\"ThebasisofStandardEggwasnotonlyamonopolyofallthehensintheUnitedStates，butamachinecalledaSeparator，fortellingtheageandstateofaneggbymeansofimmersioninwater。Perfectlygoodeggssankfastandpassedoutthroughonedistributor；fairlyniceeggsdidnotreachthebottom，andweredrawnoffthroughanothersluice，andsoon。
Thissavedthewagesoftheeggtwirlers，whosemethodofcandlingeggs，asitwascalled，wasfarlessrapidthantheSeparator。AndwhenI
learnedthatonehouseinSt。Louisalonetwirled50，000eggsinaday，thepossibleprofitsoftheEggTrustbecamecleartome。ButtheywerenotsocleartoEthel。Shesaidthatyoucouldnotmonopolisehens。Thattheywouldalwaysbelayingeggsandputtingitinthepowerofcompetitorstohatchthembyincubators。NordidshehaveconfidenceinthePasteurisedFeeder。\'Evenifyougettheparentstoadoptit，\'shesaid，\'youcannotgetthechildren。IftheydonotlikethetasteofthemilkasitcomesoutofthebottlethroughtheFeeder，theywillsimplynottakeit。\'\"
\"\'Well，\'Ianswered，\'oldMrs。Beverlyisholdingontohers。\'\"
\"WhenIsaidthis，Ethelsatwithhermouthtight。Thensheopeneditandsaid:\'Ihatethatwoman。\'\"
\"\'Hateher？Why，youhaveneversomuchaslaideyesonher。\'\"
\"\'Thatisnotatallnecessary。Iconsideritindecentforagreyhairedwomanwithgrandchildrentobespeculatinginthestockmarketeveryweeklikearegularbullorbear。\'\"
\"EverypointinthisoutburstofEthel\'sseemedtomesounwarrantablethatIwasquitedazed。Isatlookingather，andhereyesfilledwithtears。\'OhRichard！\'sheexclaimed，\'shewillruinyou，andIhateher！\'\"
\"\'MydearEthel，\'Ireplied，\'shewillnot。Andonlyseehowyouaremakingitallupoutofyourhead。Youhaveneverseenher，butyouspeakofherasagrey-hairedgrandmother。\'\"
\"\'Shemustbe，Richard。YouhavetoldmethatMr。Beverlyisamarriedmanandaboutforty-five。Nodoubthehasoldersistersandbrothers。Butifhehasnot，hismothercanhardlybelessthansixty-five，andhehasprobablybeenmarriedforseveralyears。Hemighteasilyhaveadaughtercomingout，nextwinter，andasonatHarvardorYale；andiftheirgrandmother\'shairisnotgrey，thatisquiteasunnaturalasherspeculatinginmonopolisedeggsinthiswayatherage。Shemustbeaveryunladylikeperson。\'\"
\"Ethel，Isaw，wasexcited。ThereforeImadenomorepointofhertheoriesconcerningtheappearanceandfamilycircleofoldMrs。Beverly。
ButinjusticetomyselfIfeltobligedtoremindher，first，thatIwasinvesting，notspeculating，andsecond，thatitwasMr。Beverly\'sadviceIwasfollowing，andnotthatofhismother。\'Hadhenotspokenofher，\'
Isaid，\'Ishouldhaveremainedunawareofherexistence。\'\"
\"\'Sheisatthebottomofitallthesame，\'saidEthel。\'Everythingyouhaveboughthasbeenbecausesheboughtit。\'\"
\"\'Thatisnotquitetherightwaytoputit，\'Ireplied。\'IwaswillingtobuythesesecuritiesbecauseMr。Beverlythoughtsohighlyofthemthathefeltjustifiedin\'\"
\"\'Thereisnouse，\'interruptedEthel，\'inourgoingroundthiscircleasifwewereapairofsquirrels。Idonotaskyoutohatethatwomanformysake，butIcannotchangemyownfeeling。Doyouremember，Richard，abouttheCityofPhilippiSewerBonds？Youdidnotwanttobuythematfirst。YoutoldmeyourselfthatyouthoughtnewtownsinTexaswereapttobuzzsuddenlyandthendiebecauseallthepeoplehurriedawaytosomenewertownandleftthehousesandstoresstandingempty。ButMr。
