Smyrna times., 1909-06-02
SAVED FROM
BANKRUPTCY,
BY EsrELLE cLAIRMoNT.

Press.l
Well. they were married and had !
gone to housekeeping in a cOzy little /
dat. Arthur Lee and Edith Session. 1t
was a love match. Edith knew that
Arthur had a thousand dollars and no
more to 90 into the gents furnishing
business in a modest little store, and
she knew that she would have every
thing to learn about housekeeping. as
it would be a long time before they
could afford to keep a servant.
Everything had gone along splendid
ly for Il few weeks, both at the store
and ut the fiat, when that old maid
Miss Headly came pOking her nose in
one day She was an acquaintance
of both husband and wife and had to
be greeted. OF course she prOmenad-
ed through the five rooms and praised
nothing. but neither did she condemn
until the bride pointed to a vacant
space in the parlor and observed that
it was reserved for the piano when
they could afford one.
Then the spinster sat down as stiff
rs Il poker with her hands in her lap
and replied:
We'll. | expected it."
Expected whatY
That you would bankrupt your hus-
band inside Of a year by your ex-
travagance. You'll coax him into get
ting piano. and then will come a fur
coat and opera tickets and rides in a
hired auto. and if you tease hard
enough he may even buy an auto on
the installment plan. | saw the other
day that the business failures in the
country last month were Ats. or rs
more than for the same month last
year. The men are not to blame for it,
| but have been driven into bankruptcy
| by their wives"
"But we may not get a piano for two
! years." protested the wife. land walk
to save street car fare"
"But what are you doing to assist
your husband"
''Why, I'm keeping house"
"Yes. and having nothing to do half
Lue llulG Uul ltdu nONClS IL W 10 a
wife. situated as you are, I'd be earn
ing and saving against the crash"
rs there crash cOming?
Certainly. and it's going to be in the
gents furnishing goods too. l meant
to bring along the article saw in
the paper yesterday, but left home in
a great hurry. Edith. do you imagine
that men are always going to weal
shirts and collars and cuffs? Has il
never occurred to you that the time
will come when they will make one
suspender do in place Of two or veal
none at ALI Are they going to keel
on choking themselves with neckties
Are they going to continue to weal
socks when all writer's on hygiene de
clare that wearing none at all is thu
way to avoid colds. catarrh and con
sumption? tell you that a grea
change is coming, and you should pre-
pare for it. ANY day your HUSBAND
may come in and tell you that he is
bankrupt"
why. how can men get along with
out shirts ard things?" asked Edith a
she turned pale.
"By returning to the simple life
Adam had no use for those things
You may yet see millionaires walkin
the street. by advice of their doctors
with only bedquilt wrapped aroun
thelA "
And If my husband goes to smas
in his business. thcn-then"-
Then suppose you had the money
the house 60 start him in delicate!
sen store: There is business that
not In danger There are no fashion
to menace it, There are no doctor
holding out warnings. You simply G
III and get potato salad and sausaa
and come ont again. IL you are IL
owner of the store you make 80 pC
cent profit Arthur can slice the rOa
beef and such. while you make the 50
ads. If We're in your place | wou
not let another day pass without tr
ing to get something to do to save I
money for the crash coming, but
wouldn't say a word to Arthur to di
courage him and so bring it all Il
sooner"
- Having said her say and been
mean about it as she could. the 0
maid departed and left the young wi
. i'm tears Something to do? Why, yC
L She had always been asked why s
didn't develop her talent for paintir
She would begin little picture til
very day She would paint one eve
day until she had six on hand a.
then send them to different art stor'
Each one would probably be accept
and paid for on sight. She mig
start her savings account with 5000
The young wife dried her tea
brushed her hair and within an he
had begun picture No. 1. Nothing W
said about bankruptcy when her hi
band came home She did not ev
le mention that the old maid had call'
Once upon a time, before her M
riage. the wife had had occasion
send off n telegram and a friend h