Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-01

could not have realized how much Of pa
tient endeavor the money represented or
she would never have made the remark
she did.
mona, Ralph ?! s,a made ss;a seven hundred this
Another man would have given up try
ing to please her after that. But George
Welton plodded ceaselessly on. with
thoughts of the time when he could give
her everything she wanted.
He began to dread the day he was paid
1t was never enough. never half enough.
He fell into childish way of cashing
the check before he reached home to
make the amount seem larger. He could
not bear to deny her anything. to tell her
that dollhouse flowers, taxi hire and cost
ly entertaining were beyond their means
Instead he watched his modest provision
for a rainy day follow his monthly earn
ings.
At last it was all gone. There was no
longer any hope Of his love shielding her
from an exact knowledge Of their circum-
stances. He broke it to her half play
fully one night, as she perched on an arm
OF his Morris chair.
Dear" he said. smiling up at her
we've got to begin to practice economy
with a capital E.
Flossie shook her yellow-crowned head
at him. II don't like economy" she
objected. II think it's horrid.''
But it's only for a time he pleaded.
Il know 1t won't be for long. And any
things better than running in debt If
we can manage to keep our feet for the
balance of this year think we'll be all
right In fact. I'm pretty sure of it.
Old Wetherbank spoke to me about it
himself. Rand. their Euporean buyer. is
leaving them this year. and I'm sure to
have the place. That means everything
you desire-tr1ps abroad. everything
F1ossie still pouted. But don't want
things next year." she said. Il want
them nnw Mauha naYf voar Won't on
Joy them SO much. I want things now.
We can get them now and pay for them
next year.
II wouldn't be willing to do that. F1os-
fair to run in debt for iuxurtes with no
surety OF paying for them"
Il thought you said you were sure"
so am-reasonably. But nothing
sure. There's many a slip Lots of
''Oh. lots of things do happen" she
cried. "but never anything good. We're
no better off than We were; we're worse.
for you even srudge the little that !
spend. I'm tired of 1t. If you can't
make good I want to go back home until
you do"
And then George Welton was alone. II
was characteristic of him that he bal
anced the books before he went to bed
and characteristic of Flossie that she
cried herself to sleep and did not appear
before he left in the morning.
The next day he dragged himself wear
lily home. He was out of concert with
himself and with life. Flossie was sulkily
silent. Dinner over, they went into the
living room from force of habit, but die
not take their accustomed chairs. Fioss1e
pretended to read. Her husband made
no such pretense. but watched her with
hurt, grave eyes. At last he spoke. His
voice rang abrupt and unreal.
"Flossie." he said, I'm willing for you
to 60 home for a while. if you want to
can't bear to feel that you're dissatisfied
and unhappy. And I guess, as you say
I'm not the kind to make good. l had ar
opportunity today to put $500 in youi
pocket and didn't take it."
"Why?" she questioned. coldly.
'Why?" The Lord knows! Because
I'm a fool, guess. One of the men who
wants to get the trade of the firm pu'
800 on my desk. God knows how my
fingers itched for 1t! How thought OF
your face II I could bring that mucn
homei How I hesitated! How ! put love
and honor on the scales and found ou'
that honor topped them! How put love
and honor on theml I put the money IL
his hand and ordered him out of tho
Office But coming home I thought how
disappointed you'd be in me. And | real
| ICED that I could never make good after
your fashion-that We don't thinf
alike -,
He stopped and covered his face with
| his hands, E1oSsie crossed the E0on