Waterbury Democrat., 1901-08-28
Those Horrid Figures


 A IS seated at a table, holding one hand to her head, and with a pencil In the other hand adding up a col umn of figures, which she counts aloud and on her fingers. The table Is strewn with sheets of paper; she has a school arithmetic in front of her and an account book).
 and six makes 45 and eight 53, and then the 7s had over after dividing by that 35 \ (she throws down the pencil in de- Epair, and getting up from the table presses both her hands to her fore head).
 ''Oh, these figuresi I always have had a horror of figures it was a presentiment/ am sure. At school hated adding up, and never tried to, either; I never opened an arithmetic if could help it.
 And I married young. and thought this horrid nightmare of mine was over at last. Jack certainly never talked to me about such detestable things when we were engaged (sighing).
 ssAfter we had been married about Eix months, though, he said to me one morning: T have about 500 pounds that want to put out. shall have to see about it. It seems there is a good affair just now in China; their loan at 31s per cent
 "'Oh, JackI' I exclaimed, 'Chinai Do you mean you would have to go Go China?'
 "Jack roared with laughter at my T. srn f. 1y fattered, I know.
 .sDo just as you hke,' said, feel ing rather mortified; you never take my opinion seriously. and besides l do not know in the least what you mean with your three per cent three what? For a hundred what"
 ssHe took the trouble to explain, but he still looked amused.
 ".A hundred pounds that l should give, and then at the end of the year they would give me three.
 "The fragrant injustice ot such proceeding scandalized me.
 "sYou would give them hundred pounds and they would give you three poundsI' I interrupted. Thank YOU. and you call that good thing! You would certainly do better to keen your 500 pounds; there are plen- fy of things we could buy with 1t. l shou1d like to know what would pc Che good of three pounds?
 ssThe more I argued the more Jack laughed; it was perfectly ridiculous. He only stopped every now and then co kiss me and to tell me that was the most charming wife in the whole world. But for the next six months he never attempted to talk to me about figures and money matters
 aAt the end of that time one day when I was rocking little Jacquelne to sleep my husband came in, the room and put on my lap an exercise book with a green cover, this very one fpicking up the account book on the table), and making very grand little speech he began to tell me that now as mistress of the house and mother of a family I must begin to keen an account of our expenses and try to put by some money for our little girl. aMy nightmare was to begin againI rJn+iI then I had been able to have whatever wanted, and had never been troubled about the price of anything. Jack went on to explain that l had been spending great deal, and thatlt was better for me to begin and learn the value of money, and that for the cake of our child. etc
 'sThe first two months of this new arrangement had great success-a perfect triumph, in fact. had not spent all the money; there was some left in the drawer at the end of each month. and this was put by for little Jacqueline.
 "To-day is the end of my third month. and I found this morning that had only yseven-pence-halfpen and on adding up my expenses in the green book it certainly seemed to me that had spent rather large sum a hundred pounds it was altogether. felt sure Jack would grumble figures are so alarming when once they are added up.
 ssDuring luncheon was as pleasant ns could possibly be, hoping that my husband would take it all in good part, and as I passed him the radishes put on my most irresistible smile as said: Jack, do you know have not saved a farthing this month; just think of it. I have spent hundred pounds
 sJack dropped the radishes onto his plate and looked at me as though he were thunderstruck.
 ".A hundred poundsI Did you say hundred pounds? No, you are jok' ingl'
 " Not at all,' said, speaking play fully, in order to give him time to re cover T mean a hundred pounds II seems a large sum to me, but cannot help it, and the figures are all there you can see for yourseif.'
 "But, Clara. my dear child, what foolish, mad expenses have you beer running into without even telling me
 ssThis accusation made me indignant and answered, angrily: No mad ex penses at all that know of. have bought myself a hat and few other little things for Jacquelinel
 My husbands face turned red, ana he spoke in a hard tone: Clara, il you have let yourself be persuaded in to anything foolish you might at least be frank enough to own it. must in zist on your explaining clearly ths meaning of this unheard-of extrava rance.'