Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-02-18
THE "LITTLE WOMAN'S r.-. FORGERY
By ALBERT BIGELow PAINE

 bilities, a 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 99 per cent. of the coal used, and to supply at least douhle the heat. The spark-screen, andirons, and other adjuncts for the fireplace--these too, were outside the contract. and a 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 a check. ...~.>.- zt.. .-
 It 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 I carelessly filled in the figures and name of the payee, and signed my name with a neat flourish on the line below.
 suppose she wondered why I never lCL IlCl uo u, csau SCI y IllNOIy SoAo]dSj- ed me selfish in conserving to myself this important and rather agreeable duty, though I did not think so at the time -, ...
 It presently became less agreeable. When the figure Of our balance waned into the perspective until it became a thin line that would vanish at the least touch, the construction of check be- came a serious matter. It was no long CT lightly conceived and carelessly put together, with decorative scrolls at the end, like a spring lyric. It became 8 thing of forethought and reflection to be wrought at last with a grave dig nity 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 8 good many things we still needed in the way of furniture and decorations, now that our habita- tion was to our liking. We also needed clothes. When we sat down in our rather imposing rooms in which there were few good old pieces of sfurni- ture, and some truly antique rugs, the fact that our apparel was also good and old did not give pleasure to the little woman. s~
 She became almost disagreeable about it one day, when I was arguing for new chair, and declared that we loo1red liFe tramps that had got in while the folks were away.
 still urged the chair. said that clothes wereDa matter of. displaY and vanity. Also,s that they weres transient and fleeting, while the chair would be the comfort of a lifetime. Whereupon the little woman stated that there were certain garments that were not used for display, except in magazine ' advertisem ents, and that these as we'll as the chair were matters of comfort, and needed good deal more. She in- sisted that we had laid out enough on extraneous luxuries for one year, and that there were few things we might forego, in order to be decently clad To do the little woman justice, may say that believe her general tendency is rather toward furniture than rai- ment-this being the true collector spirit, and to be commended. She had smothered her better inclination. this time, and was ready to sacrifice the chair for silk waist and something to 20 under 1t. She meant to have the garments, whatever the cost. You shall see how she was punished.
 We went together. Neither could quite trust the other alone in the de- partment store revel that was to fol- low the purchase of the waist. The destinations of department store are too great to be resisted singly. Even working together and in full accord we yielded oftener than was good for our balance sheet, or for the prospect of the new chair any time within 8 period when we might reasonably hope to need comforts for the flesh.
 We didn't pay as we bought There is great saving of time in getting a transfer card, and 8 greater certainty of prompt delivery in having goods come c. o. D. When we got through we had bought most of the things we could think of without seeing them, and that we couldn't think of again when we got outside and were on the train going home.
 had not counted the exact amount of our debauch, but had run the figures up 1 loosely and liberally and, realizing tha. the end was now inevitable, drew a check next morning for our full balance Then I went away, leaving the check and the obsequies in the hands of the little woman. If the amount was not quite enough she was to make it Up out of her weekly purse. If it was too much she was to keep the change.
 By some quirk of fortune it was toe much. It was several dollars too much The little woman was elated until the driver regarded the check rather doubt fully and decided that he couldn't give money for it. He would give the goods freely enough. The amount of them was fully ten times as much as the change coming, but they were only goods, Money was different matter He had probably heard of bogus checks. This might be one of them. He couldn't ex- change good money, however little, for l H,<r 1~ H. TN~u