P5 2^ B3H4 HlO P[- old place — at twenty-two hundred and fifty. Mary — (With enthusiasm) Oh splendid! That's a raise, isn't it. So many of the returned men are having to take less, or are even finding it hard to get places at all. Carter — {Resentfully) Splendid! Anybody would think I was your half-witted brother that you were praising for being able to earn a quartei; mowing a lawn. IVIarv — {Surprised at his tone) Why Carter! It is splendid. I mean it. Between the two of us we're earning over $6,000! Why we're rich. And when I tell you about the wonderful surprise — Carter — {Rising and confronting her suddenly) Mary, do you mean to say that you are going on working? Do you think I shall let you go on working? MAR^' — {Beivildered and hurt) 1 don't see why not. There's no reason why I shouldn't. There are just the two of us — Carter — {Breaking in harshly) Just the two of us can live on what I earn. Mary — Of course we could, but the way 1 have it planned — Carter — Yes, the way you have it planned you'd have me the laughing stock of all the men. ( Changing his voice to imitate his conception of the mincing voice of gossip) "There's Carter Payan. pretty soft for him, what? Wife earns twice what he does. Won- der how much she allows him for spending money?" — That's the kind of thing everybody'd be saying about me. Marv — That's perfectly silly, Carter, and vou knov. it is. Carter — I know it isn't. Why, every man of the old gang I saw today said practically that very thing. Old man Summers comes up, slaps me on the back, tells me how glad he is to see me safe home and then says, "Just saw your wife over at the office. Pretty soft, old scout, pretty soft! It isn't the first cost of a wife with most of us that bothers; it's the upkeep; but you've solved it Car- ter. Great stuff ! Get married and two can earn more than one. If either one of you has to stay home and wash the egg off the breakfast plates, it'll have to be 5'ou. If you aren't careful Mary'll be the best man in the family." — That's what I've got all day. It's what they're all saying and thinking about me already. Mary — {Evenly) Nonsense; Mr. Summers is an old, old friend of both of us, and you know he was only teasing you. Carter — {Warinly) Teasing nothing. He was saying what he believed. Mary — {Nettled by his attitude, speaks defiantly) Well, what of it? Carter — {Angrily) Just this. You quit your job tomorrow and stay home where a woman belongs. Mary — {Taking herself firmly in hand) Now, Carter, try to be reasonable. It isn't sensible to throw away all that money just for your sill\ pride. You know that I'd rather be in my home tend- ing to a woman's duties, her house and her children. You know I want all that, but it can't be until we are able to suitably provide for a home in the truest sense of the word. I want my children to grow up with all the education and advantages that make for a broad and beautiful life untouched by the restrictions that poverty im- poses. The fact that I'm getting more money than you is all a sort of accident, but we would be foolish not to profit by it. You know very well that in ordinary times I couldn't earn half what you do. But the war — and all. If nearly every man in our office hadn't enlisted or been drafted, I should be getting a quarter of what I am. But they had to have somebody. I needed something to do to keep my loneliness at arm's length. I applied for the position, I got it, and I — I was lucky enough to make good. It's no reflection on you. Carter — It is a reflection on me. Would you like to be told that your wife was the best man in the family? Mary — I could stand to be told a lot for four thousand dollars a year — when I knew it was not so. Carter — Well I can't and shan't. You quit tomorrow. Mary — {Angered at last) I'll quit when I'm good and ready. I've a right to work if I wish. I'm your wife, but you don't own me. I've some rights. There's no reason why I shouldn't help out when I can, and I'm going to. When there's a chance to save a lot of money and get into a position where we're safe, I have a right to insist that we profit by it, and I'm going to insist. {Stopping suddenly) Oh, Carter, here we are quarreling like two children and Mr. Sears will be here any moment. I've invited him to dinner. Come let's dress for dinner and when we've both cooled off I'll tell you about a wonderful opportunity and we'll talk it over quietly. Carter — {Raging) By heavens, we won't wait. We'll settle this thing now — now. Do you understand that? Mary— (CoW/y) It isn't necessary for all the neighbors to hear you. Carter — {Sneeringly) You're mighty careful of the neighbors. What the devil do I care about a few neighbors when the whole town is talking about me? I've heard nothing else all day. {Strides sav- agely up and down the room) I've had enough. I'm through. I've pleaded and begged you to act the way a wife ought to, and you've refused; now I'm going to tell you. I'm your husband and what I say goes. Mary — {Holding herself in check) Carter, go and get ready for dinner. Mr. Sears will be here any moment. When you are reasonable we'll talk. Carter — We'll talk now. This thing is going to be settled before I move from this spot. You're my wife — anyhow I thought you were. I've tried to be a decent sort of husband, even if I haven't been able to buy you expensive pictures with