Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-10-31
The Wife WhOWOuldn't Plav
By LUCL4N CARY
Debts Halt
IIarrvB

! hunt club bail because of that dress"'
Yes" she said.
But that isn't reasonable" he cried.
1T isn't logical. There's no connection
between the price of that dress and
going 10 the ball"
Her answer was to run upstairs with
the box in her arms. For moment he
thought she might have seen that she
wasn't being reasonable and had gone
up to put the dress on. But he knew
better. She meant to stay at home
How would he explain her absence at
the ball? He couldn't explain it.
He went TO the foot OF the stairs
and called her.
Just Il minute" She called bach
I'm be right down.
x y !: i
LIE stood leaning against the door
frame, waiting for her. Her dress
| had cost $500, or precisely the amount
of his commission on the sale OF one
Hurstwood Eight touring car. He re-
Elected bitterly that he had once sold
four HurstUood Fights in one week.
Why couldn't a man who was able to
earn 1900 in one week buy his wife
$500 dinner dress once In five wears?
Linda came down the stairs. She
had put on a serge dress, which was
evidence that she didn't intend tc
change her mind about going to the
hunt club ball, but her manner, as
she sat down in a corner of the sofa
was friendly.
I'm sorry" she said. It's awful
mean of me to refuse at the las
minute this way. But I've got to do
It, I wont spend money we haven't
got for things we don't need---not any
more"
Il can make more money"
"Of course you can. And you always
make me think you're going to. You've
sold me to the idea that the way to
make money is to spend it. You did
II again today when we bought the
dress. / was silly; I knew we couldn't
afford 1t. But it's the kind Of dress
a woman dreams about. And it was
a bargain. And you insisted that
charging 1t would only give you some.
thing more to work for this month"
ut would. too
Linda shook her head
Don't you know this Is November
you'll be lucky to sell four cars be-
tween now and the first Of the year"
I've sold four cars in one week"
Eyes, and ever since you've felt that
we really ought to live at the rate of
fifty thousand a year. Don't you
realize that was in the Spring. when
people are buying cars. not in No
vember and December"
That dress won't have to be paid
for till after the first Of the year
Might even stall them till February
or March"
sit won't ever be paid for-at least
not by u.s." said Linda passionately.
I'm going to tuke it back tomor,
row.
But" he began again.
please, Harry" she said, Tets not
try to talk now. You haven't time.
It's five minutes Of now, and you've
got seven miles to drive"
do you think I'm going without
you?"
She smiled sweetly. Harry didn't
know whether he wanted more to
slap her or to kiss her.
"Of course you are"
"WhatIl I say to everybody"
Say anything you like-say I've
got a headache or the heeby geebies.
Tell the truth
Wha Is the he , truth he asked s,es
on mo like this and spoil my eve
ming because I wanted you to have
an especially nice dress?"
CHE Jumped up and her eyes flashed
- and she stamped her foot.
1.-THE truth is that when I got home
tonight the grocer called me UP again
and asked for check-we haven't
paid him anything for more than
three months. Katie asked for her
wages, and I had to put her off. l
had to cajole the laundry into leaving
your dress shirts. I've got 1878 in
my purse upstairs. my bank account
is overdrawn. and In my desk are
more than a thousand dollars in I'M
paid bills. I can't stand living that
way I won't live that way"
What are you going to do about
it," he asked meanly.
I'm going on strike Linda
answered gravely. I'm going to try
doing what I'm doing tonight-re-
fusing to spend money we haven't
got, refusing to go places we cant
afford"
THE hunt club" Harry said, with
what he intended to be biting sarcasm,
costs a hundred dollars year"
Yes" she answered, "a hundred
dollars for the annual dues. Last
months bills for meals and things was
SEQ. And it costs thirty odd dollars