The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1922-04-01

were taken out in the Wheeler autorno-
bile before Herbert one day groaned
"Jessica, this alphabet business is
killing me. 1t does seem as if Z never
would be reached!
"Why. Herbert and they're all our
friends. and you know how much they
think Of it,
81 think of it. too. when the dinner
checks and the supper checks come
in. JpSSica, we just simply can't stand
il Z"
.JcsSica frowncd and sighed.
Il know. dear; but when the car
didn't cost anything
well. lobster salads and chicken
pntties cost something" mentioned the
man grimly.
Il know It but IT seems $3.50 sci
fish to go all by ourselves with those
empty seats behind us. And there are
50 MANY have promised to take. Her
bert. what can we dog
81 don't know: but | know what we
can't do We can't feed them to the
tune OF n dollar or two Il plate any
longer"
There was long pause: then Jes-
sica clapped her hands.
Herbert. I have it, Wen have has
ket picnics. I'll take lunch from the
house every time. And, after all
thatll be lots nicer; don't you think
so?"
ll.A trht a. npniIinCPnh
the man slowly. anyhow. there
wouldn't he any dinner checks accom-
ing"
August passed and September came.
The Wheelers were In "M' now: they
had been for days. indeed. Even
| hnrne-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 q rather serious accident to the
machine had recessitated the Wheel
crs spending every spare cent for re
pairs.
In the eyes of most of the town the
| Wheelers we're objects Of envy. Ihey
had an automobile. They could ride
while others must blod along behiWi
them on foot. blinded by their dust
and sickened by their noisome odor
of gasoline.
AS long as the Wheelers were de
Gently hospitahe" about sharing their
car. the townspeople added to their
envy an interested tolerance based on
a lively speculation as 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 disdain as destructive to happi-
ness as was the gasoline smell OF the
car itself.
There we're some things. however,
that the townspeople did not know
They did not know that, though the
Wheelers had a mdtor-car. they had
almost nothing else; no new clothes
except dust coats and goggles; no new
books and magazines. except such as
dealt with 1.-THE practical upkeep and
operation of a car; no leisure. for the
car must he kept repaired and shin
ing: no fresh vegetables to eat. foT
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 ominous on the hor
lion of the Wheeler's destiny.
On the first day of October the bank
in which young Wheeler worked CLOSED
its doors. There had been defalca
tion. 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 fol
weeks past Haunted their ill-gotter
wealth in the very eyes of the whole
town?
And so the town talked and wagget
its head. and back in the tiny house
in the midst Of it's unkept lawn anf
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. Ir
vain did they bare to doubling eyes
the whole pitiful poverty of their dali!
life. The town refused to see or t.
understand: In the towns eyes was
| Tho ,,;cion of thp Wheeler automobile
fIying through the streets with sci
fishly empty seats; in the towns nose
was the hateful smell of gasoline
Nothing else signified.
To the bank examiners, however
something else did signify. But 1t tool
their sworn statement, together witt
the suicide Of Cashier Jewett (tht
proved defaulter). to convince the
town: and even then the town SHOOK
Its head and said:
"Well, it might have been that au
tomobile, anyhow"
The Wheelers sold their elephant
their motor-car.
Yes. | think we'd better sell it.
agreed Jessica tearfully. when her hus
band made the proposition. "Of course
the car didn't cost us anything. bu
We"
Cost us anything" cut in Herber
Wheeler wrathfuly. Cost us any
thing! Why! it's done nothing bu
cost from the day 1t smashed those
tu,n eyps in thp kitchen to the dav |