The Little River news., 1922-11-11
Her Husbands Affairs
By MORRIS SCHULTZ
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GO, 1922, Western Newspaper Union.)

Lettie was desperate, and it had all | begun with the new autumn suit she had ordered. Henry seemed to be growing meaner and meaner; he in- l sisted that business was going to the dogs and that bankruptcy stared them l in the face. She had a charge ac- count at the store, but it had to be paid within the month, and when the | bill was presented there was no money for the suit.
 The Stonehams lived near by; they were wretchedly poor and Lettie had never been on visiting terms with them. Besides, Stoneham was an en- zine driver whose hands were always greasy, and there is a great gulf fixed between the poorly paid clerk and the highly paid mechanic. However, Mrs. Stoneham was kind, and one day, 1 when she came over with an offer of l some eggs, Lettie told her about it, sobbing.
 ''Why don't you go to Mason?' asked Mrs. Stoneham.
 "Who's he?"
 "Why, he lends money. You could get that fifty dollars and pay him , back so much a month for year. Of course there's the interest, but a whole 1 year-shucks Anybody can raise six ty or seventy dollars if they've got a year to do it in.'
 Lettie thought of Henry's stern, puritanica code Neither a borrower nor lender be-" he often quoted. It was with difficulty that he could be in duced to sanction the weekly grocery bills. Henry insisted on cash payments for everything, as far as lay in his power. That was his one peculiarity. What would he do if he found out that the new suit was bought on credit?
 And Henry was mean-growing meaner every day. Lettie went to Ma sons. The hard-faced woman who lis tened to her mournful story told her she would investigate, and took fee of one dollar from her. Lettie went home convinced that she had simply lost dollar for her pains
 She was astonished, therefore, when she received a form to fill out and get witnessed. In return for seven dollars monthly for year she could have an immediate cash loan of fifty dollars. Two days later the money arrived, and Lettie set herself to the task of saving seven dollars q month out of her housekt eping money. For a few days all went well then Henry began to grumble at the quality of the coffee, fe insisted that the eggs were not pew-laid, and demanded to see the tradesn ems receipts. His brokerage business was becoming rap idly worse, he insisted, and expenses would have to be cut down. In the end he placed Lettie on a smaller all lowance, and, when she hnted at other requirements, such as clothes, he looked at her so sardonically that the fear of discovery froze her into silence.
 At the end of the month she had saved nothing, and had to make new agreement with MasOn's at higher rate of interest. The second month she sold all her old clothes and just covered the interest. But the third month found her eight dollars behind, and she could hardly save a penny. A new agreement followed, with three-months' payments.
 Six months after the incurrence of the debt Lettie was confronted with bill for thirty-twO dollars, against which she had nothing.
 She made a desperate appeal to Henry, speaking of a complete new outfit required. Henry fussed and declared it was impossible.
 You'll ruin me-" he stormed. And the end of it will be you'll begin buy ing on credit, and wind up in the hands of the loan sharks, and that'll bring down the house about your ears, woman! 70
 She was frantic. At last she went into town, resolved to make a des- perate appeal to the loan company
 Which is exactly why they place a hard-faced woman in charge of their concerns. Mrs. Winthrop had no pity in her system.
 Lettie rambled on, conscious of some one listening behind the partly open door marked PRIVATE at the back of Mrs. Winthrop's chair. If my husband knew he'd turn me out of doors" she sobbed. Wont you have pity and-give me time-give me | time"
 , That was the woman's cue "Not i day." she answered. You're a dead ] beat, that's what you are Youll pay up tomorrow or we'll sue your hus- band. Why, you're nothing but fraud, an impudent fraud"
 The door behind opened. "Thatll be enough, Mrs. Winthrop" said the manager.
 Lettie looked up aghast and recog- ! nized Henry.
 He came toward her with a queer ] smile. "A hard lesson had to give 1 you, my dear," he said, "but I guess we'll forgive the debt now. You see, ] Fortune X Co semi tha hin for thot