Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-01-18
Poverty de I luxe
MARGARET CULKIN BANNING.


, clearing up the old bills, but OF
| course that was too much to hope for.
Well, five hundred would be plenty
even two hundred. 1t must be a
| check, because there was no sign Of
| a wrapped package anywhere.
Mr.. Tillinghast finished his coffee,
and they left the table. In the
library, which fronted the street, he
| made his way to the window.
"Good-looking car in front. Won
| der who's got the nerve to park out
| there"
Jean followed him to the window.
Funny" she agreed; right before
the steps, isn't it?"
The electric lights at the gates
shone full on the car.
Now. who do you suppose IL be-
longs TOT" speculated old d. II. T..
| Looks like a good car for young
| people, doesn't it?"
Jean turned to look at him, and his
smile verified her suspicious.
You darling" she cried, and flung
her arms about her fathers neck.
The front door few open and Jean
dashed down to the curb with the
others in smiling pursuit. Sure
enough. on a little silver plate on
| the door CLEANED Jeans initials.
Sheldon looked at the initials a
little strangely, then at Jeans happy
face. Jean turned to him trium-
phantly.
Isn't it wonderful to have q father
who does things like this for you!
It's such a good car! It's a beauty
Sheldon did not answer. He was
| thinking of young Davis, buying his
own company, and OF himself doomed
for life to ride in his wife's car and
eat her family's dinners. And, I'M
wisely, Jean pressed him:
You don't seem very enthusiastic.
sheldon
I'm afraid not. Jean said her
husband. He had hardly reached the
hall when Jean, very white-faced,
confronted him.
What do you mean by that7" she
demanded
MY lack of enthusiasm I think
you know"
What's the trouble. Sheldon? Not
your favorite make? II isn't final,
you know" said old D. II. T. kindly
I'm afraid that 1 hardly approve
OF my wifes having an expensive
car" said Sheldon quietly.
Sheldon's picked up a lot OF silly
ideas somewhere" his wife remarked
cuttingly, and they haven't improved
his manners"
put in her mother.
Suppose we hear the ideas" sug-
gested Mr.. Tillinghast.
Il think we'd better not" asid Jean.
X 4 x
THAT last remark Kicked Sheldon
into action.
IT think I'll be the judge OF that"
he broke in. They aren't such
strange ideas. 1 don't see why
should welcome an expensive car,
which adds to my liabilities. which
are too heavy for me now. 1 can't
afford to have my wife run a four
or five thousand dollar car when I'm
only making six thousand a year
It's not right. 1t shows the world
that I'm not supporting her. 1t adds
to our expenses. It means upkeep,
gasoline, motor parties "a lot of
other things we can't afford"
"Oh. well, Sheldon, If that's all
THAT'S on your mind, I'll endow that
little car" offered his father-in-law.
I'm sorry, but that doesn't fit the
case. It's not endowment 1 want"
Not tfps"' said Jean sarcastIcally.
'No-not tins. Not. as said to
my wife last night. Mr.. Tillinghast.
tips-club memberships, trips, new
furs, car
II want chance to live as we ought
to live-not to be pulled into spending
more year, but less"
You want me to live in a fiat like
the wife of a clerk?'' said Jean.
We'll, you are the wife of a coffee
buyer. aren't your" And then to Mr.
Tillinghast: And she'll always be the
wife of buyer as long as I'm put in
the position where I have to be poor
,1a
the poverty, you the de luxe You talk
to me about Fielding Davis I could get
somewhere myself If / didn't have to
stagger along under a lot Of bills and
a lot of social ambitions You indorse
Davis notes, and you give my wife a
car to increase my expense. Why didn't
you consult me and ask whether 1
wanted my wife to have a car? WHY
didn't you assume that I have a right
to determine my own scale of living?''
They all looked at him, Jean with
anger, but certain dawning respect
her mother angrily, and old D. H. r
stood there, wearing his poker express
sion.
When I married Jean, the under
standing was that we were to live on
what 1 could earn. We can't live, the
way we've been expected to live, on
that. People assume that she gets an
allowance
You mean you want me to give Jean
an allowance"
II don't mean any such thing. 7
mean. that you ought to leave us alone
and not bother us with temptations to
spend money. or else give us enough to
do the thing right"
X X X
LIE hadn't meant to say that last
1t put the wrong construction on
everything. Old d. H. It's expression
hardened.
Il don't know whether you are stag
ing a hold-up or not, young man. At
any rate, I think I prefer the first al
tentative to subeidizing you. We can
remove temptation to spend money. I'll
send back the No mother I'll
give it to you. The initials are the same