Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1910-01-04

Author OF Paid In full and THE
Easiest Way"
her daughter. assume an exasperating
might have been.
During the four years of their mar
ried life Brooks salary had been
raised only $50 month. although in
addition to his work as accountant, to
which he had been assigned after Mr..
Harris death, that of collector had
been thrust upon him. 1t had been
hard. bitter experience for pretty little
Mrs. Brooks. this unaccustomed dr,ldg-
cry of homework. this continuous
securing of greasy pots and pans and
washing Of dishes. which she loathed;
this deprivation of comforts and luxu-
ries that she had known all her life:
this privation Of many personal things
considered Indispensable by the dainty
woman; this necessity of perpetual
rigid economizing. which barely suf-
feed to make both ends meet. She de.
prived herself of much needed cloth
Ing. to say nothing Of fnery. that Joe
might go properly clad to his Office
but she never for that reason descend
cd to slovenliness. never ''let herself
60" as so many women in their own
households make the mistake of doing.
and never had she allowed one word
of complaint. one indication of regret.
to escape her. She had married Joe
for love. for better or for worse. and
resigned herself bravely and chaerfully
to the consequences. however hard to
/ bear. hoping for the better times that
We're so long in coming and encour-
aging her husband to fight on and
win.
Joe. for his part. lacked his wife's
grit and energy. and constant disap-
pointment had undermined his forti.
tude. He loved Emma. He hardly
could have done otherwise. though
calculation had entered largely into
his counting of her. Chivalrously
while the sweet bliss of their early
married life held him in its spell. he
had done as much of the heavier work
nf the mena%e as he could TO spare
her when time and opportunity afford
ed. hut very naturally he had soon
tired of this where is the man who
does ot:-and by degrees had left as
much of 1t rs he could to her. except
when his moods of optimism and af.
fertionate solicitude impelled him tC
go to her assistance AT such times he
wanted To do ii all.
On The evening following his out
burst at the office he WAS still resent
fui and down in The mouth" when he
let himself into his little fiat. and the
smiles of his wife as she raised hel
roSclalJ lips 10 receive his kiss OF
greeting failed to dispel his gloom.
You seem nut of sorts tonight
dear" 81" said solicitously ANY
thin. wr',n@ II The utlice?'
"\"ilii'. IL particular. I'm tire6
ard hnn"rN "frer shaving all day i,
this awful heat. that's all
Never nrd Su,ner's all ready, sc
sit down and tuck in"
What did YOU get:"
"Chnrs and potatoes"
Toe turned up his nose. but took his
sp;ii III inl'r AID began to eat He
answered his wife's questions in mon.
syliahlrs His thoughts. ii was plain
were no, on his mea! or Emma's con
versation, and, seeing that he was pre-
occupied and troubled, she ceased to
Try to engage his attention.
Il paid the gas bill today" he vouch
rnI ..
than last MONTH"
Ninety cents more she commented
with concern. I'm sure we didn't
Use half as much And we owe the
butcher four-siXty."
Every month it costs more to live
] don't know what we are going to do
I'm sure
I'm sorry. Joe. Goodness knows
Try to be as economical as can"
II know. but it's all wrong. It's al
wrong that you should be spelling
your hands with those beastly greas,
pans. They weren't meant for sucf
work. | wish we could afford Il hireG
girl
so do l, but we can't. so what's the
use of wishing? Didn't you get the
raise you asked Captain Williams
for?" she inquired.
No"
He hung his head and lapscd into
gloomy silence. She dropped the NOR
sci she was raising to her mouth an(
rose from the table. filed with dis
may. her appetite completely gone
Tears of disappointment followed thu
realization of what the failure of thei
plans meant. for neither had doubted
that his request would be compiled
with. and she had built many castles
in the air on the strength of it, A few
dollars more Il week added to thei
distresSingly small income would hav,
meant much to them. But, gazing a
her husband sitting there utterly de
jected and crushed, her heart went on
to him in pity and love, and she moved
over to his chair and put her arm con
solingy round his neck.
Never mind, Joe, boy" she urged
: don't look SO solemn We're no Wors