The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1854-12-08

bought them.' Only dollar he would say to
himself. That :sn'l much out of twelve dollars.
a week And so it might not be but the trou-
bic was that the next dollar also only dollar.
He forgot to add this dollar with the former dol
lar, and call it two dollars and with the next'
doiiHr and call it three and so on.
One evening Charles came home with new
gold chain attached to his watch.
Where did you get that p asked his wife.
Ah,' returned the husband, with an impre ssire
shake of the head. made a bargain in this
chain. Now guess what paid for il 2 '.'..
'Im sure can't guess
%, but trv-guess something.'
We'll. perhaps ten dollars
Ten dollars = echoed Charles with sort of
disappointed look. Why, what you thinking
Off Jack Cummings bought this cham TWO
monlhs ago, and paid twenty dollars cash Tor it.
Why, just heft it and see how heavy it is. Eigh-
teen carats fine. Jack was hard up for money,
and he let me have it for twelve dollars
Ii is cheap, TO be sure,' returned Hannah, bu,
vet with not much peasurabe surprise her
husband had anticipated. But,' she added you
did not need it, and fear you will feel The loss OF
the money
Pooh | have money enough. You know
have not spe"t much money lately. | have been
pretty saving
you forget our thigs. Charles. The money
you have hand is not yours
Not mine 2
No. Ii belongs to the store keeper, and 10 the
butcher, and our landlord. You know they must
be paid
Don't you fret about them. | know it don't
cost me any where near twelve dollars week to
live, for have made estimate. There is Viii.
kins, who works right by the side of me in the
shop, he has four children, and Only gets the same
wages that | do and yet he lays up some three or
four dollars every week, besides paying bis rent
Yes said Hannah know he does. was
in to his wife the other day, and she was tel
ling me- how well they were getting along. Mr..
Wilkins akes his basket every Saturday evening
and goes over 10 the market and buys his weeks
quantity of meat and vegetables, and trades for
cash, so that he gets everything at the best advan
tage. So he does at the store. He lays in a guam
tity Of all those articles which will keep, and buys
them cheap he can. Butter, eggs, cheese,
apples, and so on; he buys when the market is
full, and when they cheap, and he always
buys enough 10 last his family the season of
scarcity, when such things high His butter,
for instance he bought for eighteen cents pound
ia whole frkin of il-and il is much sweeter
than that for which you paid twenty eigh: cents
yest@rday.'
'Twenty-ei cents p repeated the young man,
in surprise.
Yes. asked Mr.. Waldron's man who brought
i, up, ana he said it had risen to twenty .eight
cents. Mr.. Wilkins got fifty dozen of eggs some
time ago for twelve cents dozen, and his wife
packed them down, and they keep we'll. You will
have TO pay Mr.. Waloron thirty-three cents for
those he sent up yesterday
Charles Matthews was somewhat astonished at
this view of the case, but 1t could not be helped
now; and the subject was dropped. His gold
chain had lost lis charm Ii did not look so well,
even in his eyes as had the simple black cord
which he had worn before.
At length the end of the quarter came around. |
The first bill paid the rent, which. amounted
to thirty one dollars. The the butchers
bill, which to thrty-six dollars. Charles |
was astonished TO see how the meat bill footed up !
But when he saw how many steaks he had had at
seventeen cents per pound the cause OF wonder
was al an end. Next he paid the bakers bill, !
which was thirteen dollars. When he came home
in the evening he had paid all his bills except the
grocery bill.
'WaIdron sent in his bill to,day,' his wife said
after supper.
.Ah, did he :? let me see it,
Hannah brought it, and Charles looked at it.
He was astonished at its length, and when he
came to look at the bottom Of the column his face |
turned a shade pale. 1t foO:ed up just sixty five
dollars-an average OF five dollars per week
This is mpossiblen he uttered he gazed
upon it, But he examined the differen: articles,
and he could remember when he ordered them.
Those things which cost only dollar, looked |
very innocent when viewed alone, but in the g
gregate had different appearance.
How much shall you lay up this quarter
Charles 2 kindly asked The wife, as she and
eaned over her husbands shoulder, and parted !
he hair on his forehead and smoothed it back
How much shall lay up? he repeated.
Not much Get the slate and let US reckon
up Charles resolved TO be frank about the
matter and let his wife know all.
The slate was brought. First Hannah put down
,ne hundred and ifty.sx dollars as the quarters
wages. Then came the rent, and the butcher,
md he baker.
Now you may put down twelve dollars for this
;hain-and twelve dollars for sundries-that
means cigars, tobacco, NUS, beer. soda, theatre
ickets, and such like things. Now take all that
rom my quarters wages, and see how much re-
Mains
Hannah performed the sum, and gave ffty.two
ollars the result.
sFIfty.two doarsp uttered Charles, sinking
ack into his chair and we have not bought our
rtcles OF clothing of furniture. Fify.two
ollaEs with wAch 10 pay sixty. five. There is ,
hirteen dollars short this quarter; and had i
ieant to SAVE thirty at least {
Well it's no use 10 mourn over it, said the {
life, in cheerful tone, for Sne saw that her hus-
and felt badly. 8 Lots commence again. There's {
othng like trying, you know. /
For some moments Charles remained silent. He
,zed first upon the bill he held in his hand, then I
oon the figures on the slate, aud then upon the