The Democratic advocate., 1909-05-14
SAVED FROM
BANKRUPTCY
By EsTELLE oLAIRMoNT.

SohS W hohSShS lAhE ~ q SVDe AltttS
fat. Arthur Lee and Edith Session. It
was a love match. Edith knew that
Arthur had a thousand dollars and no
more TO go into the gents furnishing
business In modest little store, and
she knew that she would have every.
thing 10 learn about housekeeping, as
it would be long time before they
could afford to keep servant
Everything had gone along splendid
ly for a. few weeks, both at the store
and at the Fat. when that old maid
Miss Headly came polxing 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 Eve rooms and praised
nothing, but neither did she condemn
until the bride pointed to a vacant
space in the parlor and observed that
1t was reserved for the piano when
they could afford one
Then the spinster sat down as stiff
as a poker with her hands in her lap
and replied:
WELL expected It."
Expected whatT
"That you would bankrupt your hus-
band inside of year by your ex-
travagance. You'll coax him into get
ting piano, and then VIII come fur
coat and opera tickets and rides In a
hired auto. and II 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 478, or T8
more than for the same month last
year. The men are not to blame for Il,
but have been driven into bankruptcy
by their wives"
"But we may not get piano for two
years." protested the wife. "and walk
to save street car fare.'
"But what are you doing to assist
your husband2"
why. I'm keeping house"
Eyes. and having nothing TO do half
the time but read novels. II was a
wife, situated as you are, I'D be earn
ing and saving against the crash"
SIS there crash comingT
Certainly. and it's going TO be in the
gents furnishing goods too. meant
to bring along the article l saw in
the paper yesterday, but left home In
great hurry. Edith, do you imagine
that men are always going to wear
shirts and collars and cuffSf Has IL
never occurred to you that the time
will come when they viii make one
suspender do in place OF two or wear
none at all7 Are they going to keep
on choking themselves with neckties7
Are they going TO continue to wear
socks when all writers on hygiene de-
clare that wearing none at all is the
way TO avoid colds, catarrh and con-
sumption7 ! tell you that a great
change Is coming, and you should pre-
pare for IT. Any day your husband
may come in and tell you that he is a
bankrupt"
why, how can men get along with
out shirts and thingB?" asked Edith as
she turned pale.
"By returning TO the simple life.
<tudu luu M hEE Abh hAflHG AAnAA&E.
You may yet see mlIllonaires walking
the street. by advice Of their doctors.
with only bedquilt wrapped around
them"
And II my husband goes 10 smash
In his business, then--then"-
'"Then suppose you had the money in
the house to start him in dellcates-
sen store? There Is a business that IA
not in danger. There are no fashions
to menace IT, There are no doctors
holding out warnings. You simply 20
in and get potato salad and sausage
and como out again. IL you are the
owner of the store you make 80 per
cent profit Arthur can slice the roast
beef and such, while you make the sal
ads. II were in your place would
not let another day pass without try
ing to get something to do % save az
money for the crash coming. but
wouldn't say word to Arthur to dis
courage him and so bring it all the
sooner"
Having said her say and been az
mean about 1t as she could. the old
maid departed and left the young wifi,
in tears. Something to do? Why. yes
She had always been asked why she
didn't develop her talent for painting
She would begin little picture thai
very day. She would paint one ever,
day until she had six on hand ant
then send them TO different art stores
Each one would probably be accepted
and paid for on sight She nigh
start her savings account with 5000.
The young wife dried her tears
brushed her hair and within an hou
had begun picture No. /. Nothing wai
said about bankruptcy when her hus
band came home. She did not ever
mention that the old maid had called
Once upon time, before her mar
riage. the wife had had occasion Il
send or telegram, and friend hat
told her that II 1t was marked rusl
1t would be sent and answered in hail
the usual time. She remembered thi.
when her pictures we're ready to sen(
off. On the wrapper Of each she wrot,
a rush" in red ink and then waited
with bated breath for the checks Il
come In The art stores obey the In
junction. They rushed the pictures
back with feeling that life and deatI
depended on their haste.
Her artistic career was a failure
and Mrs. Lee had the sense even ii
her bereavement TO recognize the feet
Taere must be other things at w:dcl
money could be made. however. snt
she consulted five or six hundred I'd
vertisements and finally found on