Argosy All-Story Weekly, July 1, 1922 — page 130: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

920 that about fifteen dollars a month more would go for taxes, water rents, coal—which of course they had not needed in their city apartment—and incidentals. So their car- rying charges were about seventy dollars a month, five more than they had been pay- ing. In addition to this James Henry’s commutation to the city cost eight fifty per month—five dollars more than he had to pay for car fare in the city. It was going to be hard. “Tell you what I'll do,” he said, as they went over their figures one evening. ‘‘ You know, we Americans eat too much anyway —and a heavy meal in the middle of the day slows you up in the afternoon. Sup- pose you make up a couple of sandwiches every morning and I’ll stick them in my pocket; I'll drop into an armchair lunch and get a cup of coffee. That ‘ll be quite a saving, won’t it, Anne?” “It sure would indeed, Jimmy boy,” replied Anne, ‘“‘ but are you sure that a couple of sandwiches will be enough for you for—”’ “ Sure thing, kid. Anyway, we need the money,” he smiled, and seizing her with pretended roughness, kissed her in the vi- cinity of her left ear. No neighbor called for a few weeks after their advent in Laurel Manor, and this was rather a relief to them than otherwise, be- cause many changes were going on, both internally and externally. In the first place, Anne got in touch with a local car- penter at once. In consideration of receiv- ing the lumber from the old porch—some of which was good—and fifty dollars, he made for their house a pretty Colonial doorway, with arch top and two shining white stone steps. “ My, you’d hardly know the old home,” ejaculated James Henry when he came home on the evening the job was completed. ‘“‘ Looks much better already—needs a coat of paint, though.” “Tt’s goin’ to get it, too, me lord,” said Anne, “and the whole rest of the house, too.” “Oh, I say—we can’t afford that now— it costs like sin to have painters around,” he protested. “Qh, that’s all right,” said Anne non- ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. chalantly. ‘Your vacation begins next week, doesn’t it? Well, you’re goin’ to paint it,” she announced. ‘“ You always were handy at such things.” ‘Oh, but I don’t think I could paint a house, silly.” ‘* My boy, you never can tell what you'll be able to do—until you try. You might be specially gifted in that direction. You’re goin’ to paint this house.” And it was even so. The house was painted a dazzling white by James Henry; and the doorway became a beautiful green, the same as the low, gently sloping roof, under his loving care. The shutters, which he fixed up, became the same lovely shade. Really, the house began to take on quite a distinctive appearance. Especially so after the obnoxious picket fence was peremptori- ly removed and a young hedge planted in Its place. The land was painstakingly cleared by the young couple, and with the help of a gardener of the neighborhood who was glad of a little extra money, was sodded, and a garden started in the rear of the little bun- galow. Two giant flower pots appeared at each side of the little green Colonial door, and every window had its window box of gayly colored flowers. A shiny brass knock- er hung in the exact mathematical center of the door. At the side of the door they placed a white settee which they had picked up cheaply. The transformation was amazing. It is almost miraculous, the change a judicious use of paint and gray matter can make in the appearance of a house. The interior underwent much the same sort of treat- ment. The floors were carefully scrubbed, and then James Henry covered them with shellac, so that in future all that was nec- essary to keep them clean was an oil mop. He painted the walls and woodwork—and in the living room, bedroom, and dining room it was necessary to use wall paper; these were the only places inside the house where the services of a professional painter became necessary—and as the season was not very busy they managed to get him reasonably. All this made inroads on their little cap- ital, however, and pretty soon James Henry comicloool C©