Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-06-17

knuckles, but frightened by a fawed
diamond. This interesting hand was
q part OF one OF those men who seem
to have too much fattened muscle for
their clothes: his shoulders distended
his overcoat; his calves strained the
sprightly checked cloth Of his trou-
sers; his SHIRT neck bulged above the
glossy collar. His small eyes twin
killed. surreptitiously between those
upper and neither puffs Of flesh that
mark the too faithful practitioner Of
unhallowed gayeties.
Obviously. the mans small head
had a sportive plan in it, for the
twinkle between his eye-puffs limited
Of liquor in the offing and lively
women impressed by a show Of mas
terly riches. Here, in brief, was a
man who meant TO make a night OF II
She was happy, and went out Of the
bank believing that money is made for
joy
The splendid hundred dollar
bill was taken from him untimely,
before nightfall that very evening.
AZ the corner of two busy streets he
parted with it to the law, though only
after cold-blooded threatening on
the part of the lawyer This latter
walked away thoughtfully, with the
one -hundred-dollar bill in his pocket.
Collinson was the lawyers name.
and in years he was only twenty
eight. but already Of slightly harried
appearance. His dark ready made
clothes. his twice-soled shoes and his
hair. too long for a neat and bust
x1yar Mt ~
necessary economy: but he did not
wear the eager look of a man who
saves to get on for himself" Collin
sons look was that of an employed
man who only deepens his rut with
his pacing Of it.
An employed man he was. indeed:
a lawyer without much hope OF ever
seeing his name on the door or on
the letters of the firm that employed
him and his most important work
was the collection of small debts
This one-hundred- dollar bill now in
his pocket was such collection
small to the client though Of a noble
size to himself and the long-pursued
debtor from whom he had just col
lected it.
The banks were closed so was the
Office, for Collinson was on his way
home when by chance he encountered
the debtor: there was nothing to do
but TO keep the bill overnight. This
was no hardship. however as he had
faint pleasure in the unfamiliar ex-
perience of walking home with such
a thing in his pocket: and he felt
little important by proxy when he
thought of it.
AS Collinson walk ed on northward.
he passed cluster Of shops where
the light was bright and at one of
these GASES of illumination he lin
gered a moment. with d. thought
20 buy a toy in the window for
his three-year-old little girl. The
toy was "A gayly colored acrobatic
monkey that willingly climbed UP
and down a string. and he knew
that the baby" would scream with
delight at the sight of it. He
had s12 OF his own in his pocket.
but the toy was marked "35 cents"
and he decided he could not afford il.
So he sighed and went on.
X
WHEN he reached home, the baby
Nwas crying, and his wife. pretty
and a little frowsy. was, as usual.
irritated by cooking. bored by the
baby and puzzled by the dull life. she
led. Other women, it appeared, had
happy and luxurious homes. and dur
ing the malnutritious dinner she had
prepared she mentioned many such
women by name. laying particular
stress upon the achievements of their
husbands. Mrs. Theodore Thompson's
husband had bought a perfectly beau
tifu1 little sedan automobile. Mrs.
Will Gregory had merely mentioned
that her old Hudson seal coat was
wearing a little. and her husband had
instantly said: .What'll new one
come to, grille? Four or Ave hun
dred? Run and get 1t" Why were
other women's husbands like thai
and why, oh, why. was hers like
this?'
MY goodness he said. You talk
as IL had sedans and sealskin coats
on me! Well, haven't; that's ALL"
Then go out and get 'em!" she said
fercely. Go out and get EN-"
What with?" he inquired. Il have
SIG in my pocket, and balance OF
SIT at the bank; that's twenty-nine.
get twenty-five from the Office
day after tomorrow-Saturday; that
makes ffty-four: but we have to pay
forty-hve for rent on Monday; SO
thatn leave us 50. Shall L buy you
n sedan ard a sealskin coat on Tues
day out of the nine?"
Mrs. Collinson began to weep a lit
tie. THE old, old story!' she said.
49,
on now. I ask you how much you've
got, and you say, nine dollars or
seven dollars or four dollars and
once 1t was 'sixty-five cents! Sixty
Ave cents; that's wha. we had to live
on! Sixty-iye cents! Why can't you
do what decent men io?"
Whats that?'
'why, give their wives something
TO live for. What do you give me,
I'd like to know. Look at the clothes
I wear. pleased
well, it's your own fault" he NUT
tered.
What did you say? Did you say
it's my fault L wear clothes any
woman I know wouldn't be seen in?"
IF you hadn't made me get you
that platinum ring"
What" she cried. Look at it!
It's platinum, yes: but look at tho
stone in 1t, about the size Of pin
head. A hundred and sixteen dollars
ts what this magnificent ring cost
you, and how long did I have to beg
before I got even that little out OF
you? And it's the only thing l ever
did get out Of your
"Oh. Yordy." he moaned.
HT xvish World seen Charlie IoomiB