The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-04-01

a Just petty domestic debts
were an inevitable part of life.
Like most children, heard a
good deal of worried discussion Of
them, and to a childs comprehen-
sion anything that troubles the
grownups is serious indeed.
Then there came a time when
q certain vulpine visitor lurked
whining just outside my own door
for several hard years, and at
that time I feared debt as q pestt
lence might have been feared,
and my feeling for persons who
carried a load of it was simply
pity and sympathy.
But 1 am older now, less fear
full, more tolerant. And from a
resting place half way up the
long hill, 1 study that big word
''debt' with a new vision. And
nowadays the only word I have
for debt is Unnecessary" the
only word for debtors stupid"
Not unfortunate" not help
less" not forced by circum-
stances" any longer. Just stupid.
ALWAYS BEHIND.
There are amilies-hundreds Of
them, thousands of them-who
struggle along through the years,
always a few hundred dollars be.
hind the procession. They come
to have a curious quality, these
men and women who take a sort
Of financial Gripping for granted;
they become mentally and morally
stale.
Their souls and minds are like
O kitchen that Is never quite
cleaned; there is always little
garbage in the sink, crumpled
tablecloth on the table. ashes sift-
ing out OF the stove, crumbs on
the floor.
They wash dishes, yes, and
they sweep, but they never quite
complete one job before the next
comes along.
One OF the paradoxeS il that
persons In debt are always much
more extravagant than the others
who keep an orderly relationship
with grocer and landlord. For II
the upper sideboard drawer is
damned with unpaid bills-milk
and market and doctor and dem
tist and milliner's bills-there Is
no particular reason why one
more bill should not be added.
If Mrs. Davis owes nothing at
all, IL her account book and her
check book are on friendly terms,
she naturally hesitates over the
patent preserving kettle that is
being demonstrated at the gro
Gerry. It is decidedly interesting,
true, and 81 is not too much for
it-but then, just which depart
nent of her budget can she rob
for it? She passes it by.
WHY WORRY?
But Mrs. Baker has no such
misgivings. A jam kettle-the
very thing! She has big bill
here at Kelly's anyway, she
might just as well send one home
for next summer.
Perhaps, as the demonstrator
scribbles her name and address,
she has a moments misgiving.
But she can send it back, any
way, she thinks waveringly. Be-
sides, 81!
Well, she and Jack loathe the
very thought Of bills, and haven't
figured them out for months, but
they must be in the hundreds. so
why worry about four dollars!
When they do force themselves
to add up the terrible total, or
when some especially annoying
collector brings the whole matter
TO their attention. they are always
shocked and discouraged by what
they discover. The little innocent
looking thirty-sevens and twenty
SlRnIS dIIu
do roll into the hundreds!
g "WHAT CAN ONE Dor
"And what" demands Helen
Baker, pathetically, Of her mother
or her intimate friend, what can
one do? Jack and 1 aren't ex-
travagant, but we have to live.
Both children had to have their
tonsils out, and we moved, you
know. and then there was the new
car. The old one was simply fall
ing apart, and we have to have
one-besides,' finishes Helen
vaguely resentfuI, ''all our friends
seem to get along, and Jack and
I aren't as extravagant as most
of themr'
Perhaps the friend synpathizes
Persaps she says soothingly:
well, my dear, you're not tight
like the Robinsons anyway!
do you know what Mary Rob
$ inson did? She told me this her
felt. It seems that his business
went to pieces after the war, and
their third baby was coming. and