Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1922-01-27
John Dehes
the Hoodoo
By CLAIRE SMITH
Ellsssls sIl


ting tired of being insured" said John
Hambleton TO his pretty wife, Elsie,
as he hung up his hat and took off his
overcoat He cast himself down dis
consolately upon the lounge and Elsie
sat down BESIDE him.
Poor business today, dear?" she
asked, with her arms around his neck.
mot a cent" answered her husband.
Nor yesterday, either. Hardly ten
dollars worth this week. How are we
going to make the next payment on
our homer"
Elsie looked about her, at the pref
| ~ living room. 1t was not big
house. but 1t was an uncommoniy COM
/ Portable one, and II was conveniently
/ situated within committing distance
Of the city.
They had been lured into the coun-
try by an advertisement of a firm of
real estate agents. which stated that
new house. with every conven-
ience," could be purchased for three
! hundred dollars down, and little
more than ten times that sum ''the
same as rent" John Hambleton had
paid off about two thousand dollars.
and now 1t seemed as though his home
was to be taken away. The receipts
| from his business were steadily dwin-
ding.
! Perhaps IL was the diversity OF his
| interests that made him unsuccessful.
| After all, IL is difficult to argue con-
vincingly upon the necessity Of taking
out burglar insurance when you have
| just been telling another man that the
greatest danger to house comes from
| fire. And John Hambleton was an
| agent for all forms of insurance-life,
accident fire and burglary. So here
he was at thirty-five with home that
was slipping out of his grasp.
'Tve spoken to Simpson," pursued
John mechanically. ~ asked him to
let one installment go. He laughed at
me. He said that IL didn't pay up
sharp on the day it was due, he would
take back the house"
but can he take 1t away, John?"
asked Elsie in terror.
ut seems he can. He's got me hard
and fast on the agreement, sure
enough. And as IL looks 70 me- Elsie,
we are going to lose our home on the
first of next month"
'John," said Elsie solemnly, edo you
, know what day OF the week we moved
| out here?"
Friday" asked her husband gloom
lily.
Elsie drew out her handkerchief
and began to cry.
Their i'll luck had, indeed, been phe-
nomenal.
swell, wen 60" said John savage
ly. Wen give the thief his house.
with fire insurance and burglary in
surance thrown in"
They engaged a little city fiat,
which they found they could obtain
| without prepayment. They were to
move in on the 21st.
"John," exclaimed Elsie suddenly.
do you know what day of the week
| we are going to move back to town."
Eyes l do" John answered morose-
| ~. ITS Friday, because we can get
a moving van five dollars cheaper on
that day. And may the hoodoo come
along with us and do his worst"
The day arrived; the house was
emptied and locked, and the household
| goods piled in the van. Elsie and John
| made their way to the station.
| They reached town without an ac-
| cident and engaged q taxicab to take
them to their new home. Eve may
as well be extravagant." said John.
'Things couldn't be much worse"
But worse things happened. A crash.
jar, and the vehicle was thrown on
its side. John emerged bleeding from
/ shower of glass. Elsie, uninjured
except for a bad shaking, rose to her
feet beside him, and they stood star
ing at the wreckage.
The taxicab had collided with a
large motor van-thelr motor van.
bound for the same destination.
The hoodoo showed no signs Of let
ting up.
you don't take furniture insur.
ance, do you, JohnY" asked Elsie,
thoughtfully.
NO" answered John, rubbing his
chin.
They found their fat, entered, and
sat down on the floor. 1t had been
newly vanished, as they discovered
about twenty seconds later.
They lunched very well at hotel
nearby, escaping with nothing more
serious than plateful Of soup over
Elsie's dress. When they got home q
telegram was awaiting John. He tore
1t open IT was from Simpson.
your house struck by lightning and
burned down." 1t read. "Can Offer
you terms"
"John," said Elsie, didn't you carry
fire insurance."
1 "Yes-why 7--whatT" Johns mouth
opened, and then he seized his wife
by the hands and they danced all over
the vanished floor.
'Pll get the whole four thousand .
shouted John. "T'll pay the balance