Ripley County democrat. (Doniphan, Mo.) 1905-1920, 1911-12-29


fees.
In the first enthusiasm Of having
such nice house to live in The dcp
did not loom ominous.
why" Ida said, gayly, cts so per-
fectly splendid, having this instead Of
q stuffy four,room fat like everybody
else has that | shan't mind giving up
things bit!"
That was at first. When days fol
lowed days they began to look at each
other seriously over the papers COW
cred with figures, They loved the the
ater and now they had TO give 1t ~.
In fact they had to give up almost ev-
erything they had enjoyed, even their
friends II their friends entertained
them It meant that they must ent,t-
tain In return.
Life resolved itself into a grim
struggle to make their payments Ida $
clothes got shabby and Brill learned
to walk by a cigar case and keep his
eyes straight ahead They learned to
stay at home evening after evening
and they took to reading aloud as
diversion and to the multiplication
table and long division as a necessity.
So 1t had been long, hard struggle
and now Brill was glad It was ended.
1T seems queer" he said at dinner
that night for the dozenth time, TO
think that it's all over-that we
haven't got to SC. mp and L,ncA and
gave money for anything special We
can have a better time now!"
We'll enjoy llfe," Ida said dreamily
resting her chin on Ter clasped hands.
Think Of all the things we can dol"
well, what shall we do?" asked
Brill?
His wife regarded him with a puz-
Zled look. why | don't know" she
said, slowly. "All the things we've
wanted to and couldn't since we wera
married, suppose. And 1t will }
fine not to have the worry"
They stayed at home that evening,
fitfully reading and discussing the fact
that they were cut bf debt and re-
moved from the necessity Of scr'mr-
ing. When Brill started downtown In
the morning he remembered to throw
out his chest as he descended til J
front steps, for did he not own h
home and have his full salary to
spend2
They had a fine time for wills
discussing the treats they would have.
They did go to the theater and thoy
bought some new clothes ard lua
Joined a literary club. But afte. 4
while Brill grew restless.
81 don't know what's the matter
with me-" he said 81 guess it's Just
nerves. don't feel right. Sometlll.
seems wrong somehow"
There doesn't seem much to DO,
his wife agreed. 81 can't get up all ia
terest in anything"
They grew silent and abstract
Brill developed a habit Of idly ma
king marks with his pencil on tbs
blank pad Of paper on which hey ha,
done their figuring during the pas
year.
One night he came home late I.
dinner a little breathless, but with |
light In his eye. He spoke rapidly
and almost defantly.
81 suppose you'll be furious at me.
he said, "but ran across good In
: vestment where property is bound t
! go up-and I've bought small stor
building for $1,000 With six years +
pay the mortgage and"
That's Splendid" interrupted hi
wife. excitedly. I'VE can do 1t just q
well as not! I've thought Of ne,
way to cut down our expenses ard In
: dying to try I'll tn be fun to plal
J again and feel that we're really d.
ing somethingl"
: ~well." said her relieved husband
as he reached for the pad OF papel
: 1T does seem to give one somethin
: to live for TO be honestly In debt agai
|. and hare TO fight to get outls