Evening star., 1922-11-04
The Figures That Didn't Lie.


YCST what impulse made Mer-
riam Lindsay hide the smudgy
memoranda that Ethel had
called Doreen's dope book when
the officer who had been guarding
the Pumpkin Shell appeared in the
doorway she could not tell. Perhaps
she tucked it behind her to quiet the
fearfully afraid Of the bluecoat But
hide it she did. Even Susan Sue,
coming down the back stairway, did
not notice that young Mrs. Lindsay s
hands were tucked behind her.
oh ma'am-" Susan Sue eyed the
steaming coffee pot reproachfully;
Why didn't you say you wanted
start it"
II think we all want some break
fast from the sounds" She backed
deftly into the pantry. You have
Ethel set a table on the back porch
for Mister Officer and I'll be down for
mine as soon ever as can get those
infants dressed. Coming" she called
almost gaily to the twins, who were
in the midst OF a glorious just-waked ed
up pillow fight In the nursery. She
dope book under stack of bath tow
els in the hall linen closet
Half an hour later. both babies
playing happily with Ragsy, their
mother. crisply garbed in clean yell
low chambray. backed her car out of
mers for her School Contrary"
Susan and Ethel were busy setting
the tiny breakfast tables for them
and another officer had relieved the
Sunshine and work to be done made
the terrors OF the night before seem
grotesquely unreal.
But the chill in the autumn air
made the little bronze-haired matroE
shiver. She thought OF her empty
found herself wondering how much
longer she could keep her small
school open. What the pupils paid
had barely met her most pressing
bills for food and incidental ex,
Ethel their months wages She knew
that her babies needed winter cloth
ing. She tried to think where she
could find more pupils for the school.
but she know that she had already
canvassed all the available territory
and that she was having all she could
do to keep the sixteen infants amused
and fed with the small resources she
lad at her command.
She found herself thinking whimsi-
oally that Johns income from the JOB
he had given up at the Blaisdells. (.
that had once seemed to her beggarly.
would now seem like riches. For.
work her hardest, she had been able
to earn less than q third Of what John
had been in the habit Of turning over
to her for household expenses.
She gave one patron q lift to the
station as she motored the patrons
children back to tho Pumpkin Shell.
my dear" scolded the brisk per-
son to Merriam as she waved q. shop
ping list, look at that! As long as
my arm and everything on it q neces-
sity! My whole family is just in
raEs!" She exaggerated charmingly.
And the hotse Just crying for new
curtains and rug for the dining
room-yet when I told my beloved
I'd need q thousand extra this month.
he just lot out q long scream about
economy-don't men mako you sick 2
Merri4m's lips quivered. She was
thinking how often she had nagged at
her Johnsy for extra money. and how
patiently he had apologized for not
having 1t. She was thinking that II
she ever got him back, she never
would mention the hated word again.
sand some time" she said tentatively
az she slowed down near the station.
The shopper gave her children
hasty kisses, admonished them to
mind Mistress Merry, and scrambled
Earn it," She made a funny little
srifnace. my dear. I couldn't earn
It in q hundred years! And wouldn't t
try, either. It's fatal error for a
wife to earn money. Once she's done