The Washington herald., 1909-08-01
THE BATTLE TIE = sE2f5 8eezes
BY JAMES OPPENHEIM.

DR.. Morris Rast returned home at II
D. m. Home" was fourth OF the
ground floor in an East Broadway tene-
ment. He found his wife In his office
the front room--sorting papers at his desk
beneath the brilliant blaze Of Wells
bach hight. She wheeled in the revolving
chair 10 get his kiss.
Are you tired. Morris7' she asked
Her face was unusually thoughtful.
''Vhy 49, anything wrong. NellT' He
dropped wearily into large, soft arm
chair.
Nothing wrong" she said slowly ''ex-
cept that you are tired" And then she
added wistfully; But are you too tired?"
He smiled.
mot too tired. little wife. Swing out
on me"
She drew her chair nearer his. Her
hands were full Of papers.
I've been reckoning all evening" she
said slowly, as he fondled her free hand,
"and its terrible"
Il know" he acknowledged sympathet-
ically. 1T is awful. I'm a wretch"
But you really are, Norris she said.
softly touching her lips to his hand.
You've worn my husband out and wor-
ried his wife to pieces and we are getting
poorer every day. Now listen." she went
on How much rent do we pay7' And
then she added in a guilty undertone Il
know it's mean OF me to bother you"
He smiled
.-Thirty-hvo dollars month. What
else?'
Five dollars month for gas she
went on, with slow deliberateness; "flve
dollars for laundry; forty-five dollars for
table: twelve dollars for help. How much
is that?"
''Guessr' ne exclaimed. his eyes twin
king
Don't Norris" she cried. inwardiy
hurt you must think OF money tonight
You must"
Poor little wife!" he exclaimed. to
morserully. L always put tho whole bur
den on you'll How much Is itr'
She looked at him gravely.
IT'S one hundred and two dollarA"
He whisted.
Think OF It," she went on. "And be-
tween US we need five dollars a week for
little things - that's twenty dollars q
mcnth-and three hundred dollars a year
for clothes-twenty-hve dollars moro
month Altogether" she said very sober
ly. emphatically. "one hundred and forty
seven dollars a month. And that doesn't
count going 10 theater. and presents TO
our relatives. and vacation money, and
dentist bills. and things for your Office,
and books, and q hundred other things
We really use about one hundred and
eighty dollars q month"
He took out his pipe, filled IT, and 1T r.
zone hundred and eighty dollars, little
manager!" no cried. well, you're q
trump
Now llsten." she said. glowing with
pride at his words. Here's what my
doctOr-man earns" She picked UP a
bunch OF carefully compiled index cards.
They were IN her handwriting Three
months back one hundred and thirty-two
dollars and fifty cents; two months back
one hundred and ninety-eight dollars
last month. one hundred and seventeen
dollars and fifty cents: this month, one
hundred and eighty dollars"
Pretty good. isn't it7" he smiled cheer
fully.
Watt she warned him. That's what
you earned-but you didnt get that
Three months back ninety-five dollars
were paid in, two months back. exactly
one hundred; last month, exactly eighty;
this month-so far-twenty-fve dollars.
But you'n get more. Of course"
He pufred silently.
well. what have you 20 say?" she de-
manded- She seemed greatly troubled.
HIN! That's pretty bad! How much
have we drawn from the bank?"
Three hundred and sixty-hve dollars.
IN other words, we're running eighty dol
lars behind each month"
She sat back They We're silent for a
full minute.
The world outside and above them-the
night and the human beings asleep IN tt
was intensely silent. Their nicl1eled alarm
clock throbbed as II It had palpitation or
the heart. The white light fell sideways
on their faces. making them stand out IN
vivid relief. They were two very fine
faces. the woman's oval-shaped and olive
tinted with large. dark eyes and soft.
rolling hair; the mans strong and dark
and determined. his firm lips withou,
mustache. HIS hair bushy and black.
In the silence the light seemed to sleep
upon them. pervading the room with a
weird atmosphere-thick and full OF the
feel Of home. Every motion then was
full of meaning-the slight pun OF the
pipe. the culver Of the hands. the vlbra-
ton Of their breathing. So thickly charged
was the air that Morris almost hesitated
20 whisper
"Oh, Nell" he said at length. 1T is
blessed to be with you. love you so tre-
mendously."
It's wonderful" she breathed quickly.
They caught TIE meaning In each others
eyes and became stepped IN happiness. tt
was good for them 20 sit there. in their
home, late at night. al know each 9th
ers presence.
But Norris" she said at length. smil-
ing. won't you worry a little? We must
we must! Don't you see It's impossi-
ble?"
He tried hard to see.
rs anything impossible TO my little
maHager?'
She forced n frown.
Now, no more OF that" she said stern
~. Listen, dear. Please listen sensibly
Here's the whole secret Of it-you have a
perverted sense Of duty. What could you
ever have done II your father hadn't left
you four thousand dollars after he saw
you through college and the hospital?
Morris, II you quit charity and set your
self 10 IT, you could earn a decent liv-
Ing"
Charity" His eyebrows went up.
Yes. charity!" she continued with great