The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-01-01
The Woman
He Married
BY JANE PHELPS
IT COSTS TO MOVE.
CHAPTER 20.

I didn't want to be anything but a
good wife to- Dick; l didn't mean to
be anything but good wife. 1 would
have indignantly denied that / was in
Yet I would have been very angry If
anyone had accused me OF living out
of all proportion to our means, when
did all the work and took care of
the baby to save; but 1 did. In all
that happened was laying up sorrow
and trouble for Dick and for myself.
1 used to watch Dick swing down
the street, tall, erect, wonderfully
good-looking, and think how proud
was Of him-how he surpassed all
other men I ever had met, save only
in the one essential, money!
snapped at him." used, to say when I
thought of the days he courted me,
and how my girl friends envied me.
Now that he had signed the lease
for the new apartment 1 would be ter
ribly busy. We were to move in N
lessons because of Mildred. I felt for
the first time sense of obligation.
She had done SO much for me cbuld-
mt feel free to do as I wished.
Dick helped me dismantle the old
rooms evenings. We took down dra-
peries, packed dishes, and got every
thing ready to move with as little ex-
pense as possible. The van would cost
us s35 and we really had SO little.
It didn't think OF the cost OF NOV
ing the stuff when 1 signed that
lease" Dick remarked, frown spoil
ing face. 1 smoothed the frown away
as 1 replied:
mo, for once you thought of max
ing me happy"
For once?" in panied surprise.
"We1l. L didn't exactly mean that.
But you have been SO awfully afraid
to do as other people do; SO afraid to
ask anyone to wait-why, Mildred
says the stores haven't any respect for
a woman who pays cash. And it must
be so, for the clerks treat a woman
who has a charge account far differ
emily than they do woman who pays
for things"
eff they do, the system is all wrong.
1t must be because the women who
have charge accounts spend so much
more that the stores can afford to
wait. There's something behind it,
Iyou can be sure
That's Just what I have been tell
ing you. They are willing to wait, so
why not let them?"
"a settling day comes sometimes,
Nan"
until you can pay, and in the mean
time we can have what we need. in
stead of going around looking pow
erty stricken"
'Al1 right, dear. Wait until you
see your husband in his new suit
you'll be afraid to trust him out of
your sight."
Indeed I shan't! I shall be glad to
have people see you look nice. don't
think it is any credit to man not to,
or not to have his wife look nice. I
am as shabby as can be. I can't save
q cent on what you give me to run the
house. You'll get another raise soon
you told me you would. Now II We
can get fixed up so that we look de-
cent, when the raise comes we will
pay up
It was with such specious argu-
ments as this that enticed Dick. He
loved me. he wanted to make me
happy. Gradually he was loosening
his morale, gradually he was looking
upon things with a different point of
view Gradually I was sapping his
honor.
A wife can be either the greatest as
set a man has, or the greatest liza
bility. l was the latter, even tho
loved my husband devotedly.
have heard it said that many good
wives harm a man more than women
not so moral. Morally I never had a
thought unfair to Dick. He was my
man, the only man in the world for
me, Yet I was dragging him down
daily, causing him to lose his stamina.
making of him man without mind
because of his love for me. his de-
sire for my happiness.
And all the time excused myself by
saying:
"If he earned more money. would
MT have to do these things"
(To be continued.)