that the gift and the giver should not be associated together;
therefore, the name of this friend will not be known. Another
characteristic of this same person is that before a place can be
properly beautiful it should be made sound and solid and healthy. The
foundation must come first, and the foundation of any town which would
have a future is to know Yorkburg is badly laid out. It isn't laid out
at all, and many of its streets start and end as they please. An
elemental need of Yorkburg is that it should be laid out anew, and by a
competent civil engineer who knows what he is about. This engineer will
be provided when you agree to use his services. Mr. Brickhouse says we
have a precious past. That is true, but a precious past doesn't make
good walking, and, not being dead, our feet have some rights. There is
no string tied to this gift of fifty thousand dollars save the
restriction that the money be expended for the purposes mentioned.

"You see"--she turned to the councilmen in front and nodded to them--
"when the matters brought before you to-night were mentioned to Mr.
Brickhouse he was not interested, and did not care to put his name to
the list of taxpayers who are willing to increase their taxes in order
that Yorkburg may get a new bonnet and gloves and good stout shoes for
its feet. He thinks they are not needed, and instead of expenditure,
economy should be your keynote." She shook her head. "There are
times when too much economy is as ruinous as too great expenditure.
Some women die from it every year.

"But before coming here to-night I did try to understand what I was
about." She tucked a curl which had slipped from under her hat back in
place. "I learned from your mayor that the town is financially able to
do what it is asked to do. We need two new school-buildings--one for
primary and grammar grades, one for a high-school. The increase of