Sioux County pioneer., 1922-03-30

Arnold's said. The Arnol4s talked Of
1t, indeed, to each other, until they
fellS asleep-but even then they did
not talk of 1t quite so long as their
host worked cleaning up the car after
the trip. Wheeler kept the automobile
now in neighbor's barn and took
care Of 1t himself; 1t was much cheap
er than keeping 1t in Dearborn's ga
rage. Y-
There were several other friends in
the AS and BIS and two in the C's who
were taken out in the Wheeler autorno-
bile before Herbert one day groaned:
"Jessica, this alphabet business Is
killing me. 1t does seem as II z never
would be reached"
"Why. Herbert land they're all our
friends, and you know how much they
think Of It," '..
~ think Of 1t, too, when the dinner
checks and the supper checks come
in. Jessica, we just simply can't stand
IT."
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 1t seems $3.50 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 dollar or two a plate any
longer"
There was long pause; then Jes-
sica clapped her hands.
Herbert. have It'll Well have bas-
ket picnics. I'll take lunch from the
house every time. And. after all,
that'll be lots nicer; don't you think
sor'
"Well, that might do" acquiesced
the man slowly. Anyhow, there
wouldn't be any dinner checks a-com-
Ing" ..7
August passed and September came.
The Wheelers were in "M'' now; they
had been for days, indeed. Even
hQne-prepared luncheons were beyond
the Wheelers' pocketbook now, and no
friend had been invited to ride for
week past. The spelling of two tires
and rather serious accident to the
machine had necessitated the Wheel
ers spending every spare cent for re-
pairs.
In the eyes Of most Of the town the
Wheelers 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 a ride would come; but
when a 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 rs 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
/ Wheelers had motor-car, they had
almost nothing else; no new clothes,
except dust coats and goggles; no new
\
dealt with "the practical upkeep and
operation Of carr; no leisure, for the
/; car must be kept repaired and shin
/ ing; no fresh vegetables to eat. for
the garden had died long ago from
want Of care, and they could buy only
gasoline. But they did have an auto
/ mobile This much the town knew;
and there came day when this fact
loomed large and ominous on the hor
izon of the Wheeler's destiny.
! On the first day Of October the hank
in which young Wheeler worked closed
its doors. There had been a 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 for
weeks past Haunted their ill-gotten
wealth in the very eyes Of the whole
town.
And so the town talked and wagged
it, head, and back in the tiny house
in the midst of it's unkept lawn and
garden sat the angry. frightened. and
appalled, Herbert Wheeler and Jessica,
his wife.
In vain did the Wheelers point out
thar 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 to
understand; in the towns eyes was
the vision Of the Wheeler automobile
flying through the streets with sell
fshly empty seats; In the towns nose
was the hateful smell Of gasoline.
Nothing else signlfed.