New Britain herald., 1915-11-06

vas both lavish in her use of things 1 and wasteful as to the remnants of | food left uneaten. The promise of | economy in her regime, which I had | hugged to my heart when she had ac- | companied me to market, had not been fulfilled.
 Dicky voiced my thought. "You'n have a sweet time keeping within a budget with our Polish friend in the kitchen. Katie and budget would be a scream 'Vot you mean, Missis Graham? A budg-it? Me no know not. Me feex nice dinner, no bodder dot budg-it'"
 Imitation Lifelike. His imitation of Katie's probable bewilderment was so lifelike that 1 lay back in my chair convulsed with laughter. But did not lose sight of the fact that I must finish this dis cussion with Dicky while he was in the mood for it. So I came back again to my original proposition. This time I tried coaxing
 "Dicky boy, please listen. I am awfully in earnest about this, and I don't want to bother you again about it. But won't you tell me what your income is, and then I can have some- thing to work upon.'
 Talents Wasted.
 "Madge, your talents are wasted around here. As a collector for an instalment house or an investigator of the income tax you ought to be worth your weight in gold. But you can't drag any secrets from me, for there are none to drag. Sometimes my income is zero for a week or
 He paused dramatically, and looked at me closely, evidently expecting that I would show signs of dismay. But I knew him we'll enough to wait calmly for the rest of his words.
 And sometimes I have had checks am bunting to a thousand good iron men between the first and the thirty first''
 It was my turn to look bewildered. "A thousand iron men?" I queried doubtfully.
 'I beg a thousand pardons. I will explain. One iron man is one dollar. One thousand iron men, therefore, are one thousand dollars. Do go to the head of the class?'
 You do,'' I replied. 'If I under stand you correctly, sometimes your income is one thousand dollars a month";
 Correct in Understanding.
 "Oh, wise young wife; oh, excellent young woman,' parodied Dicky. " ou are correct in your understanding. Now do you see why I can't tell you how much my weekly income is?''
 'I don't see at all," I persisted. You certainly do not spend the whole thousand in the month you re- Ceive it."
 "Oh, of course, have a checking account" interrupted Dicky. II bank my checks as fast as I get them.' "Well,' I went on triumphantly, 1 then you must know what your year ly income is. If know that I can es- 1 timate the years budget and thus find out about what the expenses or each week or month ought to be. 1 My yearly income, madam" Dicky l sprang to his feet and strutted across l the room pompously, "is known only to the income-tax man. By the time I had it figured out for him I was at tackled with amnesia, and I haven't remembered anything pertaining to money since."
 "Do be serious, Dicky. Don't tease me so.
 Dicky Evidently Subdued.
 Dicky came back to his seat evil dently subdued.
 'I don't mean to tease you, sweet heart,' he said, "but it's such a bore to me to bother about money. Earn ing it and spending it, those are the l only things I know about it. Four years ago my yearly income was so small I'd hate to name the figure just enough to scrape along. Last year pulled down about $6,00O, I suppose, and this year looks as good or better"
 "Why, Dicky!" gasped. "I never | dreamed you were so prosperous. You must have a lot of money saved up or invested.'' r- l Saved. Invested!" Dicky gave 8 short laugh. Shows you don't know much about yours truly. I always 1 keep enough ahead at the bank So I 1 won't run short. I guess my balance is about a thousand, but I haven't a penny anywhere else.' Was Dicky Angry? | Oh! ( Dicky," I suppose my face l was eloquent with my opinion of such l prodigality, for Dicky looked at me l curiously for moment, and then, | Jumping to his feet, began to pace up l and down the room, his head bent, his face grave. He was evidently ponder l ing some course of action. With the memory of his outburst
 the night before before me, I trem-
 hled as I saw his preoccupied face. 1 Had I said too much? Was he angry