The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1910-03-30
Making Both
Ends Meet

Billy was speaking in strict conf
dence to a friend.
you know the kind of girl l mean
tall, stately, dark, neck curving grace
fully forward out Of a sheathy, shim-
merry collar to give the head, z sur
mounted with hair that's all her own,
just the right poise-the kind of girl
you like to walk behind down the
theater aisles on q first night, just far
enough behind to hear the regular
first-nighters' murmurs of apprecia-
ton.
We'll, that's Louise.
"As for Betty, Louise's sister-well.
you didn't notice that she was short
and just a little too stout after you'd
been talking to her for five minutes
and really got to know her as Fred
and l know her.
"You know Fred. He and 1 have
been so close to each other for years
that we've passed the stage where it
matters when one has a little less
money than the other at the end of
the week. It all goes into the com
mon pool.
$50 1t happened that when Fred
called up Friday afternoon and sug.
gested a show and supper that night
th.Louise and Betty I was just $3.50
strong, but willing. We were hav-
ing dinner early and were just in the
midst OF it when the telephone bell
rang frantically and Fred called over
the wire that the girls had been shop.
ping and we were to meet them down
town for dinner. But at that it was
all right for l thought Fred would
have enough to settle the dinner bill.
Assfor the theater, l had one pair of
tickets on call at the box Office, and
an extra pair beside them would only
set us back three dollars more, SO 1
felt safe.
1T wasn't until, Fred slipped me the
danger signal on a card underneath
the table that / began to get nervous.
It read:
Tn here with four. How are you
fixed?'
= flashed back: Three and a half
Figure it out for yourself: Seven
and q half against two hungry maids
and a pair of show tickets-and we
just had to eat. The waiter doomed.
o~bsequiously but none the less omi-
nous over us and
We'll, Louise wasn't hungry, she
said. A few frogs legs would do-and'
maybe a cup Of coffee, though she did
MT care much for either; she was only
ordering to be sociable.
Sister said for us to 20 ahead and
order-she wanted to study the bill
awhile.
Fred spoke for an oyster cocktail.
Really. that raj all he wanted. as
he had q lunch about 4:3O. Talk about
lying like a gentleman! That boy was
an artist.
AS for myself, l could say honestly
and did-that I'd had something be.
fore I left the house and some toast
and coffee would do.
Just then Betty got into the game.
She said: I'm hungry. I'm going to
have some CLANS, a steak. potatoes
aus gratin, celery and some
1.-THE rest was blank to me.
"As for Fred, the last expression l
have Of him was one of utter and
hopeless dejection-wilted down into
his chair, his hands thrust deep in
his pockets and his chin sunk In his
shirt front.
He came back just long enough to
tell the waiter that he'd better make
that two orders Of toast and coffee
that 1t was too early In the season
for oysters
Fred settled the check and
added the half-dollar slipped
him as q tip. This reduced our joint
capital after the show was over t.
the biggest silver quarter you evel
saw.
II told the girls that Fred had t.
get to work early in the morning ant
as it was a Commute ride out to Ev
anston I would go home with then
alone.
Gust az / had said good night a
the door Betty called to me to phon,
Fred that he still had her pocket bool
Ia IA ROCAOC- WOukO NC VIc06c SSu(
1t out by messenger In the morning
Fred answered the phone himsel
when I delivered the message. HI
was laughing, a cold. bitter laugh.
Eyes, I sent 1t. az soon as I go
down in the morning he said. Blu
that isn't the worst Of it! Billy, d
you know how much that girl had ii
long, sleek. crisp yellow backs-an'
in my pocket all that time? Eight
cold dollars! And just to think
His emotions overcame him the,
and he quit talking"
AZ the Seaside.
Winkleborough is q fourishing littl
seaside resort. az everybody knows
of course. and during the season a