The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-07-07
The Test That
Failed
BY MORRIS SCHULTZ

i've IoSt everything. were
ruined
Havering looked round the table
as he spoke-at his wife, resplend.
ent with diamonds; at his son, just
down from Harvard. wearing his
suit Of exaggerated campus togs";
at his daughter Eunice, with her
dissatisfied, querulous face.
He looked from them at the cost
ly furnishings of his town house,
the imitation Louis Seize chairs and
tables, the Partisan tapestries. And
he waited for the blow to sink in.
Sixty-nine-he was sixty-ni1ie,
and he mad toiled like slave in
the city for his family year in and
year out. A querulous wife, quer-
ulOus daughter, worthless SON.
all looked on him rs machine
for grinding out money for them.
He had resolved to put them all
to this test of poverty. He had
arranged his affairs so that he could
take three months rest. Then
he was going to pretend to have re-
couped a part of his losses, and
they would resume living in less
extravagant way.
Perhaps it was because he was
growing old, but he had been OBJ
sessed by this idea of his for
months. Would they meet it?
Would his wife live with him in
a modest apartment with one maid.
and his daughter dress simply. and
hot
job that he never found? This was
the test, the crucial test that was
to decide their future. ..,
"Don't be so absurd, joint"
"Don't be so ridiculous. father!"
"Say, dad, think again" ,
So that was the way they took
It! They didn't believe him. They
had always called him stingy, too;
they had ached to get their hands
upon his fortune and make the
money fly. Now-they couldn't be-
lieve him.
II mean," he expounded, "that l
have lost all but few thousand
dollars in speculation. mean every
things gone. Well have to take
q small apartment in the suburbs
and live like poor people"
"And give up the car? And our
opera seats?" cried Eunice In an
gulsh.
Everything" said Havering
briefly.
stor,ne, reproaches, expostula-
lions. II told you to retire years
ago." sobbed Mrs. Havering, Sin
stead of hanging on at your age,
and throwing your money away on
the exchange. How much have we
got left?"
1T isn't what we've got left, its
what l can make. We got to get
along on four thousand year."
ga year? A month, you mean!
"A Year," 49,.
"What about my maid?'
"Say, dad, you can't mean that!
How about my club dues?"
Havering got away, at last. 1t
had worked even better than he
had anticipated. He telephOned
his clerk Richards that night. Rich
ards was his confidant in the mat
ter. He had once wanted to marry
Eunice, and of course Havering had
to put his foot down, but Richards
had fallen into line and Eunice had
given him up. A presumption on
Richards part-but still, all that
was forgotten. Richards was see
ing to it that the business was cur
ried on during his absence. Haver-
ing was satisfied
Mrs. Havering was strangely
meek the next day. She acquiesced
In all his arrangements. The house
was to be sold. Amelie, Eunice's
maid, received notice. The boy
was to give up his club and get a
Job. It was working. 1t. was GER
tainly working, When Havering
had accustomed them to the new
way Of living he would break the
news Of his trick. What rejoicing
there would be
doctor Keen to see you, sir"
"Why, doctor" .
"Just called in for little chat"
said Keen. He seemed rather in
Quisitive, anxious about Haverlngs
health. 1.-THE fact is, your wife's
worried" he ,conHded, with a false
| laugh, "but guess we can reassure
her. She says you've had business
losses, eh?" Ia
Reluctantly Havering told him
what he had told his wife. "Quite
90" nodded Keen, and backed to the
door.
Two men who had been waiting,
ON the mat, came In and ranged
themselves , at Havering's side.
Through the open front, door Hay-
ering saw a taxi waiting. He
heard Keen speaking outside the
| door,: 70, M
'Delusions Of poverty, Mrs. Hav-
erins. Yes, he may recover, entire
IT,, with care. He ~
Havering's Wild dash for free
dom. was brought up. By the two
guards. Struggling wildly, he was
dragged toward the taxt-,but moi.
before he had seen the grin on the
1hce OF Richards, his traitorolis
clerk, who was supporting Eunices
In his arms.
u, a. issAw tsstsra;l .ys.!xsYs1;s, j, vnleAl,