Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1904-03-16
THE
LITTLE WOMAN'S
FORGERY
By ALBERT BIGELow PAINE

OUR new addition was complete, but
~ we never quite seemed to get
through paying for it. A number of
times we thought we thought we had
settled the last and final bit of our liza
bilities, new demand would be
presented, new hydra head to be
-smitten off, a new wound to be scared
over and forgotten. A big brace for
the tall new chimney was an extra,
of course Likewise the storm win
dows and new patent damper for the
furnace, guaranteed to save anywhere
from nine to SO per cent. of the coal
used, and to supply at least double the
heat. The spark-screen, andirons, and
other adjuncts for the fireplace-these
too, were outside the contract, and
good deal easier to buy than to pay for.
even when the buying meant housing
about in dusty antique stores, and the
paying simple matter of drawing
check
1t is easy to draw checks when the
account is replete-in fact, it is rather
a pleasure to do sol am sure the lit
woman used to regard me with an ad-
miration akin to awe as l carelessly
filled in the figures and name of the
payee, and signed my name with a
neat flourish on the line below.
l suppose she wondered why l never
let her do it, and very likely consider
ed me selfish in conserving to myself
this important and rather agreeable
duty, though / did not think so at the
time.
1t presently became less agreeable.
When the figure of our balance waned
into the perspective until it became
thin line that would vanish at the least
touch the construction of check be-
came a serious matter. 1t was no long
er lightly conceived and carelessly put
together, with decorative scrolls at the
end, like spring lyric. 1t became a
thing of forethought and reflection
to be wrought at last with a grave dig
nifty that savored of the epic's solemn
close-with that feeling of sadness and
longing that marks the end of each
and every waning balance in the bank
er's till.
AS | was saying, our balance became
a feature of consideration, even discus
sion. There were good many things
we still needed in the way of furniture
and decorations. now that our habita-
ton was to our liking. We also needed
clothes When we sat down in our
rather imposing rooms in which there
were a few good old pieces of frrni-
ture. and some truly antique rugs, the
fact that our apparel was also good
and old did not give pleasure to the
little woman.
She became almost disagreeable
about it one day, when 1 was arguing
for a new chair, and declared that WE
looked like tramps that had got ir
while the folks were away.
| still urged the chair. 1 said tina
clothes were a matter of display ant
vanity Also, that they were transfer
and heeting, while the chair would bt
the comfort of a lifetime. Whereupo1
the little woman stated that there were
certain garments that were no
used for display, except in magazin
advertisements, and that these as wei
as the chair were matters of comfort
and needed good deal more. She in
sisted that we had laid out enough OF
extraneous luxuries for one year an,
that there were few things we nigh
forego. in order to he 6ecently clad.
To do the little woman justice, 1 ma.
say that l believe her general tendenc.
is rather toward furniture than raj
ment-this being the true cOllectO
spirit. and to be commended. She ha
smothered her better inclination. thi
time, and was ready to sacrifice tn
chair for a silk waist and somethin
to go under it, She meant to have tn
garments. whatever the cost. You sha
see how she was punished.
We went together. Neither coul
quite trust the other alone in the dc
partment store revel that was to fO
low the purchase of the waist. TIL
destinations of department store ar
too great to be resisted singly. Eve
working together and in full accor
we Welded oftener than was good fo
our balance sheet, or for the prospeC
of the new chair any time within
period when we might reasonably HOP
to need comforts for the flesh.
We didn't pay as we bought Their
is great saving of time in getting
transfer card, and greater certaint
Of prompt delivery in having goot
come c. o. d. When we got throug
we had bought most of the things "
could think of without seeing Their
and that we couldn't think of agai
when we got outside and were on Il
train going home.
I had not counted the exact amount
our debauch, but had run the figures l
1oo-ol1 opd Hhorollv ond realizing th