Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1927-04-22
THE
REVOLT OF
MARY
Copyright by W. @. chapmanD
BY HI AKERS

1t seemed to Mary Beard
she must shrek ut that
phrase She had been hearing 1t ev-
cry time she suggested the replenish-
Ing of any article of wardrobe or
house furnishing for the last nine
years, the period of her married life.
This time 1t was the rug In the living
room.
Just look at 1t, joe she urged.
ITS getting so ragged 1t will soon be
dangerous to walk on. We will have
to have the bare floor"
IL think 1t could be mended," he
said.
Mary looked at him as though get
ting up courage to say something bold
err than usual. Finally she made the
plunge.
Joe" she said, you've never told
me anything about your business l
think l have right to know"
IL thought you'd been down there
to the store enough to know we sell
hardware and auto supplies"
"Oh, you know what l mean" She
looked him straight In the eye with
out filnching. II want to know what
our income is"
Joe Beard was positively flabber-
gasted. He had never confided this
matter to his wife, and had never ex-
pected her to ask. Mary had always
accepted the situation, and made the
best of it. He began to temporlze.
"Why, Mary, II thought you knew
that our interests were identical, that
was doing the best could"
THAT isn't the point" she broke in.
"Of course l knew that. But l want
to know just how things stand. II
business is In such bad way that
must go with a shabby old coat, and
we must have bare floors, must know
just what we can afford, what we can
depend upon, so can spend the money
to the best advantage, so can help
econOmize."
1--WE are not exactly in a bad way
but we are running pretty close. I al
ways thought you had enough to do
in running the house, not to trouble
about running the store" he answered
smiling at her in way which was
intended to close the argument. Blu
1t did not. She persisted, and he
finding evasion ineffective, flung gu
OF the house In high state of irrita
ton without giving her any satisfac
ton.
Boards partner, Fred Fason, ha'
been married only five years, and al
they had lived out of town, Mary hac
never visited them. They had nov
been living In the city about siJ
weeks, and Mary determined to cal
on Mrs. Fason partly for their better
acquaintance, but mostly to try t.
find out what she could not from hel
own husband.
The apartment was very attractive
and Mary noticed that all the fur
nishings were much better than hers
had ever been. Mrs. Fason was fash
iOnably dressed, and a neat maid
opened the door. Mary was drawn tc
the pretty little woman, who was
about six years her junior. In few
weeks they were seeing each other
very often.
Mary shrank from anything like crit
icism of her husband to an outsider
but she felt II 1t had to come to thai
1t must, for she was determined t
know the true state of the finances
She began by asking Mrs. Fason Il
she thought the business was not do
ing well The LADY looked at her II
undisgnised astonishment.
"Why, didn't you know we were do
ing better this year than everf"
81 don't know anything about the
business" replied Mary.
"You don't7 WIN Fred tells me
avervthinq bet | know almost &c
n dollar What tho nrof,ta wara las,
wear" And Mrs. Fason proceeded Ia
Law some figures before the greatly
surprIsed Mrs Beard. Yes" she
added. Erred is not a bit extravaRant
hut no IA such . dear he's ALWAYS
wanting me to have more than L will
allow him to get. Now he wants "a
buy me diamond pin and bracelet
but I'd rather have a car that we
both can enjoy"
To saw that Mary Beard had some
thing of a "ielt, would he uniting n
mildly She went home thinning hard
"DIamonds y "automobiles while she
tho other nartner,s wife was nlncbInV
a dina In two She bad found Inc
min. vears ~ economIzIng which
seemed 70 grind closer each year