The Washington times., 1937-10-28
Cast of Characters in
Joint Account"
NIKE, who liked his
horses.
ETHEL, who preferred
security.

| SCCuG1Gys
money. He made quite a long
speech and while he was making
it she went out Of the kitchenette
and he could hear her moving
around in the bedroom.
Finally, she came out and she
was dressed and carrying a suit
case. When he asked her where
she was going, she said:
SUES FOR DIVORCE
I'm leaving you. You'll hear
from my lawyer because I'm suing
for divorce. I'm tired of being a
suckers wife"
So that's how they came to open
the joint account for $2,400. At
first, he thought he would out
smart her.
He knew that either could draw
as much as he or she wanted at
any time and he figured that
whenever he got short or had a
good thing, he'd just reach in and
take it out.
But a funny thing happened.
He found that thoughts of taking
the money out made him feel as
though somebody was trying to
cut a pound or so off his flesh.
Not only that. He got to trying
to build the amount to a much
greater sum. First thing he
knew, he was putting away SIS a
week.
He and Ethel could think Of
nothing else. That spring rolled
away and the summer and the
winter and another spring. The
score as shown by the bank book
was something over a couple OF
dollars over $500.
It changed Mixes habits, that
money. He still played the horses
but he became a piker. He never
bet more than 50 on horse and
when he did bet, the horse practi-
cally had to be sure shot.
He had a two-weeks vacation in
August and he talked Ethel into
spending it up at Saratoga. Mean.
while. he studied the form sheets
more closely than ever.
Through June and July, he fol.
lowed one horse, Orestes, and from
what he knew of racing habits, he
figured that Orestes' owner was
figuring on a killing with him in
the Saratoga race meet.
He kept talking Orestes all
through that summer and though
Ethel paid no attention to him, it
made him feel good.
When his vacation time arrived,
he was so sure that Orestes would
win that he Sneaked over to the
bank two days before he left and
drew $1,000 to bet on the horse.
They liked Saratoga. Ethel
wasn't so strong for the races but
she liked the night life and the
rides through the beautiful sur
rounding country in the early
mornings.
CONSCIENCE HURTS
Mike would have had a wonder.
full time, too, if his conscience
hadn't been eating him. In spite
of himself, he couldn't help but
feel that he VIZ practically steal
ing the thousand he had drawn. He
got hipped on it. He got feeling
not so sure that Orestes would win.
He got to looking at the other
horses on the day before the race
which he figured OresteS would
win. In the midst Of his decision,
he heard young Alfred Mailton,
OreStes' owner, confide to Billy
Bernice, his trainer, that Meadow.
lark would beat him.
And though young Mailton
didn't know 1t, he had succeeded
in touting Mike off Orestes and
on to the other horse. The next
day, Mike bet the thousand he had
stolen" from the joint account
and sixty dollars besides on Mead
owlark.
Well, if you follow the races, or
if you have any imagination, you
know what happened. OresteS led
the field in by 10 lengths. 1t was
walkaway.
And when it was over Mike
dropped to the grass of the pad
dock in a dead faint. He came to
in the clubhouse, and Ethel was
bending grimly over him.
oh, there you are!" she said,
as he opened his eyes. IT had
hoped you were dead. I see you
rated on me. You sneaked a
thousand out of the bank, and,
after telling me that OresteS
couldn't lose, you bet it on an
other horse. I found the Meadow
lark record in your pocket"
Smiling in embarrassment, he
got up and walked out of the club
house, and when they were alone
tried to explain. But Ethel would
not listen. She stopped him in
the midst of a solemn oath that
he would never do such a thing
again.
Il should say you won't" she
told him. From now on that
money is going to be fixed so that
neither of us can draw a penny
unless both names are on the
withdrawal slip"
rs that sol" Mike said. well,
as long as you're going to get
tough about it, I'll draw the rest
Of the money and keep it myself"
mo, you won't, Michael" Ethel
smiled, sweetly. Its already
STnuyY1 %noIS all S,o,1 IaaS 1aSG