Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-12-09

When Jackson Hopper received his
legacy Of $4,000 his wife, Ella was
openly disappointed. 81 thought we'd
get enough to build a new house"
she said.
whats the matter with the old
house?" Jackson asked. Jackson
Hopper was twenty-five years older
than his dark, lively wife and had
reached the age when a chair, slip
pers and undisturbed possession Of
the register made home all it should
be.
"You know what's the matter with
the house, Jackson. It's old-fashion-
ed"
TITS mighty pleasant and conven-.
lent, if it is old-fashioned."
maybe you think so, but you
don't have to work in it.. And what
does man know about a house,
anyway? It's the woman who
should be suited"
Jackson rubbed his right ear. He
always rubbed his right ear when he
was perplexed. well, what you
want to do, El?" he asked. Il haven't
emit money to buy you new house.
I suppose we could do things to the
old one, but l was counting on saw
ing part Of that money as little
nest egg and taking a little trip with
the other part" He looked wistfu1.
For thirty years he had stood be-
hind the counter in Poley's drug
store and knew little outside his own
town, and not much of that, since
he had to walk only four blocks to
and from his work.
Mrs. Peck has a pair of French
DOORS" Ella said. IF we had them
between the parlor and sitting room
it would change things quite a bit"
French doors!" Jackson pondered
Il don't know what they be-" He
was sometimes very ungrammatical
at home, but there he, too, like his
house. was old-fashioned. "I guess
you can have them, El," he added.
They won't cost much will they?"
Mrs. Peck's cost eighty dollars"
Eighty dollars for a pair of doors!
Well-go ahead and get 'em if you
want 'em so bad"
Ella went ahead and got them. But
no sooner were they in place than
she began to regret the change.
| the rest of the house unbearable
She suddenly saw more than she had
ever dreamed was needed. The floors
| were bad, they ought to be laid over;
| fresh paper and paint were needed,
and If they could get rid Of the old
| front hall the could have a modern
staircase and reception room.
! She began to talk to Jackson, but
| ~
him that all these repairs were alb
| solutely necessary. 1t took prayers,
| tears, and finally Mysteries to bring
him to the point of consent. He
sighed deeply and after a prolonged
rubbing of his right ear, which
seemed also, to rub little Of the
| numbnes5 of establishment out of his
poor old head, he uttered family
to suit yourself"
|. Fer the next two months Ella
Hopper thought she was a happy
woman. She was busy from morn.
ing until night with carpenters.
painters and paperhangers. The
old house was full of noise, dust,
and seemed to groan as Jackson
did. Jackson's right ear burned and
glowed the whole time, and his
signs came from farther and
farther depths.
At last it was finished, and sc
was most of the two thousand dol.
lars. Ella celebrated by giving a
"house-warming." She wore her
new blue satin and sparkled and
beamed and smiled upon everybody.
Jackson wore his old dress sui
which he had outgrown, and tried
t 10 beam and smile, but he could
only rub his ear and sigh.
The weather was growing very
colC6 and so n1znY open rooms were