Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-01-02

<<r HATE to ask II. Bet, NE"
Years being a holiday, ana
- sleeping late one of Its priv
i,ocos Rut let's have breakfast
then at the same old time. 1 prom
ised Mr.. Crosby today I'd meet him
and the other big bugs of the firm
at the office to consider some nedeeo
retrenchments in different depart
ments.. Too much expense in these
DAYS of H. c. L."
Betty, on the other side OF ne SUI
,.o,,+od library table, smiled across
"T,iobt n, mister, though was count
;an On an extra snooze,' she said.
And by-the-by, Bet, talking o.
cutting expenses at the STORE IL
minds me to suggest little reform o.'
,na same line in our place of ousl'
moss. sS14 Terrace place"
The first speech had not Suggested
tho last. The first had been a pur
noseful opening for it. Bert had de-
cided upon it after many days Vi
nainful. brow-knotting thought. IL
was so hard to ask Betty to econo'
n,ize. which meant less good times
and fewer new clothes. She was SO
Young, so happy in her gay, careless
life. so unconscious of wrong doing
"I don't understand, Bert" Bet
dropping her magazine and regard
ing him with puzzled eyes, remarked:
II hate to say it, Bet, but 1 must }
inf if off to the lastminute, the 3Oth
of December" he said earnestly, but
making an effort at playfulness.
We've been spending too much. we
must save"
I'VE have 5000 in the bank. Have
YOU forgotten that, Bert?" the brown
eyes were smiling.
mo; and I'm mighty glad we nave
too. 1t means a shack for us to live
in for a few months longer. But just
that amount to penny to pay our
next instalment on the house, ana
not a penny over, proves just what
I've been saying-we must quit
spending so much and save, for some
possible exigence."
1--WE don't spend any more than
anybody else on our street" Betty S
lips showed an inclination to pout.
And l don't see where we could cut
down unless I confine myself to
house dress and the chimney-corner'
Is that what you mean?"
NO; a house dress and the Chin
ney-corner isn't necessary to save.
We've been spending uselessly-too
many movies, too many late suppers
afterward; too many useless clothes.
And the whole bunch of us, up and
down the Terrace on both sides, are
in the same boat. If you fell sick
tomorrow, or worse, from a business
standpoint, if I were laid up for sew
eral months, what would we do? Call
on our folks! Think of the shame
of that! We'd have to lose, too
what we've paid on the house-we'
have to sell it to help pay our way
until l could work again. We've got
to Save, Bet. No way out of it. And
tomorrow, New Years, We'll begin. )"
"Oh, we are not going to get sick.
Young and healthy folks don't. I
want something else than just bread
and butter and an old shack to live
in. If we dont have a good time
now we never will. And how will
we look sticking at home like two
old crones and everybody else having
a good time and looking smart?"
Tears were now in Bets eyes, and
twinkling on the dark lashes. Sad
sight for poor Bert.
Young folks are not immune
from accidents and sickness" Bert
was still terribly in earnest. Sup.
pose, as l said before, 1 should fall
sick?"
"Oh, suppose" Bet tainted, jerk.
ing up her magazine. We can sup.