Beverly\'smothergotsome，andallyourhesitationfled。AndnowIseethattheGulf，Galveston，andLittleRockisgoingtobuildabranchthatmaymakePhilippiaperfectlyevaporatedtown。Ifyousoldthesebondsto-day，howmuchwouldyoulose？\'\"
\"IdidnotenjoytellingEthelhowmuch，butIhadto。\'Onlyfifteenthousanddollars，\'Isaid。\"
\"\'Only！\'saidEthel。\'Well，Ihopehismotherwillloseagreatdealmorethanthat。\'\"
\"ItisseldomthatEtheltapsherfoot，butshehadbeguntotapitnow；
andthisinclinedmetoavoidanyattemptatasoothingreply，inthehopethatsilencemightprovestillmoresoothing，andthatthuswemightgetawayfromoldMrs。Beverly。\"
\"\'Shecannotpossiblybelessthansixty-five，\'Ethelpresentlyannounced。\'Andsheisfarmorelikelytobeseventy。\'\"
\"IthoughtitbesttoagreetoanyagethatEthelchosetogivetheoldlady。\"
\"\'Doyousuppose，\'Ethelcontinued，\'thatshedoesitbytelephone？\'\"
\"\'Mydearest，\'Iresponded，\'hemustdoitallforher，ofcourse，youknow。\'\"
\"\'Idoubtthatverymuch，Richard。Andshestrikesmeasbeingthesortofcharacterforwhomameretelephonewouldnotbeenoughexcitement。
Thenervesofthosepeoplerequiremoreandmorestimulantstogivethemanysensationatall。Ibelievethatshesitsinhisprivateofficeandwatchestheticker。\'\"
\"\'Whynotgiveheratickerinherbedroomwhileyouareaboutit，Ethel？\'Isuggested。\"
\"ButEthelcouldnotsmile。\'Ithinkthatisperfectlyprobable，\'sheanswered。Andthen，\'Oh，Richard，isn\'titmean！\'AtthisItookherhand，andshebutagainIabstainfromdwellinguponthosecircumstancesoftheengagedwhicharefamiliartoyouall。\"
\"ThechangeofMayintoJune，andthechangeofJuneintoJuly，didnotmellowEthel\'sbitterfeelings。IrememberthedayafterPetuniasdefaultedontheirinterestthatsheexclaimed，\'IhopeIshallnevermeether！\'WealwayscalledMr。Beverly\'smother\'she\'now。\'ForifI
weretomeether，\'continuedEthel，\'IfeelIshouldsaysomethingthatI
shouldregret。Oh，Richard，IsupposeweshallhavetogiveupthathouseonParkAvenue！\'\"
\"Iputacheerfulandeveninsularfaceonthematter，forIcouldnotbeartoseeEthelsodepressed。Butitwashardworkforme。Somefewofmyinvestmentswereevidentlygood；butitalwaysseemedasifitwasintothesethatIhadhappenedtoputnotmuchmoney，whilethebulkofmyfortunewasentangledintheothers。BesidestheusualMidsummerfaintnessthatovertakesthestockmarket，myownspecialtieswereagooddealmorethanfaint。Onthe20thofAugustItooktheafternoontraintospendmytwoweeks\'holidayatLenox；andduringmuchofthejourneyI
gazedattheWallStreeteditionoftheafternoonpaperthatIhadpurchasedasIcamethroughtheGrandCentralStation。EthelandIreaditintheevening。\"
\"\'Iwonderwhatshe\'sbuyingnow？\'saidEthel，vindictively。\"
\"\'Well，Ican\'thelpfeelingsorryforher，\'Ianswered，withasmuchofasmileasIcouldproduce。\"
\"\'Thatissounnecessary，Richard！Shecaneasilyaffordtogratifyhergamblinginstinct。\'\"
\"\'Thereyougo，Ethel，inventingmillionsforherjustasyouinventedgrandchildren。\'\"
\"\'Notatall。Unlesssheconstantlyhadmoneylyingidle，shecouldnottakethesecontinualplunges。Sheisanoldwomanwithfewexpenses，andsheliveswellwithinherincome。Youwouldhearofherentertainingifitwasotherwise。Soinsteadofconservativelyinvestinghersurplus，shemakesducksanddrakesofitinherson\'soffice。IsheatHydeParknow？\'HydeParkwaswheretheoldBeverlycountryseathadalwaysbeen。\"
