The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1917-07-24
SISTER ann BUTTS IN
By LOUISE OLIVER.

costs" Tad confdeG to Sister Ann.
"And I said that 1 didn't know just
how much a pound ii was, though I
did know that the steak we had for
dinner cost just one dollar and three
cents. He didn't in the least mind our
having expensive steak. In fact, l have
it because he likes it. But he wanted
me to know just how much pound
it was. And then he asked me how
much lamb was, and I said 1 didn't
know, though I know just how much
the joint we had on Sunday cost. And
then" but here Tad'S tears got the
better of her and she leaned on Sister
AIMS broad young shoulders and
shook with sobs. And then and
then he said that-he said that if most
men ran their businesses as careleSSly
as women run their homes they would
all be ruined. Oh, how could he, Amp
Ann had gone to her brothers little
bungalow after a frantic appeal from
her sister-in-law, Tad. I'm in such
trouble she said, land I know you
can help me OUT
But I don't like to butt in pro-
tested Ann, who, in spite Of the fact
that she was four years younger than
Tad, was looked upon-perhaps be-
cause she was tall and broad shoulder
ed and level headed-as the natural
arbiter of all Tad's marital difficulties.
II don't like to butt in, and dear
knows l don't know anything about
managing husbands.'
But what am going to do?" walled
Tad. Bert has been your brother
longer than he has been my husband.
You must know how to manage him."
Sister Ann paused for moment.
Nerves" she said at length with
the decision of a specialist arriving at
difficult diagnosis. Both got nerves.
What you need is a change. Get your
mother to ask you to visit her for a
While. Change would do you both
good"
But suppose when l come back
Bert is just as stubborn as ever Sup
pose he still thinks that about the way
women run their houses?"
. leave that to me-" easily promised
:, Ann. I'm not afraid of Bert-because
we aren't in love with each. other, I
suppose. Tell him tonight you are 60
l ing, and if he says anything more
about housekeeping just smile and pre-
tend to be preoccupied with your going
: away plans"
: SO Tad went away. Sister Ann found
her brother Bert at the office the day
after Tads departure. 'What are you
looking so mopie abOut?' she greeted
him, in spite of his cheerful smile.
"Mopie nopie," wondered Bert ooh,
maybe it's cause Tads gone1 Dugh,
as matter of fact, I wasn't 1orry to
see her go-needs a change, I guess.
ooh, has Tad gone to the shore2
Where you going to live?'
martha, the cook, is staying" ex-
planned Bert. II guess we can man
age"
Goodness, can you afford that sort
of thing?" asked Ann. "COOkS are al
ways wasteful when you leave them to
their own devices"
J ooh, are they?" queried Bert, mildly
interested. "Well, Wen see.'
"But what / came in for is this: I
want a jOb-want to earn some money
all my own. Can't you squeeze me in
here somewhere? I'll do anything for
fifteen dollars a week, and I'll bet in
> side Of a week I could be worth three
times that amount to you right here"
Bert smiled, but he was used to TAX
! ing his sister at her word
/ How'd YOU know how to run q
| brokers' Officer"
I'D just apply little good house
i keeping I'd keep my eyes open for one
thing. l was just looking in the waste
/ baskets as | was waiting in the outer
1 office to see you. Why, there was
| enough paper thrown away there by
i carelesshess to last a stenographer a
] week. It's just that men don't notice
those things, | suppose. And the way
| the stenOgraphers waste pencils. I
| was watching them sharpen some.
| They didn't look what they were doing,
| and Of course they didn't care. But
i paper is up and 50 are pencils, and
j still the waste goes on. Do you know,
Bert, | sometimes think if most wOmen
ran their houses as eXtravagantly as
9 most men run their businesses they'd
!. land their husbands in the poOrhouse.'
q OF course, Bert, whose ambition to
3 gain money by saving it as well4,s by
2 making it was well developed accept
q ed his clever young sisters PROPOSE
81 tIOn anu Nllnl1 lew weeks ne agreed
3 with her that she had saved three
I: times her salary. .,el~ III,
D Long head you've got, Ann said
y Bert, and Ann simply smiled and said
q Gust little good housekeeping. Any
z woman would think Of those things if
= she was given free rein. By the way,
when is Tad coming back?"
= "Heaven knows" Bert was decided
q ~ detected. 1--WE asked her to come
a home this week. Let alone being lone
& some as Robinson Crusoe, I'm spend