The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1922-03-24


the trip. Wheeler kept the automobile
now In a neighbours barn and took
care Of 1t himself; IL was much cheap
er than keeping 1t in Dearborn's ga
rage
There were several other friends IN
the AS and Els and two in the Cs who
were taken out In the Wheeler autonio-.
bile before Herbert one day groaned:
"Jessica, this alphabet business is
killing me. II does seem as II q never
would be reached r.
''Why. Herbert land they're all our
friends. and you know how much they
think of it,
II think of It. too, when the dinner
checks and the supper checks come
In. Jessica, we just simply can't stand
itp'
Jessica frowned and sighed.
II know, dear; but when the car
didn't cost anything"
well, lobster salads and chicken
patties cost something mentioned the
man grimly.
II know it but it seems 500 sell
fish to go all by ourselves with those
empty seats behind us. And there are
so many have promised to take. Her
bert, what can we dor
II don't know but know what we
can't do. We can't feed them to the
tune of a dollar or two plate any
longer"
There was long pause; then Jes
sica clapped her hands.
Herbert, have It! Wen have has
ket picnics. I'll take lunch from the
house every time. And. after all.
that'll be lots nicer; don't you think
soT,
well. that might do" acquiesced
the man slowly. anyhow, there
wouldn't be any dinner checks accom-
Ing"
August passed and September came.
The WheeIers were III M now; they
had been for days, indeed. Even
hnms-prepared luncheons were beyond
the Wheelers' pocketbook now, and no
friend had been invited to ride for q
week past. The spelling of two tires
and d rather sArfous accident to the
machine had nc;essitated the Wheel
ers spending ever spare cent for re-
pairs
In the eyes of most Of the town the
Whaelers were objects of envy. They
had an automobile. They could ride
while others must plod along behind
them on foot, blinded by their dust
and sickened by their noisome odor
of gasoline.
] As long as the Wheelers were "de-
Gently hospitable' about sharing their
car. the townspeople added to their
envy an interested tolerance based on
lively speculation as to when ones
own turn for ride would come; but
when whole week went by, and not
one of the many anxious would-be
guests had been invited. the interest
and the tolerance fed, leaving only an
| angry disdain as destructive to happi-
ness as was the gasoline smell of the
car itself.
| There were some things, however,
that the townspeople did not know.
They did not know that, though the
i wheeIers had a motor-caF, they had
almost nothing else; no hew clothes,
except dust coats and goggles: no new
books and magazines, except such as
dealt with "the practical npkeep and
operation of car" no leisure. for the
car must he kept repaired and shin
| ing; no fresh vegetables to- eat. for
the garden had died long ago from
want of care. and they could bay only
gasoline. But they did have an auto
mobile This much the town knew
and there came day when this fact
doomed large and ominous on the nor.
lion of the Wheeler's destiny.
i On the first day of October the bank
In which young Wheeler worked closed
fits doors. There had been defalca.
ton. A large sum OF money was miss.
ing. and the long finger of suspicion
pointed to Herbert Wheeler.
Did he not sport an automobile
Was he not living far beyond his
means? Had not the Wheelers foi
weeks past f,aunted their ill-gotter
wealth in the very eyes Of the whole
town?
And so the town talked and wagged
its head. and hack in the tiny house
in the midst OF its unkept lawn and
garden sat the angry, frightened. and
]. appalled, Herbert Wheeler, and Jessica
his wife.
| In vain did the Wheelers point out
that the automobile was gift. In
vain did they bare to doubling eyes
the whole pitiful poverty of their daily
life. The town refused to see or &c
understand; in the towns eyes was
the vision of the Wheeler automobile
| flying through the streets with sci
fishIy empty seats; in the towns nose
was the hateful smell of gasoline.
Nothing else signiied.
| To the hank examiners, however
| something else did signify. But it tooh
their sworn statement, together with