The Mountainair independent., 1918-03-28
Mr.. SIMPKINS PAYS
HIS INCOME TAX
Nv ROBERT McRLAlR.

Deen promoted IoF '1IOT ut llk llle
Civil War and had died hravely on the
field of action. Mr. Slmpklns' throat
aehed now for two reasons First. he
reverenced and adored The memory OF
his father; secondly. his age and his
eyes and his game leg wouldn't let him
60 TO war himself. And as he observed
the martial bearing and uncompremis-
ing gaze Of Colonel Simpkins lie saw,
IN Imagination. the khAki-clad lads Of
the new generation marching forth and
crossing three thousand miles Of sen to
hght. maybe die for liberty
Mr.. Slmpkins pccrpd around to make
sure that neither Ness nor John twhn
were at the teasing ages OF sixteen
and seventecn) were whore they could
see him. then he straightencd and
threw his right arm up for salute.
But his goutv shoulder winged and he
groaned He couldn't even salute.
"Damn" !" said Mr. slmpkins and
with his her hand fercely twirled his
white mus achios
He turned and Iimned into the H.
brary and sat down crcakily before the
mahogany desk on which were lying
the blanks for his income tax state.
ment, blanks which he had rather
grunplly got from he Internal Reve-
nue. officer only that dav after lunch
con on his way home from the club.
Mr.. Simpkins' income for 1917 had
amounted to JUS about $4,000, md he
had been rather snappy on the sub.
ject OF taxes ever since he had discOv-
cred that the more income man has
the greater the percentage OF II he
pays In taxes. He could think Of sew
eral men who, like himself, were mar
ried and had two children, and yet,
although their incomes were nearly
half Of his they would pay only a
small fraction Of the amount he paid.
He glo0mily drew the blank nearer
and began filling in the information
that 1t asked for.
AS Mr. Simpkins' income was $1,000
he had to figure out the amounts pay
able on each Of the successive smaller
classes Of incomes in order to arrive
at the total due from himself. He
passed over the first class who must
pay taxes. that Ia single men making
over 1000 His calculation for mar
ried men then showed up as follows:
First, they pay 2 per cent. tunder
the 1915 law on all income over
$4,000, deducting 5000 for each Of their
children under eighteen years. In Mr..
Simpkins' case this was 1912, which he
put down In the payable" column.
He saw next that. Under the 1917
law. married men pay an additional 2
per cent. on all over 81 000-with the
same allowance for children. This
added 1852 to his payable" column.
He then observ : that for every
So 800 Jump In lis income over $1,000
he had to pay SurtaX, the percentage
growing larger with each jump. This
was $3.50 more added to his burden.
And on top of all this came an "Ex.
cess Profits" tax of per cent. on all
"occupa ton" income over $4,000. maxi
ing $720 more.
The total, then, he must pay was four
teen hundred and thirty-four dollars
"Whew!" exclaimed Mr. Simpklns
angrily. There's young Henry VIII
kins. who married Jake Johnsons girl,
he makes $4,000 and he doesn't pay a
cent Of taxes guess this is his war
as we'll as mine!"
Thinking Of young Henry wilkins,
he remembered that Mrs. Wilkins went
every afternoon TO make bandages for
the Red Cross and that Henry, who
was lawyer, was aiding the Local
Draft Board with its questionnaIres.
"Well." he admitted to himself,
that makes a difference"
He thought next Of Judge Willough-
hy. whose income was about $4,000
"He only pays 500" commented Mr..
Simpkns, not quite so angrily this
time; and then thought struck him
and lie sat up rigidly In his chair.
Judge WiIloughby's son had been
drowned on the Tuscania when II was
submarned with the loss of two hun.
dred soldiers.
Judge WiIloughby rave his son to
America" muttered !ir SimpkIns
He leaned forward suddenly and put
his face In his hands.
For a long time Mr. Simpklns sat
very still In that position. There was
no sound in the library except the
ticking of the fall clock and an occa-
siGnaI trill Of laughter from the chill
dren skyIarking upstairs. The square
of light on the carpet gradually with
drew itself through the window. and
first twilight and then darkness settled
In pbout the quiet. white haired, some
times Irascible old man.
Mr.. Simpkins was thinking things
Which he would never afterward speak
of. he was thinking things that were
too sacred ever to he put into words.
BIT some inkling of his thoughts may
he found In his rcjoInder to Mrs
SlmpkIns when that placid lady came
In and turned on the lights. and asked
him whether he was ready for dinner.
"Judge Willoughby's only son was
worth as much as fourteen hundred
and thlrty-four dollars, wasn't her
Mr. Simpkins demanded of her.
AS his wife, who was not unused to
hts superficial lrritations. watched him
in mild astonishment, Mr.. Simpklns
limped out to the hall and took his
old felt hat and silver-headed cane