which you've adorned the walls since I left for France. I won't be treated like this. I won't stand it. An old friend tells me you're the best man in the family ; an old hen stenographer in the office twits me that \'ou can earn more than I do. All my friends grin and tell me what a soft snap I have. How would you like that? Would you stand it ? —5— Mary — Nobody thinks anything disagreeable, Carter. You're unnaturally sensitive. Try to look at this sensibly. There isn't a man who has spoken to you who doesn't wish his wife were doing what I'm doing. Nobody's twitted you. Carter — {Roughly) What I want to know is. what are you going to do? Mary — {Coldly calm) — I'm not going to talk about it w'hile you're in this state of mind. Carter — You're mighty independent. Four thousand dollars a year makes for a lot of independence, doesn't it? You don't need me any more with my piker's salary. You'd just as soon I cleared out, I suppose. Mary — (Distinctly j and ivith intention. There are limits to even a woman's endurance.) — I don't know but I'd rather, if j'Ou're going to act this way. Carter — Arc you going to quit that job? Mary — No. Carter — ( Threateningly ) Mary ! Mary — {With chill in her voice) If you're going to have dinner, please dress. Carter — You're not going to obey — ? Mary — {Turning on him furiously) Obey! I'm going to do ex- actly as I want to. Obey! Do you think you can order me about like a servant? I've had all I can stand of this. Either be quiet and dress for dinner, or I'm going to leave this room. Carter — {Bellows) Are you going to quit that job? Mary — I'm going to keep my position as long as I can hold it. Now 3'ou know. And that's final. {She brushes past Carter and out the door at left, banging it behind her. CARTER starts toward door, turns furiously and paces up and doivn the room, frowning and biting his lips. At last stands in front of fireplace with his back to center door. Maid — [Enters at the back to announce) Mr. Sears. (CARTER turns. Mr. Sears enters through center door. He is a genial old man in the neighborhood of sixty years; rather stocky in stature, with hair and mustache well grayed. He wears a dark gray business suit. He strides up to Carter and seizes his hand, holding and shak- ing it through the next two speeches.) Sears — Well, Carter, my boy, I'm glad to see you safely back. Carter — {Pulling himself together and shaking hands) Thank you. I'm glad to be back, of course. Sears — We're all proud of the way you helped clean up on the Kaiser. {He sits in the chair by the table: Carter sits on the lou'er end of the davenport) Bless my soul, when you were a kid I never thought I'd see the day you'd be leading a comp'ny of soldiers to France ! —6— Carter — {Rapidly thawing in the ivarinth of his old friend's reminiscent mood) To tell the truth, I never thought I would myself. Sears — {Rather quiver) B}' gracious! The day you left I'd have given anything if 3'our dad and mother had been living, to see you. Carter — Dad was a great lover of the army. Sears — Well, I should say so! You weren't any more than a yard high when he bought you a wooden sword and a pop-gun. Your mother used to be scared to death you'd hurt yourself with 'em, but your dad would w^itch you by the hour marching up and down and around, playing soldier. Carter — Well, there wasn't much playing at soldier this time, I'll tell you. Sears — I'll wager not! But Jove! I wish I'd been twenty years younger. And Sally said, when you went, she wished she was in Mary's place. There's nothing of the slacker about Sally either. Carter — I hear she was in charge of a good deal of our Red Cross work all during the war. Sears — {Affectionately) Yes; and I don't know how many refugee garments she's made with her own hands. Carter — She's a wonderful woman. Sears — She is that. And you've got a wife just like her. I'll wager you're glad to get back to the little lady. My boy, she was a wonder while you were gone! Carter — {Moves uneasily, as though about to be touched on a tender spot.) Yes. Sears — She's a wife to be proud of; she's the best little business woman I know. By gracious, Carter, between you and me, a wife like that is a man's greatest asset. My wife was just like her. We married on nothing. I was a grocer's clerk and she was a dress- maker. Carter — {Astonished.) Mrs. Sears a dressmaker! Sears — {Solemnly.) A dress maker. We made a partnership of it for the first few years, both of our backs to the wheel. You see, we knew it wouldn't do to have children if we were going to be grubbing along all our lives, so the quickest way to make a home was for both of us to work together. We saved enough so, at twenty-live, I could start a tiny grocery in a country town. She helped. Every cent she made we saved, and when the store was started she kept the books and worked behind the counter on Satur- days. When our children came we had enough money to surround them with the beautiful things of life, our home was perfectly har- monious, my wife was free from all worry and anxiety over financial matters; she was free to expend her time on the training and edu- cation of her children. Those years we worked together seemed the most worth-while years of our life. Those were different days — in those days marriage was a real partnership, and both parties gave to it all they had. It seems to be