The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-09-21
When a Girl
Marries
Annie Forces Jim to
Adopt a Policy of
Real Economy in
Home.
By Ann I.isle.
runurup WYNN

n miracle had happened, Jim
4 \ walked to his first morning
in our new home In a frame
of mind that seemed to belong to
the Fearless Jim" OF the old days
in the aviation. He was gay, hope
full, and boyish-the agony OF the
night before seemed like q bad
dream-my dream, not Jim's.
When, after breakfast. we re-
solved ourselves into a COMMITTEES
of ways and means and approached
the question I had been dreading
since the night before-"What can
you do to earn living?"-my hus-
band stared at me in high good
humor.
well, you certainly are q game
little sport, Anne Harrison! You
you sure did take a chance-marry-
ing me without knowing whether I
could even-keep you in shoe laces."
1 stared at my husband In amaze
ment-was there nothing he could
take seriously7 And then back Ct
his light words gllmpsed a strug-
gle to master himself. to hide some
trouble from me. " still with the
tense grip on himself Ihat masked
under idle laughter. he went on, ex-
aIting me as he spoke:
You little wonder. Why-
might have been the butcher, the
baker, the candlestiek maker"
I remembered the morning when
Betty Bryce had sta=tei a Fentenss
which Jim's coming interrupted
whether Jim likes it or not" she
had said. Il am going to tell you
some OF the things you need to
understand" But I ignored Betty
in my reply TO jim
Jimmie, boy. wen md . way -
earn jam for our bread and butter
some day. and In the meantime TN
take my bread dry"
Then-two weeks after I had b
come his "Iife partner"-my hus-
band and discussed his actual buSt
ness training. From the moment
that poverty overlook the Harrisons
and Jim was forced to leave college
he had been engaged IN the import
ing business. At the outbreak q
war he deserted his beads ana
chains and novelties for the joy Of
serving against Germany. II was
q nourishfng business Jim left, but
It Ianguished and died during his
absence. There was no chance Of
reviving It and It was he only
game he knew.
wen be practical now, Jimmie
20 through the ads In the paper
with me. I got in three or four
morning editions"
But we could and nothing suited
to Jim in any OF the papers The
shadow Of self-distrust lay on his
face for a moment Then he ban
ished 1t with one of his quick, boy
fish smiles.
"T'u go around to see some other
people tomorrow. Come on, kiddie.
wen go to the Rochambeau for din
nerve need q consolation party
cried Jim, with all his buoyEnt
cheeriness In the ascendant again
mo, sIr!" / declared. You cone
open a can of tomatoes 50 l can
make sauce for the meat balls
you're going to eat right off your
own little table. You're out OF
Job, boy-Jimmie and Annie have
to be saving"
Jim opened the tomatoes and
made a laundering attempt to slice
peaches. But he wasn't particularly
happy in our little kitchenettet
After dinner, 1 fairly pinned him
to a corner of the Jack-of-all-traaes
refectory table
NOW. boy, Anne has her noeS-
book all ready and you're going 70
dictate the FIRST draft OF your ~
ticle for Haldane's. I'll type II to-
morrow while you're seeing I'M
porters."
At that Jim exclaimed:
why, little princess, we're ricAl
I'd forgotten those articles TheyH
bring US In a princely income-An
of a hundred q month to add to my
other earnings. We can afford -
live like kings. Say, Riddle. meat
balls are not-royl fare-why did
you have them7"
felt myself turn crimson TherO
had been oO-odd cents In my purso
when went out to buy our dinnee-
Chopped meat was the best could
afford.
They are-nutriious-an econ
omical." brought out at last
Jim looked at me with dawning
understanding. Then he pulled out
-
thumbed off two or three green
backs and handed them to me.
IF this isn't enough, Anne sAy
SO. I'm ashamed I didn't think Of
II, but you should have told me-
Come, let's go to a movie. I've had
enough sordid details for one day.
There's no hurry about the article
plenty of cash on hand"
l stared at the bills Jim had
thrust into my hand-then I said:
"Dear-this Is a lot OF money.
Can you afford to give me -
much? It's $50! I won't begin -
use this in a week"
"Oh, Just use 1t up-and when
it's gone ask me for more"
sBut, Jim, we ought to have .
regular" / began. hating the
thought OF trying to pin my gen
erous husband down to a definite
weekly allowance
I'VE ought to have a regular
lark noww laughed Jim. AS long
as 1 have a dollar you share IT,"
Then a terrifying thought swept
over me. AT the rate We were
going how long would Jim have
"a dollar to share?"
To BE Continued