The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1928-08-10

Alice gasped. 1.-THE Brandon? Why
Jim, it's one of the most expensive
hotels down there!" Her gray eyes
danced with delighted expectation.
For moment Jim fell heavily out
of his holiday mood. They'll soak us,
I'm afraid l have the address of a
good boarding house, but Mr.. Pulver
may ask me when we come back how
| liked the hotel and then he said he
might run down himself over the
weekend. so l guess we'd better go
there"
. "Oh, it'll be heavenly!" Alice sighed
rapturously, ''but did you take money
enough along, Jim"
Drew every cent out of the bank.
One hundred and fifty dollars. Guess
that ought to see us out, eh?'
At the hotel, which lowered above
Alice's most extrayagant dreams,
Jim's holiday mood received another
dent when he heard the price of the
room. He might have changed to the
boarding house but Alice firmly re-
fused to move.
The dinner in the vast fairy-lighted
dining hall with soft-footed attentive
walters and dreamy, entreating music
was to Alice an hour of exquisite joy
well worth waiting eighteen years
for, but Jim grew heavy with concern.
Out on the boardwalk he told her.
"We can't eat there again, Alice.
Eight dollars and twenty cents for
that dinner!"
"Oh, Jim," she demonstrated, "it
was worth hundred!"
The next day he led her to a cafe
terra on a side street where in a din
of noise and smell of fish they ate
a lukewarm dinner in less than fif-
teen minutes. Right there in Alices
breast rose great protest backed by
a tremendous determination. Moth
ing could move her, she would eat at
the hotel; she had some money with
her, saved from her allowance. Jim
argued, but he could not convince her.
This was her first vacation in eight
cen years and she was going to en-
JOY IL W Tie SAleuI.
So Alice ate delicious, expensive
meals at the hotel and Jim patronized
dairy lunches and cafeterias. Between
meals they were mostly together, both
of eating, though Alice noticed Jim
was continually munching peanuts or
salt water taffy. She wondered, lit
tie conscience-stricken, if he were
hungry.
Sunday morning Jim came in with
a telegram. "Mr. Pulver wants to see
me Monday morning early-it's i'm
portant-so I'll go down and settle
the bill while you pack. Let me see"
he fished out his roll of bills
twelve dollars day for this room"
He did little reckoning-"Pl just
have enough for the bill, tips and our
return tickets"
Alice, who was finishing dressing,
grew a little pale. But JIM" she
faltered, 1.-The bill will be much more.
You see," nervously, Il just signed
checks for my meals, and the money
l had with me is all gone but So.
bought some linens and dress and"
They began to figure, Alice strain
ing to remember the amount of her
meal checks. Jim fishing in all his
pockets for loose change. 1t was all
of no use, they were nearly $50 short.
''It's Sunday" Jim was saying in
a hard, fiat voice; Il can't telegraph
the Office. No use to offer check, l
have no funds at the bank. We don't
know a soul here to borrow from.
Can't stay till tomorrow-got to be
in the office and straighten out that
misunderstanding or the firm'l have
bad lawsuit" He looked at Alice
in reproachful disapproval. "You
think | enjoyed eating at those mis-
cradle little places? You know how
love good food! You always think
all my sacrifices are foolishness; per-
haps in the future you'll be more
willing to save. This is the result Of
thoughtless extravaganza. Well. I'll
go down and face the music"
She rushed over to him. "Jim, oh,
Jim, what can happen?" She chung
to him, trembling; ''they couldn't ar
rest us?" Was Mr.. Pulver right? Did
all vacations end with trouble?"
She insisted upon going down with
him to the Office. If only she had
brought her engagement ring with
her they might offer that as security
And Jim's watch was just gold filled |!
She shrank against Jim at the cash.
ier's cage when after several unsuc-
cessful efforts her husband asked in q
low voice for their bill.
"The bill?" the cashier fumbled In
a file. "Oh," he frightened, there
isn't any. Mr.. Pulver-he's patroniZed
our hotel for years-wrote us that he
is taking care of that end Of your
visit. | hope you had pleasant stay
with us, Mrs. Stover?" he waxed
very sociable, ''and was the shoe ex-
hibition satisfactory from business
viewpoint, Mr.. Stover?"
Up in their room the Stovers stood
looking at each other for one brief
second, then Jim, throwing back his
head, burst into great boyish laugh.
Alice" he gasped wiping his eyes.
"don't ever tell soul, will you, about
my being hungry and all, and honey"
he drew her close, "well have q va
cation every year and save little