Evening star., 1925-07-05

married-h'mr' He shook his head.
as If in perplexity. I'm darned If 1
know" he stated. That's my an
swer."
But we know" said Priscilla.
Don't we, Charlie?"
You betw the boy avowed.
The older man smiled anew.
lone of the most precious things in
the world" he replied. lis the conf
dence of youth. 1t is a priceless thing.
But as experience grows greater with
the passing years, confidence auto
matically seems to grow less. That
is why we older people are more eau
tious, 1 suppose. H'm"' He seemed
now to be talking to himself. Il won
der" he added vaguely.
Suddenly he sat upright.
Charlie" he said, how much
money do you maker"
Sixty dollars a week, sir. I ought
to be raised to SIS by the end of the
year"
And you expect my daughter to
live on that?"
Yes, sir. She wants to. 1 think"
"She may want to, Charlie, but do
suming for the moment that you don't
expect me to help you out-or do
you?"
The boy flushed. You know l
don't, Mr.. Chalders."
II didn't think you did, Charlie
which is why I'm willing to-
II don't want it, sir. Viewed
rather play the game on our own"
The elder nodded.
x
I" A most estimable intention, I'm
sure. The only thing is-wen,
let's get back to my original ques-
ton. What makes you think that
Priscilla. who in the last year, on
her own clothes and amusements and
things like that. has spent-how much
is it, Prilla, that you ran over your
allowance, anyway" She winked.
Only about a thousand, dad"
We'll, including your car and its up
keep-and not including board and
lodging-that brings your years cost
up to about five thousand, with this
house thrown in. What makes you
think, Prilla, that you can possibly
keep house for any man on about
half that sum-including his clothes
as we'll as yours, and food and rent
for both of you? And what would
lead you to that conclusion, Charlie?"
i've two hands, haven't I?' de-
manded the girl quickly. And I've a
brain, haven't I?"
Her father smiled. And what's
your answer. my boy?"
Charlie Hale was taken aback.
"Why-why. L don't know, sir" he
stammered. Priscilla seems like
that kind of girl, that's all. She's
real, Mr.. Chalders."
Yes, but she's spoiled, too. Char
lie. I've spoiled her; so it's my fault.
And since it is my fault, feel rather
extraordinarily responsible for Pris-
ella future. | want her to be happy
II she marries you 1 want her to be
happy with you. just as / should want
you to be happy with her. 1 wonder
if either of you has any well founded
idea of how much misery can come
about through the restrictions and
hardshlps imposed upon a married
couple by poverty"
II think L have" the boy said
quietly. Not about being married. 1
don't mean, but about having too lit
tie money. My father was an in
ventor, Mr.. Chalders."
And haven't l eyes, dad?" put in
Priscilla. Just because l live. in a
big house. don't you think 1 have
friends who don't?"
Her father said: That's Just the
point. You see people who live mod
erately, but you have never had to
be such a person. You, my daughter,
have never really been denied any
thing. You have your car. Come to
think of 1t, you have two cars. Do
you think you'll be able to keep a
car. dear, on $50 a week."
II suppose not" she answered.
x x
$40 you think you'll be able to
stay in the country club, Prilla,
on sixty a week? Do you think you'll
be able to keep up your golf and your
riding and all those things that are
actually a part of your life-do you
think you'll be able to manage them
on sixty dollars a week2 Let me give
you your answer right now. You
won't. Why, you won't even be able
to go to the theater except once in a
while. You won't be able to go to
dances. You won't be able to do any
thing eXcept-well, to speak bluntly-
expect housework.
II think she understands that sir"
said the boy. We've talked it all
over. Mr.. Chalders.''
Il know what I'll be giving up"
she corroborated evenly. But it'll be
for only a little while. dad Charles
going to make whole lot of money
before you know it,
Her father laughed softly.
"A whole lot of money. PrilIa, is
not so easy to make. l know, because
I've made it. SO don't count on max
ing lot of money before you've given
yourself opportunity to live on
nightly little money. That's all that's
worrying me, dear-Jhe possibility
that after the first romance has worn
off you might revolt against poverty.
Perhaps, my dear, shouldn't have
inoculated you with expensive tastes,
but 1 did, and that's that
But, dad" she pleaded, 'it won't be
poverty. Three thousand dollars a
year isn't poverty"
1T will be poverty for you" he
stated succinctly. And don't forget
it for minute. I'm not saying that
this experience wouldn't be good for
you-I consider it a wholesome ex
perience for any one-but L am say