The Press., 1918-07-18
135e $16.45 Suit
 ~0 By VINCENT c. PERRY
opyright. 1918, by the Mcclure
 per Syndicate.)

Copyright. 1918, by the Mcclure Newspa-
 per Syndicate.)
 The window of the Leading Gents Furnishing Store" of the city present ed a display that gladdened the hearts of bargain hunters. David Laird could not be classed as a bargain hunter, but just the same he stopped in front ef the window and looked over the suits displayed. They were all marked down to $16.45. They looked very well on the dummies and appeared worth the price. It was for new suit he had come downtown, and these were new suits-so that was all he cared, and he went in to purchase one.
 Walter Mitchell, manager of the store and a personal friend of David's, got away from the bargain hunter, who had been debating for over an hour on which suit would wear longest and for Dave.
 "I want a suit, Walt" Dave an- nOunced, after he had been welcomed by Mitchell.
 "COme right upstairs to our fitting department. We have some splendid new cloth in, and our tailOrs can have a suit made up in record time when they know 1t Is for you. You are the best advertisement they have"
 Mitchell started to lead the way, but Dave put restraining hand on his shoulder.
 No. Walt; I want a ready-made suit-One of those $16.+5 ones in the window" he said.
 "What?" Mitchell asked in surprise. "A sixteen-fOrty-five suit for you? You're jOking!"
 But Dave assured him he was not.
 "Well. Dave. you always have had the name of being the best-dressed man at the club, and the most par ticular. What will Miss FOrsythe say about you appearing in d cheap suit?" Mitchell was not quite convinced of Dave's sincerity.
 Tt won't make any difference to Hester. Why should it? You didn't see me at her house last night. did yOu?" Dave's injured tone showed where the contention lay.
 ''No, but I thought you were out of town. I didn't think 1t possible that Hester and you could. ever become as angry at one another as all that. Your little quarels always seem to patch up quicker and easier than anyone else'S."
 "Well, there Is no sign of this one patching up, and I hope it never does. Hester has gone too far this time," Dave said decidedly. "How about the suitT'
 Dave did not take long in choosing a suit. Almost the first one he tried on fitted him, and he ordered 1t sent to his apartment. After he had gone out Mitchell looked after him, per plexed. "Whatever has got into Dave Laird to wear cheap suit, I don't know. Cad, though. even 1t looked good on him." he said to himself. ''Tn bet this quarrel is the cause of the whole thing. I've heard of fellows going to the dogs just over a quarrel with some girl, and this Is about the first step down for Dave."
 Lave dEFIf0u dI HIS apartment De- fore the suit. It was not from neces- sity he had bought the suit, but from force of habit. It had been his GUS tom to buy new suit the first of every month, and he was going to find the habit hard to break.
 'T'm never going to be extravagant again." he said to himself as he went through his wardrobe. "Pll send all these clothes to the Old Peoples home. Heavens, wouldn't some old man look great in this pinch-back; 1t cost $65, and doesn't look much at that p
 The idea of the old man in his smart suit appealed to Dave's sense of hu- nor and he laughed for the first time in two days.
 Mitchell surmised correctly when he thought Hester was the cause of Dave's cheap purchase. Dave had al- ways had more money than he knew what to do with, and had little idea how to make himself really miserable. Changing his appearance and "going on the rocks" he thought, would be the most terrible things that could happen to him and would affect Hester