The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1930-09-19

~ 49, Ny eOAoS =
shrink like everything.
Joe was glum at dinner. TIL
scorched steak did not taste so aw
fully good. But the pie was del
cious. Afterward, when he sat dow
in bis comfy chair and took up hi
booS. Helen snapped on the ney
bridge lamp.
Flows that, dear?"
Zine" He looked up at ii and her
"A new lamp, Ell? Where did tina
come from? A present from some
body?"
mo, | got il at Kent's. A bargain
Only $3.50"
"Just the other day you bought
bridge table. The luxury till in on
budget box must be empty. By thu
way, bring that budget box here.
want TO see it."
Helen brought the box. She set |
down on the arm of Joe's chair: Sh,
stood looking on while he examined tn,
curious tills of the rather clumsily ar
ranged. homemade affair.
Somebody's been spending a lot %
money, seems to me-" he said, study
ing the tiny slips of paper which rep
resented promissory notes made to the
budget box.
Helen flushed. The thing was get
ting on her nerves.
"rm always careful to put in my
l. o. US. You aren't" she said
LAST night there was 1928 in Incl
dentals. This morning it was gone
And nothing to show for it."
I'll needed a little extra" Joe
looked confused.
"What for?" Helen's demand was
SHARP and swift. Joe's reply matched
it. "Say! What's the matter with
you? Don't you think l can be trust
ed with money l earn?" Blue eyes
challenged gray ones.
Suddenly Helen felt limp. Nothing
like this had ever happened between
them before. 1t wasn't going to now.
She grabbed up the budget box and
planted herself in its place on the
arm of Joe's chair.
Dear! You're mad. l don't blame
you. That was a nasty question for
me to put TO you. I'm sorry. Will
that make it all right?"
Joe's face cleared. He put his arm
around her.
Il don't mind telling you what | did
with that money"
Helen put her hand ove his mouth.
"You shan't. l don't want to know.
Well blame the budget box"
"The darn thing is getting to be a
nuisance" Joe admitted.
The cloud had dissolved in the blue
ether.
Next morning Helen took the budget
box out to the kitchen table and sat
down to put it in the strictest order.
The postman had brought her a letter
which contained a small check from
her far-distant brother. Until she saw
the check she had forgotten that to-
day was her twenty-second birthday.
That check would pay up all her
I. o. US to the budget box. She
Wduleu IL uISduluhy i" SohhO'hS
else, but the budget box be
looked after.
She was busily figuring when there
came a knock at the door. Helen
sprang up and opened the door. A
forlorn man stood there. He made
the usual request: a bite to eat? "Or
a little change, lady? Helen was so
sorry for him that she turned away
without hooking the screen door and
ran to the ice box. When she came
back with a hunk of cake the man
was gone. Likewise the budget box.
She stared at the empty table in
dismay. Her check was there and
Bob's letter. Pencil and pad where
she had been figuring. Nothing else.
Her first thought was to run out and
try to Overtake the Her next
was one of distinct relief. There
wasn't much more money in the bud
get box than she would have given
him out of compassion anyway. She
had her check safe. And today was
pay day.
She had made the remnant of beef
steak into a stew, Disgusting the
slightly scOrched taste with tomato
and onion, when Joe came home to
dinner. He slid in, trying to hide
something behind him. Her birthday
present. Flowers? Candy? Helen in
the kitchen heard the rustling Of pa
per. When she came in bearing the
dish of stew she found her gift upon
the table waiting for her. A box, not
large but substantial, with lock and
key. A budget box. Just for an in
slant she felt queer. Then she set
down the stew and put her arms about
Joe's neck.
"You adorable boy! Nothing was
ever more opportune. The old budget
box walked away this morning. With
a man. Such a forlorn old fellow!"
"How much did he get?" Joe
grinned.
"N~inety-seven cents"
They both laughed.
"We1l run this different, eh?" Joe
said. "It cost 1926 to begin with.
But ! can make that up. Boss told
me there'd be an extra five in my pay
envelope every week after this. How
do you like your birthday present,
darling?"
81 love it." Helen's eyes were misty.
She bent down and touched her fresh
lips to the new budget box.