The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-03-19
HANDLING THE CASH
Bv LAWRENCE ALFRED CLAY
right. 1915, by the Mcclure Newspa
nar SvndicaIel

(Copyright. 1915, by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicateo
They had been married six months
George Curtiss and Kitty Cline. All
had gone we'll, when one afternoon
Kittys Aunt Prue came visiting. Sne
hadn't seen the young wife since ner
marriage and, after drawing a long
breath and getting a good toe noio'
she said: "And now want to ask
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 pei
week."
Save? Why. We haven't saved
anything as yet"
Then it's wuss than l 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. 1t 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 hun
bred dollars if hadn't taken the
money matter ints my own hands
When the subject was changed the
wife found herself thinking it 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. 1t 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?"
"Yes, | do, but"
"Then I'll turn + over to you for
the next three months"
you a"e so good, George"
'You can run the house and every.
thing"
why, | surely thought you would
object"
"Put yeu see don't. have saved
$50 in the last six months though ]
was heoning il secret guess. how.
ever "nu can hca. my record and net
try yNrY hard"
81 s!aii surprise you, dearest"
She surprised him all right. As
there were only two of them, he had
been buying porterhcuse steak For
dinner they now had a round, ard
seeing that she was a tenderfoot the
butcher had charged her the same
price. The grocer weighed her sugar
and butter short, and there was a
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-fve dollars"
81 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 nov
and in two weeks you can nay me for
it. Never miss gooG thing If Won
can help II, | would not say any-
thing to George about it if were
you"
During the last month OF the three
the husband looked so starved end
anxious that the wife eXpected to
near him say any day that he must
turn to barks and roots to get erouob
to fill up on, but he carried the thing
through like patriot.
We'll. the twelve weeks ar. nm"
said the husband one evening.
And | think I can show Won that
am bit of financier." 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 buv
TT hve dollars each. but never mind
that" '"'
Here Is some silver stock that Aunt
Prue bought for me-"
Ihen she ought to give YOU your
money back. for that swindle was ay.
posed years ago"
On, George. have been sw:ndled >"
Most surely, but what else?"
bought two seashore lots"
heard YOU had and looked them
up They are on the edge of a hiy
New Jersey swamp"
"And-and-"
IND you buy half of Lake Erie for
a melon patch?"
Not quite. only bought sor
STOCK In Peruvian gold mine"