-tnously. "You see. dear friend, before I mats rled John. Aunt A doe assured me that with so much money I could not help being happy. I was afraid, because John was so much older than I. But be seemed fond of me. and Aunt Adele said It w as nil right. Oh, I'm not complaining. com-plaining. John was very, very kind, but John's money couldn't save my baby, my sweet, precious little bnby, and there doesn't seem to be anything In life to look forward to. "Oh, why did Aunt Adele say that money could uu1;c everything right ? I really didn't care for that tramping round the world. The things that money brought me were such useless, trivial things. Hut my baby almost every poor woman has n child, and mine mine couldn't be saved I What, oh what. Is the value of money?" Mrs. Crnttou silently allowed her to weep and talk, knowing that that would be the salvation of the overcharged over-charged heart and brain. |