Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-21

T.
totally unacuuainted and had no pun
of any sort. he would soon obtain work.
He cherished the hope tnat ne Hhsnl
LAND" a place n certain line OF en-
deayer in which he was much interested.
While a circuit of Washington's enter
prises Of this nature soon told him In no
uncertain manner that there was practl-
cally no chance there, he was not dls-
mayed.
He turned at once to find temporary
employment as a salesman, and at hrst
was m Idly surprised to ind that, con-
trary to expectation. statesmen are IN no
particular demand In Washington. There
followed three weeks of anxious tramp
ing over the city, looking for work. NOT
day did the husband lose from his quest,
his wife constantly encouraging m. tell
ing him that surely young man VINO was
a total abstainer and possessor OF
many positive qualities that afforded MIN
a living in the past could not be without
work long.
obtained q conditional promise of future
employment in the desired line of work
and was given to understand that the
wages would be good, though the precise
amount was not set. At the middle or
the fourth week he announced to his Wife
that temporary work had been found.
What will be the wages" she asked.
"Six dollars a week and carfare, re-
piled the husband, with a look of disgust.
The emergency fund had been seriously
depleted by this time. although the cost
of board and room for the month had
been reasonable enough. The husband
and wife had planned to keep house, and
they determined to find suitable. reason
able quarters. within walking distance OF
downtown. He at once set out to find the
place. starting from the neighborhood of
Franklin Square. trudging for several
days from street to street in the north
west section. studying the neighborhoods
and houses he passed and using the
knowledge of the city he had previously
acquired to guide him to the proper local
ity. Finally he pulled the bell at a house
not very far from the State Department
and asked concerning the unfinished
rooms announced by a neat card in the
window.
Almost instantly, on being shown two
large. airy. connecting rooms on the
second floor, he was sure they would be
their first home. In little while he re-
turned with the good wife. who con-
firmed his choice. By close bargaining
the two rooms were rented for $14 per
month and the ewner of the place agreed
to build a small kitchenette in one cor
ner of the dining room, taking in one of
the large windows and making an excl
lent place for cooking A large bench
cooking table was to be installed at the
ing was offered by the owner at an ad-
ditional 81 80 per month. They happily
set about furnishing the rooms. Know
ing that their stay in Washington was
various storage houses in the city. care
fully selecting simple but substantial fur
niture. In most instances paying not more
than one-haf what the same fittings
would have cost at the retail stores.
Eagerly the husband undertook the
temporary employment he had obtained.
Although 1t paid only part of the ex-
pense of the home. he was cheered by
the prospect of more remunerative work
In the near future. He anticipated that
the wages received would be sufficient to
pay the household expenses, and enable
them to gradually repay to the emer-
gency fund the amount they had been
compelled to borrow from 1t. The wife
her previous training would permit, and
set herself at once diligently to the task
of getting q full one-hundred-cents'
worth out Of every dollar spent.
In less than a month letter was re-
ceived asking the husband to report at
once and arrange the preliminaries for
commencing the work upon which his
mind was set. He answered the letter in
person. joyously, every nerve a-tingle,
delighted with the prospect of finally
getting a definite start in Washington
Closeted with the manager for half an
hour, he told Of his qualifications for the
place. Of his ambitions, and why he wish
ed SO much to begin work there Per-
haps he was bit overanxious in his re-
cital Perhaps he showed too plainly
that he really needed the work. AT any
rate, when he was told what were the
best wages he would receive for work
that "for a while"-as the manager
glibly told him-was to require his time
of the day Of rest which is the right of
every man, his heart fell. But he took
the job.
What are the wages?" asked his wife.
upon his return home
Fifteen dollars a week, for seven days
work" he replied. And she knew by
the bitterness in his tone that it was
final for them.
Can We make it: Mary" he asked
Each gazed into the face of the other
and read there the slowly gathering de-
termination. The iron was rising In
their blood. The firm lips of the hus-
band frightened.
I'VE can. 1t won't last long," she
echoed.
And so II was settled that. come what
might. at least one young man was to
gain professional education in Wash
ington and his wife to do on less than
she had planned and economic for pur
pose.
But such things are easier said than
done. They sat down and commenced
to figure on accounts They found facts
small number OF very small expenditures
sill total more than s15 per week. Sums
of the necessary expenditures were set