Show C z Hush son sone a e and andi I 2 TEs 3 ne Phelps CHAPTER 75 The First of the Month But the butcher the grocer g and the fruit and vE men were all worrying wor- wor me about their bills I gave them each a little as I could as a sOP but butI I was afraid I couldn't keep that UP much longer for in spite of what I gave ave them the bills steadily grew larg- larg lar er I hadn't paid the gas bill for tor two months and the last time the man came to collect he had threatened to turn It off Really I 1 was In a terrible fix and ask Tom to help me I never dreaded anything in my life as I did the comIng of the first of the month It was December and Peg Peg- Peggy Pegy y was going g to remain over the holi- holi days I 1 shouldn't have a penny for Christmas shopping shopping- and that worried me too It is so easy to get et into debt and so hard to get out Sometimes I 1 think that the fear of debt should be taught In our public schools So many boys and girls never know anything about handling handling- money The morning of the fIrst of December December Decem- Decem ber I hurried down stairs so that I 1 could get the mail before Tom saw It Of course I left a few envelopes lying beside my plate but the majority of f them I hid lIe He happened to be In a hurry that morning so didn't mention bills or anything else hardly But as soon as asI asI I had finished my breakfast I took the formidable pile and went Into my room wIth them If I had been worried before I 1 was absolutely frightened now My dinner had cost me nearly double what I 1 thought it would and that without counting the butter and condiments used in cooking Tom expected me to set the table and pay Norah on 15 a week lie He paid the rent Then he gave me 10 a week for the lights gas and my clothes That lift him about 40 which he used for carfare his lunches his clothes and our amusements It Itcan Itcan can easily be seen that only by the closest economy could we we keep out ot of debt while paying so heavy a rent for our apartment I 1 figured everything and found that aside from my clothes and the florists florist's bill I owed lowed about one hundred and five dollars more than my allowance That may not seem much to others but to tome tome me it was staggering It was the first time I 1 had really reany figured exactly what my Indebtedness amounted to AN EMBARRASSING SITUATION I 1 had scarcely finished when Norah caned called me The gas collector was In the kitchen He had Insisted upon seeing me and was almost Insulting Have you got that money he demanded demanded de- de throwing down the bill for If you aint off goes the gas Your money Is ready for you and andI I 1 shall shaH see that you ou are reported for your insolence I replied Go ahead I Im I'm only you what the boss said and he put out a a. greasy hand for the money Aint them folks the limit Norah asked and l I thoroughly agreed with her Again I 1 went upstairs and counted out just how much I 1 could pay on each account The amount was particularly particular particular- ly Iy small when divided up Should I pay one or two up entirely and make some som kind of excuse to t the others No I decided I wouldn't dare do that ItI It If I gave them nothing they mIght get so insA tent they would do something which might get to Tom So I 1 started out refusing Peggys Peggy's offer to to accompany accompany pany me I wanted no witness to any humiliating scenes All went very wen well until I 1 reached the butcher My excuses had been very plausible and I 1 was beginning to feel that ma matters were not so bad after the butcher proved obdurate all But I The salmon and the squab had made his bill very large and he needed the I money At least he claimed that he I I old did I give you until the firth fifth Mrs Randall he told me but r i must mut have havethe I the entire bill then I hope you ou un un- j that I do not Dot want to be harsh but your bill has not been cleaned up for months and I must refuse refuse re- re fuse to let you have anything more until it has been Here was another complication tion J I had used an all the money I had except the little tUe I 1 planned to give the butcher Now that he refused to let me have any meat until I 1 paid him why I should have to use that little and pay cash CLOSE FIGURING At first I 1 was angry and thought Id I'd go somewhere else for my mx meat for dinner Then came U the th thought Perhaps Perhaps Per Per- haps if I 1 buy of him it nay may make him easier on me If I cant can't g get t him ll his money So I 1 bought and paid for for a small steak Thank you Mrs 1 Randall he said as r gave him the money and the rather hard look looe he had hadin his eyes when he talked to me I noticed was gone But how In the world was I 1 W to get nearly thirty dollars In five days I 1 had planned to give him eight But now I 1 should have to pay for all the meat we ate unless I 1 opened an account account ac- ac count somewhere else This I hesitated ed d to do J I reared feared that In some way it might reach his ears and make him ugly Well Ven I had five days A good many things might