Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1924-03-12
He Had
Delusions
OF Poverty
BY MORRIS SCHULTZ
GO. 1924. western Newspaper Union.

HaVerng looked round the
table as he spoke-at his wife, re-
splendent with diamonds; at his son,
just down from Harvard, wearing his
suit of exaggerated campus togs;'
at his daughter Eunice, with her dis
satisfied, querulOus face.
He looked from them at the costly
furnishings of his town mouse, the imi-
tation Louis Seize chairs and tables.
the Partisan tapestries. And he wait
Cd for the blow to sink in.
Sixty nine-he was sixty-nine, and
ne had toiled like a slave in the city
for his family year in and year out
querulous wife, a querulous daugh-
ter, worthless son-all looked on him
as 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 a
three months holiday. Then he was
going to pretend to have recouped
part of his losses and they would
resume living in a less eXtravagant
way.
Perhaps it was because he was
growing old but he had been obsessed
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 his son
get out and hunt for that job that he
never found? This was the test, the
crucial test that was to decide their
future.
Don't be 50 absurd, John!"
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 al
ways called him stingy too; they had
ached to get their hands upon his for
tune and make the money fly. Now
they couldn't believe him.
81 mean," he expounded, that l
have lost all but few thousand dol
lars in speculation. l mean every
things gone. Wen have to take a
small apartment in the suburbs and
/ live like poor people"
And give up the car? And our
opera seats?" cried Eunlce in anguish
"Everything," said Havering briefly
Storms, reproaches, expostulations.
81 told you to retire years ago"
sobbed Mrs. Havering, INSTEAD 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, it's
what can make. We must get along
on four thousand a year"
IA year? A month, you mean A
year,"
"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 an
.icipated. He telephoned his clerk
Richards that night. Richards was his
conAdant in the matter. He had once
wanted to marry Eunice, and of course
Havering had had to put his foot down.
but Richards had fallen into line and
Eunice had given him up. A presump-
ton on Richards part-but still, all
that was forgotten. Richards was see
ing to ii that the business was carried
on during his absence. Havering was
satisfied
Mrs. Haverlng was strangely meek
the next day. She acquiesced in all
his arrangements. The house was to
be sold Amelie, Eunlce's maid, re-
ceived notice. The boy was to give
up his club and get a job. 1t was
working. 1t was certainly 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 inquis-
tive, anxious about Havering's health
The fact is, your wife's worried" he
conhded, with false laugh, but l
guess we can reassure her She says
you've had business losses, eh?"
Reluctantly Havering told him what
he had told his wife. quite So"
nodded Keen and backed to the door.
Two men, who had been waiting on
the mat, came in and ranged them
selves at Havering's side. Through
the open front door Havering saw a
taxi waiting. He heard Keen speak
ing outside the door:
/ oP
ing. Yes, he may recover, entirely,
with care. He"
Havering's wild dash for freedom
, was brought up by the two guards.
Struggling wildly, he was dragged to-
ward the taXi-but not before he had
seen the grin on the face of Richards,
his traitorouS clerk, who was support