Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1924-04-30

&C OMETHING has happened"
~ thought Della, as she looked at
her husbands face that evening.
And she wondered if it had hap
pened at last, that event which she
had always anticipated with mixed
emotions of dread and hope.
1t had happened. well. we're fin
ished, Della" said Walter. THE ends
come, and l was fool not to have
/ foreseen it,"
And he looked about him in despair
at the living-room walls, with their
reproductions of masterpieces, at the
costly furniture, at the Oriental rugs.
All junb-worth little more than moth
ing at the sale that must ensue.
I've lost my job, Della. The COM
pany's changing hands-and they've
got their own men. And I'm fortysev-
en--too old to begin again at the bot
tom, and you and l know that there's
no chance of another post like mine
| Ten thousand yearl God, to think
how I've fattened on the firm for years,
and given them nothing. L deserved
it-oh, yes, l deserved it,"
Della stared at him with a white
face; she made no answer.
"All this junk will keep us just
about two weeks at our present rate
of living" Walter went on. Might
as well give it away as try to sell it.
Well, it's the end"
He paused. Della was thinking,
watching him closely, waiting for him
to reproach her
81 wouldn't say a word about it to
you till | was sure. But I've been
reckoning up. I've figured out how
much we've spent the last twelve
years. If you'd been willing to econ
omize as l wanted you to"
Yes, it had come. He was blaming
tier now.
I'VE could have saved five thousand
/ year. Do you know how much that
is, with interest? Not far short of
hundred thousand One hundred thou
sand dollars and my bank balance is
seven hundred! We could have saved
enough to have lived all the rest of
our lives upon the interest, travelled,
/ seen the world, had good time"
/ He broke off, inarticuiate with rage,
and still Della said nothing.
Just five years ago l told you it
was bound to come some day. | asked
/ you to come and live with me in the
country"
! at wouldn't have worked Walter
You couldn't have lived that life"
Il tell you l could. Well, do you
know how much you've had for dress
and housekeeping expenses in the
past five years? Thirty-two thousand
dollars. And now we're paupers. God,
we're paupers ~
He stopped again, and still Della
only watched him.
a don't say we should have lived
like the poor in order to save. l don't
say that But-Harrison the junior
partner, is going to launch out in bust
ness for himself He wants man
who's able to put up fifteen thousand
dollars and go in with him. He asked
mel could only laugh at him. With
fifteen thousand apiece, and our Gus
toners, we could simply step into the
concern. There'd be a fortune in it,
and I'd be a partner, drawing more
than | am now from the start, instead
of an ex-employee who's been fired be-
cause he was no use to the new con-
Germ. If we'd only saved fifteen thou
sand!"
Della had slipped away. She came
back, carrying something in her hand.
Walter had slouched forward in his
/ chair, his head in his hands. He
looked up miserably as she approached
him.
Forgive me, Della" he said. 81
shouldn't have blamed you. l guess 1
was to blame myself. You've been
loyal and straight all through. But
what are we going to do?"
you're going to take that offer of
Harrson's," said Della quietly, perch
ing herself upon the arm of his chair.
Walter laughed bitterly. And
where's the money coming from?"
81 have it here"
"Wh-at?"
81 saw what was coming, too, Walter
And l knew you couldn't really stand
for that country cottage. SO | put
away half of all you gave me in the
bank. Here's my bank book-ffteen
thousand dollars and n little more.
Yes, the old life was just junk, Wal
ter; but the new ones going to run
twenty-four carats."