My Dear Daughter: You ask me if your husband should stay in his present position at an "adjusted" salary, but you forgot to tell me what he would do if he didn't. You and he couldn't very well come here just now. Your brother Sheridan's salary has just been "reconsidered," so he moved into his old room at home, and brought his wife. Your sister, Eloise, telegraphed the next day that Wilfred has just been offered a new contract that was an insult, so your mother is airing out her room. Wilfred never could endure insults. Your sister, Frances, whom you will recall has been a private secretary, wrote last week that if anybody thinks she is going to drop to the level of a common typist, they are mistaken, so we expect her any day. What with those and the younger children, I imagine that as long as Rupert's salary is merely being "adjusted," he had better stay. An adjustment is nothing like a reduction. It's hard for me to keep up with the new language of big business, but as I understand it, an "adjustment" is the equivalent of a raise. Of course, Rupert wouldn't know that; he has been working only since 1928; he should ask some old-timer to explain what a raise is. My own business is coming along fine. It was sold on the courthouse steps last Friday, but there were no bidders, so the sheriff let me keep it. That makes the best month I've had since the upturn. Your affectionate Father. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...CONTRA MORTEM: THE ECSTASY by HAYDEN CARRUTH CONTRA MORTEM: THE SUN by HAYDEN CARRUTH NO MATTER WHAT, AFTER ALL, AND THAT BEAUTIFUL WORD SO by HAYDEN CARRUTH NOTES FOR THE FIRST LINE OF A SPANISH POEM by JAMES GALVIN A JOYFUL SONG OF FIVE by KATHERINE MANSFIELD |