The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1853-11-09
Can't Afford it."


dulge in-no man fonder cf reading than
am-but can't afford it. sir"
ITS only three dollars year. Less
than siSpence week"
"l know. But three dollars year will
buy half barrel Of -four and give my
family bread for month. It's no use to
talk, my friend. know exactly my own
ability, and know that can't afford to
take the magazine"
And thus Mr.. Rivers closed the matter
with perseveriug "canvasser." who was
industriouslv trying to add to the subscrip
ton list OF a certain highly popular maga-
zine.
Il think yoa might have takenit, papa
said Mary Rivers, greatly disappointed.
IL never see magazine or newspaper,
unless borrow from Jane Tompkins, and
know her father grumbles at her when
ever he catches her lending them"
"l might do a great many things, child
III Was made of money, which am very
sorry to say is not the case" returned Mr..
Rivers. "lf | could afford it, | would
take all the magazines and newspapers
IN the country; but can't, and so that
ends the matter"
An thus ending it, Mr.. Rivers turned
away from his disappointed daughter,
and left the house.
Mary Rivers was extremely fond of
reading, and had time and again begged
her father to take some of the magazines
or papers, but his uniform answer was,
Il can't afford it," so she was forced to
borrow from Jane Tompkins, whose father
subscribed for half a dozen, and thought
the money well laid out. To have to
borrow she thought bad enough, but the
worst of the matter was, no sooner did
she bring magazine or newspaper into
the house, than it was caught up by one
hungry member after another, always
including her father, and its contents
devoured by each, and this often before
she could get chance to read half
dozen pages or columns. The news;r.ss;,er
or magazine, whichevcr'it might Lc, never
passed though the entire family Of Mr.
Rivers without being considerably the
worse for wear. The papers were soilcd,
rumpled, the folds worn through or torn
while the magazines were sent home Of
ten sadly dsigured. All this to Mary
was very Notifying, and often prevented
her from asking to borrow the new mum
bers Of the magazines, although, to uso
her own words, sometimes, she was
dying to see them"
1t was warm day in July, and Mr'
Rivers, who had, about six months before
joined the temperance society, felt very dry
xs he walked along the street. Before
signing the pledge, he would have quench-
ed similar state Of thirst with an iced
punch or q mint;juep. Now he merely
stepped into druggists and called for
glass Of mineral water, fer which he paid
his ftp, thinking if he thought at all about
the expense, that it was the merest trihe
in the world.
An hour afterwards he INDUCED in the
luxury Of a couple Of oranges, at four cents
each, which tempted him as he passed
fruit stall.
"Rivers,' said neighbor, stepping into
his store after dinner, Its terrible hot,
and as there is nothing doing, I've made
up my mind to take little excursion
down the river in the steamboat that
leav,s at four o'clock. Come-go along
won't youl We can be home BY tea
time"
"I don't care if l do," replied Rivers.
~ want a little recreation badly"
A thought of the expense, or whether
he could afford it, never crossed his mind.
At four he was on board the teamboat
after having spent shilling for cigars,
which were shared with his neighbor.
"Come, lets have a glass of lemonde,"
he said, shortly after they were on board
the steamboat; and the two men went to
the bar and each drank cool glass of
lemonade, for which Rivers settled.--
Shortly afterwards the fare was called
for. 1t was only twenty-five cents.
"Cheap enough" remarked Rivers.
"Yes, cheap as dirt. No wonder the
boat is crowded"
Twelve and-a-half fcents more were spent
by Rivers for an ice cream before he
returned from the excursion. He could
afford this very well.
On arriving in the city, between seven
and eight o'clock in the evening, it oc-
Cured TO him that, as long AS he had
been enjoying himself 80 well, he oug t
to take something home tor his family
that was u lit,le nice. While wondering
what this should be, he passed fruit
shop. in the window of which was large
display Of oranges.
!pli take dozen oranges home-that
will do" he said.
Aud so he went in and got dozen
oranges, for which he paid thirty seven
and a-half cents; and bought, besides, a
fps worth Of tobacco.
The extra spendings Of Mr.. Rivers, who
could not afford to take a magazine, were
for.that day, just one dollar and twenty
es;.fs. or at the rate of three hundred and
sixty dollars a year! And yet Mr.. Rivers
thought himself very economical mar,
and took merit to himself for saving
on newspapers and magazines.
On the next day, Mr.. Rivers felt as if
he needed little exercise--he was 90
closely confined in his store--and as it
was dull, he could as easily be spared as
not. So he hired a horse and sulky for