The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-02-24
HANDLING the Cash
BY LAWRENCE ALFRED CLAY,
Copyright. 1915. by the Mcclure Newspa
per Syndicate.)

~ S~WHSNCe Affixed CLAY
Copyright. 1916. by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate)
They had been married six months
George Curtiss and Kitty Cline. All
had gone well, when one afternoon
Kitty's Aunt Prue came visiting. She
hadn't seen the young wife since her
marriage and. after drawing . long
breath and getting a good toe hold
she said: And now l want to ash
about George:
rs he kind and loving husband :!
why, Aunt Prue. George Is just
the best man In this world" was the
enthusiastic reply.
How much salary does he get?"
twenty-five per week."
And how much do you save per
week."
Save? Why. we haven't saved
anything as yet"
Then it's wuss than I thought far
far wuss Who handles the money!
why, George does, of course"
That's it-that's It! He handles
the money and does what he pleases
with it. It is no wonder"
But doesn't the husband always
save the money!"
He does where the wife is an
idiot. Lord alive, child, any wife is
five times as capable Of handling the
house money as the husband We
never should have been worth a hun.
dred dollars II hadn't taken the
money matter into my own hands,"
When the subject was changed the
wife found herself thinking 1t would
be very nice to handle the money.
but was almost sure the husband
would not consent, but he came home
with surprise for her. It happened
he had heard that Aunt Prue was at
the house that afternoon, and know
ing her ideas on finance he suspected.
kitty, I've been thinking things
over today"
What things?"
Don't you think you could make my
salary go further than do?"
Eyes, l do, but"
Then I'll turn 1t over to you for
the next three months"
you are SO good. George"
You can run the house and every.
thing"
why, surely thought you would
object"
"But you see don't. l have saved
$50 In the last six months, though I
was keeping it secret. guess, how.
ever. you can heat my record and not
try very hard"
Il shall surprise you, dearest"
She surprised him all right. As
there were only two of them, he had
been buying porterhouse steak. For
dinner they now had a round, and
seeing that she was tenderfoot the
butcher had charged her the same
price. The grocer weighed her sugar
and butter short, and there was q
skimping Of potatoes. In two weeks.
however. the wife had managed to
save $14, and then Aunt Prue came
again.
"You don't want to put your money
in the bank" said the old lady. You
send for one of those secondhand
sewing machines that are advertised
as good as new. You can surely save
thirty-five dollars"
II WILL
"A man called at the house yes
terday with stock in silver mine to
sell. 1t Is a stock to be sold only to
ministers and widows, but after some
coaxing. and after promising never to
tell, he let me have fifty dollars
worth Of stock for SIS. It will pay
dividends of so per cent.
"But I'll buy the stock for you now,
and in two weeks you can pay me for
1t. Never miss a good thing II you
can help It, l would not say any
thing to George about 1t If I were
you"
During the last month of the three
the husband looked so starved and
anxious that the wife expected to
hear him say any day that he must
turn to barks and roots to get enough
to fill up on, but he carried the thing
through like a patriot.
We'll. the twelve weeks are up"
said the husband one evening.
And I think I can show you that
am a bit of a flnancier," was the
proud reply.
The sewing machine had been
brought over that afternoon, and the
husband was led into its presence.
How much?'
only fifteen dollars"
Il know Of three secondhand ma.
chimes here in town that you can buy
at I'VE dollars each, but never mind
that"
Here is some silver stock that Aunt
Prue bought for me-"
Then she ought to give you your
money back, for that swindle was ex.
posed years ago"
"Oh. George. have I been swindled Z"
Most surely, but what else?"
Il bought two seashore lots"
Il heard you had and looked them
up. They are on the edge of q big
New Jersey swamp"
"And-and-"
Did you buy half of Lake Erie for
a melon patch?"
Not quite. only bought some
stock in a Peruvian gold NINE"
Il see. Now we will figure ub
what you have saved in your twelve
weeks"
Don't, George-don't!" she sobbed.
But, you see"
III you won't. you may call Aunt
pruo ON idiot