The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-08-19
A MORNING

1t was $50 and the radiators were
still little cold. Dad had gone to the
office. The children had been got on
to school with their lunchboxes and
clean handkerchiefs. Little Jack had
squeezed out four tears because he
didn't want to go-he would rather
stay home with you. muvver." But
muvver had explained that 1t was not
manly to cry, and he had stopped with
a few pathetic gulps and had his blue
eyes wiped and his small nose polish.
ed off. And Sarah had taken his mite
of a hand and walked him on to his
mornings education. Big sister Vfr-
ginia went willingly. She was IN the
fourth grade and already had girl
friends and social interests.
The house settled into quiet at last
and Edith Ferrcl, not realizing that
she sighed, gathered her fuzzy pink
houserobe tightly about her for
warmth and sat down at her desk. 1t
oozed bills. Here was one from the
department store, the first item OF
which was the fuzzy homegrown
$4.98. Edith had wanted to get bet
ter one (this was not wearing well at
all and she knew it wouldn'D, but lit
tie Jack absolutely had to have shoes
and Virginia's frocks were all out
grown.
And there were charges of S.. 10 for
half dozen sheets and $3.50 for Pill
lowcases and $40 for wee pair OF
blankets for Jacks crib. There was
no end to the list, the only article on
| it for herself being the. pink house
gown. And Edith Ferrol wondered il
she really ought to have bought that
But it was so chilly in the apartment
mornings and her Bingham dresses
were worn and faded.
! Having checked of the drygoods
bill, which totaled $2319. she turned
to the grocery book. Edith hated thai
grocery book. She never felt sure the
items were right, because half the
time she couldn't decipher the German
clerks handwriting. What, for In
j stance, could IS. rasin f." mean? Oh
! yes, selfraising -four. But how abou
- cikres. .32"? Edith ehewed hel
pencil. Light came at last. Chicor.
salad. 1t was the only thing that be
gan with sc" that they had had fou
of last week.
| 1t was 10 o'clock when Edith go
the bills in order. She had been in
terrupted twice by the telephone, one
by woman at the door selling soap
four times by Sarah, who wanted t.
know whether she should give tn
laundry man all Virginia's petticoat
and Jacks drill suits or do some O
them herself; whether she should pu
prunes to soak, whether Mrs. Ferro
had ordered the new hall runner, be
cause the children were always fallin
over the torn place, and whether MI
Ferrol's blue-striped shirt would stan
another patch between the shoulder
had he fused much about the las
one?
Then Mrs. Ferrol dressed and Wen
to market Merciful goodness, VIVA
prices! Chops 38 cents, eggs SO,
cents for three and half pounds G
sugar. bacon nearly four times wha
it cost two years ago! And how job
loved bacon and missed it when Their
wasn't any! Well, corne dbeef wa
cheap. Edith decided on a boiled dir
ner. What? Corned beef had gone u
too-94 cents for three and three
quarter pound piece? Edith sighe
helplessly and ordered some lamb fo
a stew.
I Oh. for money, money, money
Why couldn't John give her a regula
allowance each week as most of tn
women she knew? Why must sh
have eternally to worry and skimp an
pinch and go without, and contriv
ways and means to make ends NEE
and then, likely as not, have John con
plain at the fare and say, "Commis
sions were good this month. Edit
why couldn't you go little more Iii