The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1923-03-22
Her Husbands
Affairs
BY MORRIS SCHULTZ

90, 1922, Western Newspaper Union)
Lettie was desperate, and IL had al
begun with the new autumn sui sh
had ordered. Henry seemed TO o
growing meaner and meaner; ne III
sisted that business was going TO TN
dogs and that bankruptcy stared then
In the face. She had charge ac
count at the store, but 1t had TO o.
paid within the month, and when thu
bill was presented there was no none,
for the suit.
The Stonehams lived near by; they
were wretchedly poor and Lettte hat
never been on visiting terms VIII
! them. Besides, Stoneham was an en-
CINE driver, whose hands were always
greasy, and there is great gulf fixed
between the poorly paid clerk and the
highly paid mechanic. However. Mrs
Stoneham was kind, and one day.
when she came over with an offer OF
some eggs, Lettie told her about 1t,
sobbing.
"Why don't you go to Mason?" asked
Mrs. Stoneham.
who's he?"
"Why, he lends money. You could
get that fifty dollars and pay him
back so much month for a year. OF
course there's the interest, but whole
year-shucks Anybody can raise six
ty or seventy dollars if they've got a
year to do it in
Lettie thought of Henry's stern,
puritanical code. Neither borrower
nor lender be- he often quoted. 1t
was with difficulty that he could be in
dnced to sanction the weekly grocery
bills. Henry insisted on cash payments
for everything, as far as lay in his
power. That was his one popularity.
What would he do If he found out that
the new suit was bought on credit?
And Henry was mean-grOwing
meaner every day. Lettie went TO Ma
sons. The hard-faced woman who lis
tened to her mOurnful story told her
she would investigate, and took fee
of one dollar from her. Lettie went
home convinced that she had simply
lost dollar for her pains.
She was astOnished, therefore, when
she received form to fill out and get
witnessed. In return for seven dollars
monthly for a year she could have an
cash loan of fifty dollars.
Two days later the money arrived,
and Lettie set herself to the task OF
saving seven dollars month out Of
Ter housekeeping money.
For few days all went well; then |
henry began to grumble at the quality !
# the coffee, he insisted that the eggs
we're not new-laid, and demanded to |
zee the tradesmen's receipts. His
brokerage business was becoming rap
Oily worse, he insisted, and expenses
you'd have to be cut down. In the
nd he placed Lettie on a smaller al
DWance, and, when she limited at other
equirementS, such as clothes, he
)oked at her so sardonically that
ne fear of discovery froze her into
Hence
At the end of the month she had
aved nothing, and had to make a
ew agreement with Mason's at a
lgner rate of interest. The second
onth she sold all her old clothes and
list covered the interest. But the
lird month found her eight dollars
shind, and she could hardly save a
emmy. A new agreement followed.
18th three-months' payments.
SIX months after the incurrence of
e debt Lettie was confronted with
phi for thirty-two dollars, against
hich she had nothing.
She made desperate appeal to
enry, speaking of complete new
INT required. Henry fused and
clared 1t was impossible.
You'll ruin me-" he stormed. sand
end of it will be youth begin buy
on credit, and wind up In the
nds OF the loan sharks, and thatll
ing down the house about your ears.
man 70 @
she was frantic. At last she went :
o town, resolved to make des- I
rate appeal, to the loan company. !
winch is exactly why they place a I
ru-Iaced woman in charge of their
lcerns Mrs Winthrop had no pity I
her system.
-ettie rambled on, conscious OF
ne one listening behind the partlv
N door marked PRIVATE at the (
X OF Mrs. Winthrop's chair. "If
husband knew he'd turn me out of
'rs," she sobbed won't Won have !
and-give me time-giye me I
e."
mar was the woman's cue. Not !
)" she answered. You're a dead
{, that's what you are. You'll nav I
tomorrow or wen sue your hus-
q. Why, you're nothing but a
I'D an impudent fraud"
he door behind opened. "Tbatr
enough, Mrs. Winthrop" said the
lager. -
ettle looked up aghast and recog. =
ID Henry. -
e came toward her with a oueer
le "A hard lesson had to give
my DEAR" he said, "but guess
| forgive the debt now. You see
tune & Co. sent the bin for that
to me by mistake" He took her
lis arms In an awkward xrou sr