The Coolidge examiner., 1934-09-14
CHAPTER I
i

AatNe III knTouEh 0lnhsf
Nancy had been aware OF H. Not
oace had be taken part In the con
Versaiion. and though ouiwardly
unchanged tihe girl was proEd Of
her vcgigroomed. youthful-Iooklng
fatherl he seemed. somehow. miles
and miles away. when even Jack 4
spirited account os EIe;er's victory
st the game that afternoon quite
failed 20 rouse him. both Hunts
glanced up. puzzled; and Mother
saying. Let's have our coffee Ia
the living ROOM went 20 her bus
band and touched bis shoulder.
what's wrong. Jlm7 Has some
thing happened =
Dad turned quickly. as II star.
tied at the question.
Something has" be admitted.
pulling himself together with what
seemed 20 all o; them a tremendous
effort. ~nnd since the little boys
away. rs a good time 20 tell you.
Don't bother with coffee tonight.
Margaret Come into the ether
room and close the door. IL must
set Il over"
But after all. james Nelson did
not have TO break the news I,
was bis sister. always quick "a
grasp a situation. who asked as
they gathered In the living room :
did that crash In the market to-
dsy bit you very hard. JlmY"
Her brother not6ed-wet bis lips
lin down and out. Louise" be
answered: but Nancy sav that he
was looking 81 her mother. And
Mother was looking az him. strange
H. She seemed. thought the girl.
stunned for jnst a moment
Down and out James Nelson
repeated Erimly. silll staring at bis
wife with eyes that had grown bag
gard After all these years the
nrm's gone under. I think fear.
Margaret. that wen have to begin
al over aNh4N-
We'll" eountered Mother. coming
suddenly 20 llfe. why no;fr She
Eat down on the davenport beside
Dad. and put an arm across his
shoulders Tell us. dear. Jus, how
bad everything Is"
lie drew n relieved breath. as II
the worst were over.
"Noi 90 bad as II might be. per.
haps cant SO into details DOW I:
bat At least. I'm not In debt 10 9th
erS That's the thought held onto
when looked AZ the crowd OF des.
perate men Ia the stock exchange
this afternoon--a terrible scene
Their faces-well. wish / could
forget them I went back 90 the
of'ice and just sat there thinking
trying 20 see my way. I'm hfiy-slI
It's not easy 20 start sgaln AZ tha,
age. Margaret This house is
yours: but We can't afford 20 lire
here. what hurts me most Is that
the hardest par; will fall OF you
all of you. | mean. The servants.
too; they'll have TO 20. And-and
Nance was 10 have had her debut
90 soon r.
~oA. forget IT. The girl spoke
nippantly because she couldn't have
spoken otherwise without crying.
For my part" observed Jack. Il
should think Sis would be relieved
20 get rid OF all that fuss I'll get
a SOB. Dad never was keen on
college anyway. was only going
SOS not 10 dlsappolnt you. And
won't need Mary Ann II 70 TO
work. She'll bring ln-somethinE. :"
Mary Ann" was the boys be-
loved roadster. James Nelson's eyes
brightened suspiclously as be said
You're good kids. both OF you.
feel better already 20 have you meet
this blow with so much pluck. /
knew could count on Mother and
Pills too young TO feel the hurt
Az for you two" tturnlnE TO his
own sister and his wife's) you're
safe. thank heaven That was nv
nrsi grain OF comtort-rellef that
I'd put your money into good. de-
pendable bonds"
For mercy's sake, - broke In
Aunt Louise. ~why didn't you tell
rs sooneri II Judy's savings and
mine are still intact. things aren't
% bad. Even with that small
capital you can start again. Jim"
III you think Id touch a penny"
he began. when Aunt Judy Inter.
rupted.
why shouldn't your whs, would
I have now. Jim, II you hadn't man.
aged my Affairs so carefully all
these years? This crash In the mar
ket Is no fault OF yours Make him
see sense. Margaret. or course he'll
take our money n II will help
Said Mother: Perhaps he won't
need to II we sell this house"
This Is no time TO sell real es-
tate" Dad told her. but I've no
doubt We can rent II at q good
price. And II we move to q small
apartment or even into the sub
uros for a while. 50 as TO cut all
possible expense. It will give me
q chance 70 look around
See here - smoke m Amt Judx