The $600.00 thats in the bank is what Grace give me to keep for her and she says she was scarred to trust herself with that amt. in her own name or she would be blowing it in for cloths. I never seen the woman yet that could hold on to a chunk of money but they got to throw it to the birds as soon is they get there hands on it. So Grace used good judgement turning it over to me and they couldent no body get it away from me with a crow bar unlest its to pay honest dedts or some thing.
Of coarse the $600.00 was part of Graces berthday present from her old man and she can do what she please with it but she turning it over to me looks like she had better sence about money then the 1st few yrs. we was married.
Happy New yr. and prosterity to you and Mary.
Allison. Ill. Jan. 22.
Brother Charley.
Well Charley I was wandering how long it would take before Grace begin iching for the little hunk of money she give me to keep for her and its a good thing I got it where she cant touch it or she would be as clean is a whistle in the side of a month.
When I come home last night she was all exited and I ast her what was the idear and she says she had some thing to tell me but she was scarred to tell me so I told her to hurry up and get it off of her chest because even if it was a murder confession I wouldent squeal on acct. of she being the mother of my childern. So she says. They aint no crime about it but your such a old Sherlock with other peoples money that Im scarred to ask for whats my own. So I says I suppose you want to buy a fur coat or a new dress or some thing and you all ready got enough cloths a round the house to make Marshall and Feild jellus. Yes she says but they aint none of them in styles but theys no use argueing a bout that because it aint cloths Im thinking a bout. So I says Come clean with your getting at and if its some thing you realy got to have I wont raise up no objections.
So what do you think she sprung on me Charley. She says she had been down on Wabash ave. with Mrs. Dutton and walked passed a piano store and seen a piano in the window that was advertised to sell for $110.00 and the reglar price of that kind of a piano was $250.00. But they was selling this 1 cheap because some body had ordered it and made a paymunt and had it sent out to there house and then desided they dident want it and sent it back. So Grace says she wanted to buy it.
Well I says if them other people dident want it they was probily some thing the matter with it and may be it was off the key. No she says it was OK because Mrs. Dutton set down and tride it. So I says I dont want Mrs. Dutton hanging a round the house all the wile and they aint niether I or you or the babys that can play a piano so what good would it be to us. So she says she or the babys could lern on it. Yes I says you got a lot of time to lern a piano and as far is the babys is conserned the 1st thing I want them to lern is sleep nights and get there mouth located at table.
Well she says supose they wasent no body to play it it would look good in the liveing rm. All right I says I know where I can get a man down town to paint 1 on the wall for $20.00.
So she says she knowed I would act that way a bout it and I says Yes and your pretty lucky to have a husband thats got some thing under there hat besides scalp deceases and I says if you got to have a music instermunt in a famly where they cant no body even play rummy get 1 that dont cost no big money and 1 that dont take up no rm. Get a flute I says and when we hear callers comeing at night we can set it up in a corner for them to admire it and day times you can use it for a roling pin.
So she left the rm. without saying nothing and thought I would feel sorry for her and chase after her and tell her she could buy her old piano and higher a forner to come out evry night and play it but I wasent going to fall for no sob stuff and when I says I would keep her money for her I ment I would keep it and not throw it away on junk we cant aford let alone got no use for it.
Well Charley things is dull a round here as far is haveing any funs conserned and I aint been no wheres so long that I cant remember where I was the last time I was any wheres. Tomorrow Im going up to the Coliseum to the automobile show and Id rather lay a round headquarters but I promised Alec Welsh Id go a long with him.
Regards to Mary.
Allison. Ill. Jan. 24.
Dear Charley.
Well Charley I was up to the automobile show yesterday and they certainly got a grand
