The Washington times., 1937-11-17

quirks in his nature about which
I know nothing yet.
But, I'm going to discover them
before they get the jump on me
like fathers untidineSs did on
poor mother.
Mary had her own shortcom-
ings all right. She had a hot
temper. When she flew off the
handle she said all sorts of things
she didn't mean to say at all.
Invariably willing to apologize,
on more than one occasion she
had found it was too late and
that she had made an enemy.
But Joe was different, Flying
off the handle was not down his
alley. Joe was the quiet con-
trolled type.
They started out more comfort
ably than most young marrieds in
the town. Joe had his own bust
ness, building supplies.
It was small but growing and
on the strength of his excellent
prospects he bought house for
which he was paying on the in
stallment plan.
THRIFTY WIFE
Every week he gave Mary the
house money, a generous sum with
which she was to pay only for
food. Joe made a point of the
fact that other bills, like gas and
light and furnace oil, were his.
He never asked Mary what she
did with the money, considering
housekeeping entirely out OF his
line. In fact, he insisted it was all
quite mysterious to him.
Mary being a thrifty soul and
a clever manager, found it easy
to put by something every week.
Once she bought lamp for the
living room out of her savings, but
although an extremely pretty one
Joe wasn't at all enthusiastic.
Finally he said:
IF you'd waited till the first OF
the month, I could have paid for
it," Mary thought this rather silly.
"You did pay for it" she replied.
Joe made no rejoinder but he
never really like the lamp.
Straws like this showed which
way the wind blew, but it wasn't
till little later that the real hurri.
cane occurred which gave Mary
an eye-opening slant on her huS.
bands character, and taught her
definitely how she'd have to watch
her step.
It was unusually cold, water
pipe froze and burst, which before
it was discovered did an astound
ing amount of harm.
A fancy little plumbers bill
came in the mail one morning
and Mary, having saved consider
able from the house money by now
went downtown and paid it.
When Joe found this out he wa!
wild. Among other things, hi
said: "That plumber'Il think Tn
a nice piece Of work-letting my
wife pay my bills"
Mary, running true to form, in,
Stantly blew up and said a whole
lot Of things that had nothing to
do with the present situation. AT
the height of the quarrel she heard
herself yell: And what's more,
think your stupid old Cousin Olga
looks like a horse"
Cousin Olga had no place in
this row, but knowing Joe was
very fond of her, Mary dragged
her in to hurt him. She sue
ceeded-in fact so well, that Joe
put on his hat and left the house
WEAK SPOT
After they finally made up
Mary realized exactly what hac
happened. She had hurt joe!
pride-that was his weak spot, the
quiFk in his nature against which
she must guard.
Perhaps, it was a complex LEFT
from childhood, for Joe's mothel
had worn the pants in the Carlisle
family.
But, whatever the reason, IL
order to be happy Joe must b.
the head of the house, and as HI
saw it. he wasn't if his wife paic
the bills.
From Mary's standpoint thi
was downright silly, but every
body is silly about something
hadn't been overnight of her tt
say Cousin Olga looked like
horse. From now on, Mary's say
ingS from the house money wen
into the bank.
Joe's business was doing vel
and then quite Unexpectedly
rival concern moved to town, tn,
j. G. Grimes Company.
At first Joe pooh-poohed it, saic
competition was the life of trad,
and so forth. Then he began tt
lose contracts. j. G.. Grimes wa
underSelling him.
1T can't last" Joe said cheer
fully to Mary but with a tell-talt
look OF strain around his mouth
"Old ]. G. is a crook and soone
or later people'll get wise to him.
But, it did last and Joe's busi
ness grew Stacker and Stacker.
final blow falling when Crime
got the job of supplying the grand
stand lumber for the police parade
In itself, this wasn't a big order
but it came from a department il
the city that had hitherto patron
lied Joe.
Mary" he said after this, d
you think you could manage on
little less weekly house money?
This was the first of severa
a.Lnan SlAns L