The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1940-02-24
Keep Love Out OF The Budget

double-breasted Jacket gave 1t the
aupearance Of q suit-perfect Tor
the warm spring weather. This was
wednesday = she and Lonely might
meet before the end Of the week.
How did two strangers know
each otlner2 A flower on the lapel
was the accepted sign, she be-
lieved. Saturday - you could puy
Rardenias for o dime on Saturday
Saturday.
That evening Ann prepared. and
ate, most sketclly supper. AdVen-
tune beckoned and adventure made
necessary q new dress, also a
matching hat. She had clever idea
in mind, two pancakes Of dark blue
tafIeta, the top pancake fitting up
ward at the back, the finished crea-
ton to be worn over one eyebrow,
held there by o shirred elastic. II
would cost almost nothing.
Could she afford q new pair OF
gloves? She consulted her budget.
The budget always had the last
word. Only by strict adherence TO
its dictates was she able to keep
even, and keeping even was an
obsession with Ann. =.
Her mind had been scorched
since childhood by the lack OF
money at q given time and the
subsequent problems. Pete had
been airy on financial subjects,
AIMS mother accomplishing, ad-
apting herself to the spending
whims of her husband. 1t was Ann
who had worried and fretted. She
had become q dollar stretcher OF
note. Nov, with SIS q week at her
disposal, she spread it thin and ell
ciently. f..
Ten dollars a month for room
rent, ten dollars for food, carfare
this was quite an item-clothes,
cosmetics - she had learned that
large quantities paid-insurance -
this provided disqualification and q
neat burial II necessary.
Once a week Ann took herself
to a picture show. It was an ex-
travagance, but her youth de-
manded some small Joy. Often she
sat twice through the picture, abb
sorbing the beauty and romance,
reluctant to step from the SIM
mering world Of make-beneve
back into her own drab niche.
Each Sunday morning she put Is
cents In the collection plate at the
neighborhood church.
The budget was ironclad but,
now and then, few cents re-
NAMED from the food fund, occa-
sionsily q pair Of hose proved to
be made Of sterner STUFF than its
fellows. It was by boarding these
small pittances that the silver
spoons were to be added, one by
forks were to be added, one by
one, then knives. After that
linens and dishes. \
During her lunch hour Ann
hinge red in the linen departments
Of the big stores, touching the
heavy damasks with aching fin
gers. After much wiShful shop
ping, she had chosen her dishes
creamy wedgewood with a quaint
spray Of flowers on each piece
Often she went to look at hei
dishes.
Yes, she could afford a pair Of
gloves, dark blue kid, 81 and the
tax. Ann always sighed over the
tax. It broke into so many nickels
For q moment her mind dwell
longinly on blue kid shoes. The
budget was Sternly adamant and
she pigeonholed the longing. She
made practice Of pigeonholing
her wishes, not putting them en-
tireIy from her mind. Some day
she would have blue kid shoes
Ann had once read, IF you want
a thing badly enough, and are
willing to work, you will attain
that thing" She heartily endorsed
the theory, having no confidence
in the wishing will make 1t so,
school Of thought.
AS she started for the Center
that night her room was family
Illuminated by a glow and she
turned back, hand on the door
knob. The young man threw of
his suit coat and stretched YEARLY.
He looked strong when ne
stretched. Ann noted the breadth
Of his shoulders and the bigness
of his chest. He stood beside mis-
table, absently looking over pile
Of books. Apparently changing his
mind, he sat down at the table
with his back to Ann. She saw
him dip pen into bottle Of ink
Ann closed her door and ran
down the stairs, thinking, II really
shouldn't spy ON him, but why
doesn't he draw his blind?" She
never tarried in the hall. The
landlady had a pallid-faced son
whom she preferred not to meet
Walking briskly to the Center, she
wondered about the young man in
the lighted window. His voice had
been kind, if casual. What hap
pened when he smiled? Did he
have a sense Of humor?
L hone Lonely has a sense OF