Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-07-01

Bill wanted ono of these big English
cowhide kit bags which cost about $50
and have the bored look of q British
globe trotter. 1t wasn't a mere passing
fancy. for he had wanted one ever since
no was seventeen years old. but had
never been able to catch up with the
price When he first recognized the
longing for this sort of thing the price
was 335. and Bill didn't have IS cents.
Later. when he got job somewhere
for So q week, his attempt to save $35
nearly strangled him: and after two
years Of terrific strain he almost gave
it up but on being promoted to IS a
week he took q fresh hold and began
saving all over again. By that time
the price had increased to $31, and. to
make matters worse, Bill began to get
common sense. Incidentally some one
gave him q large and square-cornered
suit case. Thus equipped he was able
to do all the travelling a man on IS
a week is entitled to. but every time
he saw squashy. 1oppy cowhide kit
bag he devoured 1t with his eyes and
gave himself up to q glorious orgy OF
envy and despair
Time passed on and Bill was married
He had never saved up enough money
TOT thAt iuXuF1OuS Dag, altnouSn ne mao
reached the dizzy heights OF $4J or $50 a
week. Yet he always wanted one. His
wife doting little creature, would say
to him:
What do you want for Christmase
And Bill would reply:
Did you ever see one OF those Eng
lish kit bags made of cowhide2"
What. those ugly. old fioppy things
without any shape"
NO. those fine smart looking COW
hide bags in which you can carry every
thing you have All the worlds best
and most aristocratic travellers -.
them. That's what I want for Christ
mas"
But. honey" she would answer. I'VE
have two trunks and my little black
handbag and your suit case. What OF
earth DO you want with an ugly old
cowskin thing? Now. I saw the cutes,
little reading lamp that 1 think you
would just love -"
If you are a married man you'll know
just how 1t Is yourself. There wasn't
any moro chance Of Bill getting tina,
kit bag from friend wife than there
was Of raising one from a package OF
seeds The first Christmas she gave
Christmas she gave hir~ six orange
spoons On two birthdays she gave
him the finest kind Of bed quilts and
on the third Christmas she made hin
wonderfully happy with lovely little
rug for the front hall.
One day heaven opened and dropped
$3.50 into Bilps lap. 1t came from a sourc,
entirely unexpected 1t. came on a day
when Bill owed no man a cent. ant
neither did friend wife. All the house
hold bills. the Misunderstanding hat
been paid, and each one of those dollar.
was Bills.
Then and there he cashed that checl
and. marching around to the luggage store
he bought the kit bag of his dreams. ant
paid $50 for it, had his initials painted
on one end in bold red letters and fol
the moment assumed the importance of 6
person who was out to go somewhere OF
a really adventurous voyage
Then he took the rest of that money
ten fine, crisp ten-doIlar bills-and rushed
home to friend wife Maybe she wasnt
happy to get that money. She planned
a hundred uses for each dollar an6
crooned and laughed and giggled all thai
evening.
But on the next day!
The luggage store sent home Bills bag
with his red initials. Friend wife tool
one look at it and turned mad dog. She
grabbed the telephone. Called up BiIrs