The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-07-03
ANDREW AND
 IMOGENE
Fly ROE FuLKERsoN
By Ron FULKERsoN

| What's the matter with you and Tom Edwards?" asked Andrew, as he helped his wlfe In the car to come home from the Country club.
 why nothing" said Imogene. q was polite to him. wasn't F" | You bet you were" said Andrew. 1 Entirely too polite. You were elab- orately polite, profaneiy polite, in fact SO polite that he and every one I around could see you saying by your manner, See how nice I am to thls inferior creature. If you ever get as polite as that with me am going to begin to consult Reno time tables" Now Andrew" said Imogene, that's not fair. You know that man | defaulted three years ago. I know he made 1t good later. but, no mat ter what you say that man is a thief. I simply cannot forget it." Well. you better" said Andrew, | solemn1y. You married one" "What?" said Imogene, looking at him with frightened eyes. You heard me-" said Andrew. "It was before we were married.
 My people did not think a boy needed very much spending money when I was youngster and 80 I did | not have much, but went to college l with a lot of fellows who had all | they wanted and do doubt more than they should have had.
 | "I played on the football team, you know, and once We went to another city to play game. All the cash l could raise was enough to pay ne actual expenses for that was before the days when the athletic associa- tions of colleges paid the expenses of ] their teams.
 1T roomed with a fellow named Dick Jones and Dick had roll that | would choke cow, and he bet it all on the game and we won at three to one.
 Dick came in around 2 o'clock in the morning all filled with enthusi- asm and things. He took money out of every pocket he had and threw 1t In piles and wads and bundles all over the dresser and went to sleep singing about his Alma Mater.
 T had stayed in the. room all eve ming because the fellows were all hip hooraying around the cafes and buying everything that was for sale, and me with about six jitneys in my clothes, stayed home because I had to.
 "As was in early I was up early and dressed before Dick was even thinking about getting up. I fishod my collar out of money, I scraped 1t off my necktie, had to push money out of my way when I looked for l my tooth brush.
 T knew that Dick had no idea how mrch money he had. I knew that if I had told Dick was broke he would | hu m aH ho ft,1 Af f I knew I could take 1t and he would never know. I stood and looked at Dick for five minutes and then I copped a five spot and left the room.
 "Oh, was a thief all right. I even went downstairs and spent some of 1t for tip-top breakfast and then when I handed the bill to the waiter got sick. I was so sick I took my watch out and left 1t with a kind hearted old gentleman who gave me a ticket and q five dollar bill and went back and laid the five on the dresser with the rest of Dicks money.
 But I stole that five spot and I put 1t back as soon as I could. I know what temptation means. I know what 1t means to steal. Your husband has done exactly what Tom | Edwards did only he was more lucky.
 If Dick Jones had awakened up while I was pocketing that five. I | would have been disgraced and drum med out of college.
 The only difference between me and Tom Edwards is that Tom got caught before he made restitution and I did not. Just a matter of luck, not of morals"
 "Oh, honey" said Imogene, press ing his arm. "I am so, so sorry I was nasty to him. could not understand till you told me your own little story.
 That's all right" said Andrew cheerfuily. The fact that the story have just told you never happened has no bearing on the case. It might have happened to me, or any other fellow just as 1t happened to Tom 1 Edwards"
 (Copyright, 1929. by Twenty first
 Century Press, Inc.)