Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1919-09-05


venture az One Way Out.
One expert, analysing the problem
Of the high cost Of living, sets forth
that a dollar now is worth 60 cents.
Another equally eminent, says 1t is
worth only As cents. So II appears
clear, anyway, that a dollar Is not
worth a dollar.
John Bemish of Chicago finds 500
the same old 500, except that it won't
stretch nearly so farm his pay en-
velope every week. There are four
children, the oldest fourteen years, the
youngest five, and all with healthy ap-
petites. And there is, or maybe there
was, his wife, victim Of the white
plague.
For months Mrs. Bemish's homework
had been interrupted frequently by
paroxysms of coughing. Her strength
was waning. There came a time when
she could not lift the heavy drain IN
der the refrigerator to empty 1t, or the
pail Of hot water to scrub the floors.
When she tucked the children in bed
a, night she averted her face and
stifled her cough, lest they breathe
slow death.
Doctors Sad Decision.
There was little money for doctors
and medicine, but they had to be paid.
And at last the doctor gave his final
verdict.
"She must be sent away" he said.
ut is her only chance. And the chill
dren may catch the disease II she
stays"
ION $28 a week." John Bemish
sighed.
Mrs. Bemish heard. She knew that
IL from her husbands pay came money
to send her elsewhere there would be
little left for the home. And she
knew that II she remained at home
the children might
All night she lay awake, staring dry.
eyed into the darkness, bordering her
problem. Toward morning she reached
a decision. When her husband and
children awoke Mrs. Bemish had gone.
Kisses Sleeping Babes.
The children told Of having felt in
their slumbers light kiss on their
cheeks-not on their lips. That was
all.
On his birthday, week ago, one Of
the children received a card from his
mother. 1t read:
"Dear Son: Stay with your father.
Your mother is no good. Try to for
get her. MOTHER"
Today John Bemish was asked by
the police to 60 to the South side and
look at the body Of woman who had
committed suicide. He dropped his
tools and put on his worn coat.
II hope It's not Emma" he STAN
nered to his mates. 1--WE want her
back, sick or WELL"
And she is good" he cried as he
moved away. "She's the best woman
in the world"
Another PltIfui Case.
One expert says the dollar Is worth
65 cents now. Another says II is
worth only AZ cents. One thing is GER
tain. That is, dollar is not worth a
dollar. And
Tuttle Sweeney, assistant engineer
at the Burr school. draws the same
pay he did year ago; maybe little
more. But he decided that there
wasn't enough any longer to pay the
rent and also keep his wife and chill
dren clothed.
"We'll give up the fiat and go to live
with my mother" he told his wife,
Elizabeth.
The next day Mrs. Sweeney kissed
her children good-by and went away.
The same day Mrs. Lena Kirchner
rented room In her home at 4447
West Ravenswood avenue to a wom-
ali. Next day the woman went to
work. The following morning they
found two gas jets open in her room.
The woman was dead.
Shock for Husband.
Sweeney was called by the police
tc view the body of the suicide. It
was his wife.
II heard her talk over the telephone
about having left her husband and
children because there wasn't enough
money to keep their apartment" Mrs.
Kirchner told the police.
"She said she'd regret her hasty de-
cision till her dying day. And she did.
II was the last thing she talked Of
last night"
There was coroner's inquest. The
verdict was death by suicide"
The value of dollar did not enter
into the proceedings.