Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1837-1839, 1838-06-23
THE HOLE IN THE POCKET.

| Miss NlartIneau has written any qudnt'y "
matter more tircsome than tho following when
VIC clip from the Cincinnati Chronicle-but she
never compressed SO much good sense in 50 short
a space in her life. The author IS Mr. James
! ii. Perkins, one Of the vigorous writers Ot the
Young west, whose sketches collected in q vol
| umc would make book alike readable and use
ful.
| In this lies the true secret Of cconomy-the
cares Of sixpenses. Many people throw them
away without remOrsc consideration-not re-
fleeing that penny n day is more than three
dollars a year. We should comnlain l".'.!!v If .
head tax 10 that amount were laid upon us; but
when come to add that we uselessly tax OUT
selves Cor our penny expenses we shall fnd that
we waste in this way annually quite enough to
supply n family with winter fuel.
II is now about year since my wife said TO
me one day, PRAY Mr.. Siackwater, have you
that half dollar gave you this morningr felt
in my waiscoat pocket, and felt in my brooch
il was all empty space-which is very different
from specie; 50 I said to Mis-. Slackwater Eve
lost it my dear, POSITIVELY, there must be hole
in my pocket" I'LL sew it up Sid She.
An hour two after, met Tom Stebb'ns-
How did that ice cream setV sa'd Tom. IL
set,' said like the sun, gloriousy.' And as
spoke, IL flashed upon mo that my missing haif
dollar had paid for those ice creams; however, l
held INV peace, for Mrs. Slackwater sometimes
makes remarks; and even when she assured mo
at breakfast next morning that there was no
hole in nv pocket, what could do but lift my
brow and say,-sAh! isn't there! really!'
Before week had gone by, my wife, who
like dutiful hciPmate, as she is always, gave
me her loose change to keep, called for q 70 ct.
niece that had been deposited IN my sub-treasury
for safc-keeping, 'there was a poor woman at the
door, she said, that she had promised to her for
certain We'll, wait o moment cried as !
pushed inquiry first in this direction, :hen IN
that and then in the other; but vacancy return
ed horrid groan.' On my SOUL said !, think
ing il best to show a bold trent, you must keep
NV pockets in better order, Mrs. Slackwater;
this piece, with know not how many more -
lost, because some corner or seam IN my PIaguey
pockets is left open.'
.Arc YOU surer said Mrs. Sackwater.
Sure! ave, that ] arm, it's gono totally gone.
NV wife dismissed her promise, and then, in
her quiet way asked me to change my Panta-
looms before went out, and to bar all argument,
laid another pair ON my knees.
That vcning, allow me tn remark, gentlemen
Of the specie husband it was very 10th to go
home 10 tea; had half mind to bore some
bachelor friend and when hunger and habit. in
their unassumng manner, on each side, walked
me Up to nv own door, the touch Of the brass
knob made my blood run cold But do not think
Mrs. Siackwater is a Tartar, my good friends,
because thus shrunk from home; the fact was
that had, while abroad called TO mind the fate
Of her % cent piece, which invested in smoke
that is 10 saw, in cigars; and ! feared to think
Of her comments on my Pantaloon pockets.
These things went on for some months; we
were poor to begin with, and grew poorer. or, Mt
INV rate, no richer fast. Times grew worse
and worse; even nv pocket hook was no longer to
be trusted, the rag slipped from it in a manner
most increditable to relate;-as an Irish song
says:
And such was the fate of poor paddy O'Moore,
That his purse had rents, he had the swer
Al length one day my wife came in with a
paper for the Orphans Asylum;
looked at IL, and sighed, and pick ed my teeth,
and shook my head and handed it back to her.
Ned Bowen said she, has put down ten dol
lars
The more shame to him. replied, he can't
afford it.; he can but just scraPe along any how,
and in these times il amt right for him to do it,
Nv wife smiled in her sad way, and took the pa
per hack to him that brought it,
With her and sec the Bowsus and ~ had no OBJ
iections, We started.
Iknew that Ned Bowen did . small business,
that would give him about 5000 a year and
thought il would be worth while to see what that
sum would do in the way Of housekeeping. We
we're admitted BY Ned, and welcomed by Ned's
wife. q very eat little body, Of whom Mrs. Slack
vater iad told mo great des be they had been
chool-mates. All was nice ~ wax, and vet as
sabetantial ~ iron-comfort vas written all over
no room Tho eveaing passed, somehow, or
tber. though We had no reffeshn,ent, IN article
vhich We never have ae home, bot always want
lsevhere. and returned to our ows establish
pent with mingled pleasure and chargin.
what pity, said to ny wife, that Bowent
ont keep within his ;nco0e