The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1922-05-26

A1nold's said. The Arnolds talked Of
It, indeed, to each other, until they
fell asleep--but even then they did
not talk OF II quite so long as their
host worked cleaning up the car after
the trip. Wheeler kept the automobile
now in neighbours barn and took
care OF 1t himself; II was much cheap
er than keeping It in Dearborn's ga
rage.
There were several other friends In
the AS and BIS and two in the C's who
were taken out In the Wheeler automo-
bile before Herbert one day groaned:
"Jessica, this alphabet business is
killing me. II does seem as II z never
would be reachedW
"Why, Herbert l-and they're all our
friends, and you know how much they
think OF it,
II think of II, too, when the dinner
checks and the supper checks come
In Jessica, we just simply can't stand
ltp
Jessica frowned and sighed.
IT 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 II seems $3.50 sell
fish to go all by ourselves with those
empty seats behind us. And there are
80 many have promised to take. Her
bert, what can we dot"
II don't know; but know what we
can't do. We can't feed them to the
tune Of q dollar or two plate any
longer"
There was long pause; then Jes-
sica clapped her hands.
Herbert, j have III Wen have bas-
iket picnIcs. III take lunch from the
house every time. And, after all.
,thatll be lots nicer; don't you think
;sof per
"weN, that might do" acquIesced
the man slowly. anyhow, there
wouldn't be any dinner checks accom-
ing"
August passed and September came.
The Wheelers were In IN" now; they
had been for days, indeed. Even
home-prepared luncheons were beyond
the wheelers' pocketbook now, and no
friend had been invited to ride for a
week past. The spelling Of two tires
and a rather serious accident to the
machine had necessltated 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 nolsome 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 ms to when ones
own turn for 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 dlsdaln 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
Wheelers had mOt0r-car, they had
almost nothing else; no new clothes,
except dust coats and goggles; no new
books and magazines. except such as
dealt with "the practical upkeep and
operation of car" 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
doomed large and omlnOus on the hor-
lion Of the Wheelers destiny.
On the first day Of October the bank
in which young Wheeler worked closed
its doors. There had been a defalca-
tlon. 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
its head, and back 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 to
understand; In the towns eyes was
the vision Of the Wheeler automobile
flying through the streets with sell
fishly empty seats; In the towns nose
was the hateful smell of gasoline.
Nothing else signifet.
To the bank examiners, however,
something else did signify. But 1t took