happen In that time Peggy met me at the door Well Im I'm glad youre you're here at last I 1 think Mr 1 Blacklock has called three times limes I 1 didn't know what to say to him or when to tell him you be back Ire He wants you ou to can call him up up All right after I get my things off and speak to Norah That was another another an- an other bill I owed lowed The telephone Tom scarcely ever used it and thought it amounted to nothing But often orten I would do iny my ordering over It instead of going to market and while not exorbitant exorbitant ex- ex it counted just noW To my relief It rang while we were answered Yes she sheI talking Peggy the wire a minute min min- just came In Hold I ute CHAP CHAPTER 76 The Telephone Message I took the receiver from Peggy Hello r I called This Is Mrs 1 Randall Randan Ran Ran- dan dall o 0 the wisp You are a regular will voice returned Then This Is Mr a Blacklock Mrs 1 Randall I 1 waited to attractive guest know if you and that would lunch Halstead of yours Miss 1 with tomorrow me If Tom I to say Why I 1 was going had no objections then I 1 happened to think He had not yet satisfied my I anent the supper party he curiosity whY should I 1 hesitate hesitate hesi- hesi attended so had he had done Yes I 1 tate to do as moment nt please think we can Wait Valt a pd until I 1 speak to Peggy and 1 held my transmitter hand the over t to go to Blacklock wants us Mr 11 told luncheon with him tomorrow I 1 her Why hesitate she asked Then Do go Sue It will be great fun says she would love to go Peggy time I 1 spoke Into the telephone what I shall expect us and where you about 12 Ill rn call for you If It is a nice day well we'll g go up Westchester West West- luncheon up chester chestlr way and get there PEGGY IS WARNED asked Shan Shall you tell Tom y Pel I dont don't want to make a break If you are going to say nothing Just for a moment I hesitated I I hated to have even any anyone one I knew I as well as I did Peggy think I 1 would deliberately deceive Tom t l tIll Ill telL him of course Peggy Pegg I returned re- re 1 turned but I have to punish him for I something lie he did and Ill I'll not tell teU him I until afterward It'll serve him right What shall we wear was her next 1 I I I question and womanlike we discussed our wardrobes for the next fifteen min utes tes I Ir r I must have haye a a. piece one dress something like lile your blue one I told i Peggy You wear that You look i terribly smart In it Ill IU have to wear I that old tailor suit 1 hate it and It Is so But we cant can't wear anything thin or light when we dont don't know where we are going Then I 1 branched off Into a descrIption of Vivian Mortons Morton's motor togs her furs and her wonderful coats But she is very rich Isn't she Peggy asked You know lenow Sue really good furs are beyond most of us 1 I 1 know It but dont don't you just love them Your heavy coat Is really stylish Ish Ill I'll have to wear Helens Helen's I 1 have haye stylI I none Hers lIers is really too big for me and I look a bag in it it I IS Is s es e's awfully good to you Isn't she I S Sue I 1 dont don't know lenow what I 1 should have done without her I 1 returned I was wasa a perfect Ignoramus about everything when r I met her She really haS haS' taught I me all I 1 know about clothes and enter enter- And she told me you had taught her aU all she knows about cooking so I 1 think you have paid her Peggy replied re- re plied Poor Helen she couldn't cools coole a thing L II returned laughing A MOTHERS MOTI-IER'S FAULT I 1 I always always' think it is the mothers mother's fault when a girl cant can't cook Peggy I said with one of her serious looks you rou and I 1 could both cook when we I were tiny girls I 1 remember the first bread you made Sue Your mother was so proud she sent slices to everyone every every- ono one she knew And my first batch of ginger cookIes I 1 tOOk a box to school and gave them to the teacher I was the proudest little thing in in Freeport Then when We grew older dont don't YOU remember how we Used to try and who could make malte the best pies see cakes You awa always s 's made better and than I 1 did but pies I 1 beat you OU with the cake lIow we laughed at her remi remi- But the talk had also brought to my mind another idea r I think mothers and fathers are to blame too for else else else- elseI I 1 told I Pe Peggy gy I 1 think every boy and girl I should have havo money to spend Money of their very own no matter how little it is I 1 never had bought a thing I knew absolutely nothing about the cr cyst st of living Dont Don't know much more now I added laughIng but I suppose suppose sup sup- pose because we were were poor mother thought she could buy more cally I 1 have been married three years Christmas and I 1 dont don't know a good piece of meat yet I have to take the butchers butcher word for It But you ou order ove i iso so much I 1 shouldn't 1 t would learn that watt cuts r I mean Its so convenient the so much time I told both began hegan to laugh been so serious so had said to each oth amused us jJ Tomorrow Out In I |