different now. It does my heart good to see >ou two \oung folks pulling together so well. {Carter u'inccs at the last feu' sentences of this speech.) Carter — Your wife a dressmaker and l^eping books in a coun- try store. Well, sir. one would never believ'e it to look at her now, a leader in society. alwa_\'S — Sears — Yes, sir, it's a fact; and if it hadn't been for her I'd never been what I am today. It wasn't her savings alone, but the force she put behind me. She made me succeed, and it looks to me as if your wife were the same sort. Carter — {IVeakly.) Times have changed though. I'm twitted about my wife working. Sears — By imbeciles! I know it irks a little. It irked me to have my wife making dresses. But who cares for that today? Tlu' trouble with so many youngsters is that today is so darn im- portant. It amounts to nothing. The day that counts is ten years off. {Breaking off) Well, well, I suppose 1 might get down to business. Of course your wife has told you all about my proposition, but as she was kind enough to invite me for dinner, I thought I could go over it with you myself just to clear any little details. Carter — {Beivildered, uncoinprehending , but ashamed to {live himself away) Er — oh, yes, certainly. Sears — {Getting papers from his inside pockets) What's your opinion of it? Carter — {Fighting confusion) Wliy — I think — the — yes — so far as I have thought it over, we think it's — all that anyone .could ask for — Sears — {He looks at the papers, and tve see that he is near- sighted — fortunately for Carter) Rate of interest suits you all right? Carter — Yes — oh yes — Mary, thinks so too! Sears — {Chuckling) Your wife certainly was on the job. She may not have mentioned this {speaking confidentially to Carter) but it wasn't five minutes after the wire came telling of Wethrell's death till she was in her boss's office asking him if you could have his agency for their cars. Carter — {Feeling his way carefully) It's a pretty good posi- tion, isn't it — Sears — Good position! Sav, WVtherell's profits last year were upward of $15,000. Carter — That's a lot of money, isn't it — Sears — It surely is, m\ boy, and Buffalo isn't so far from New York, you know. Mrs. Payan can run down and spend every week- end with you. And even then it won't be so very long until you get the note reduced to $5,000, so that she can gi\e up her position and you'll be together again — and on easy street. Carter — {Startled, afresh hut resolved not to give up the ship) Yes — the note — er — Sears — It's the best I can do. You see, as your wife told you, it takes $10,000 to swing the deal, and we have to have some security on loaned money. Your wife thought the terms were fair enough. We lend you $10,000 on your note provided she holds her position until the note is reduced to $5,000, and your business has proved a success. And you'll make a success of it, I've no doubt. Mrs. Payan's salary will provide living expenses and there will still be plenty to pay up on the note regularly. You'll have all your time to make good in the new field and in a few years you should be in- dependent. Carter — It sounds good. Sears — It is good, boy. Take it. I'm loaning this money on two grounds — your excellent reputation for industry and honesty, and your wife's influence. If you will let her, young man, she will make you as my wife made me. Carter — But I hate to think of m^- wife providing for the family. Sears — My dear boy, while you are thinking, remember that a family consists primarily of two persons, husband and wife. Re- member that it is the duty — the plain, unvarnished duty of each to contribute all he has to the whole. You cannot think as individuals, but as a unit. One for all and all for one, as Dumas has it. Carter — Mr. Sears, I'll have to confess that I have been think- ing more lately of all for one and nothing for the whole! You ex- pressed a wonderful conception of the family just now. It's honest, and sound, {musingly) The family. {Rousing himself) Mr. Sears, I'll call my wife to endorse that note. Sears-^— Fine! Carter — (Goes' to center door and calls.) Mary! Mr. Sears is here. (Mary appears dressed for dinner and goes to greet Mr. Sears.) Mary — (Graciously.) Do pardon my rudeness in not being here to greet you when you arrived. I arrived home rather late this evening. Will you accept that as an excuse for my tardiness? Sears — (Heartily) No excuse is needed, Mrs. Payan. For a few moments I was afraid Carter was loathe to become a million- aire, so I've just been pointing out a few of the advantages of his new position. Mary — (Glancing furtively at Carter.) Oh. Carter — (Going to Mary and gazing at her hufnbly arid be- seechingly.) Yes, Mary, and he's been telling me about his wife who was almost as wonderful as you are, dear. Mary, will you endorse this note — now? M ARY— (Happily.) Really, Carter? Oil, indeed I will! (She signs the note.) Carter, I'm so proud of you! Carter — Mary, I've learned to appreciate you. But I'm not proud of you. You musn't be proud of me either. What we've got —9— to do is to proud of us. I've waked up. There isn't such a thing as you or I. There's just the family. Sears — That's the idea. Mary — {If'itli shining eyes, going to Carter.) 1 just love the family. Curtain. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS lii fill lllli'lil III 016 102 345 <>