American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1855-06-28

His income was small enough compared /.
his expenses, and, therefore, to lose eigh
or Ten dollars, he felt to be no trifing mat
ter.
Suppose you count up what you hav,
spent? suggested Mrs. Hall, and see how
much it is, exactly. Perhaps you bav,
laid out more than you think for
I've not laid out half of sixteen dollars
But We will count up
In the first place the spendings for mar
keting, shoes and the sundries that wen
into the family were recalled with some eff
fort, and the sum Of six dollars finally madt
| out.
That's only six dollars, You see,' re
marked Mr.. Hall, leaving deficiency o
ten dollars and half
But you forgot the carriage hire
True. That was two dolars-makins
eight dollars
And you know you bought milk and
cakes for the children, and paid the toll
keeper
so did. Let me see how much
paid exactly. Just fifty cents to frac
| lion.'
Then we have eight dollars and fly
cents accounted for, which leaves eigh
dollars deficient. Think, now, what YOU
spent for yourself, yesterday and the day
before
Not eight dollars nor eight cents. Bu
let me see. There is my luncheon every
day, for three days-just thirty anc
half cents. True! And there is bot
tie Of wine; I'd forgotten that-seyenty
five cents. Yes, and now / remember,
paid half dollar for the toys | bought the
children.
so much?'
Yes. l had to buy for all Of them, and
even cheap toys, where you have to get SC
many of them, count up. But, we mus
include the children, sometimes l have
spent, also, for cigars and tobacco, the
trifle Of thirtyone cents; and for paper
folder quarter. And in cakes and can.
dies for the children may have spent
may be. shilling. Let me see how much
all these amount to-
The items We're soon summed up, and
the product was two dollars and nearly a
half
That you see, reduces it 10 FIVE dollars
and half said Mrs. Hall.
SOFT does remarked the husband
How money does slip through ones fin
gers. | would not have believed it. But
where is the balance? Where are the five
dollars and half? Even that is too much
to loose. Let me soe.'
Mr.. Hall thought tor moment, and
then his thumb and finger gave sharp
crack, and he exclaimed
Yes! That'sitl | paid my barber's and
my boot blacks bills, which added ogcth-
er, make just five dollars and half. Well,
l declare! 1t is astonishing! Would any
one have thought it? How money does
gol wish | could never see a dollar
Money melts out of my pocket like snow
before the fire. l wish, in my heart, you
would take it and see if you can make ii
90 any farther than | do
Mrs. Hall did not reply for some mo-
ments, and then she said
Il will do so, provided YOU let me man.
age things in my own way fora year; and,
also, provided you will be content with
tive dollars quarter for your tobacco and
cigars; also provided, that you will shave
yourself, and black your own boots, or let
me DO it for you; and also take your lun-
cheon from home instead of buying it; by
all Of which about sixty dollars year can
be saved"
Sky dollars! 1t don'tcost half of that
sum, Harriet.
Count ii up for yourself, Felix. Why
shilling day for lunch amounts to thirty.
seven dollars year. .et
SO it does? How little things do count
up. Well, wife, if you'll take hold in good
earnest, III do just as you say for one
year, and if you bring down the cost ol
living as much as a hundred dollars, will
let you manage money matters ever after.
If don't bring it down three hundred
dollars ! am mistaken replied Mrs. Hall
in confident tone; for light had suddenly
broken into her mind The account which
her husband had given Of three days. dis.
pension of money under his system, show
ed her where the leak was.
Here are twenty dollars to begin with,
all that have left from my last qualter's
salary, after keeping three dollars and q
half for my tobacco and cigars during the
next three months. When it is gone, ]
will borrow as much as you want TO carry
you on until can draw more money.
At the rate Hall was going on, it would
have taken little over a4week to have eu.
tlrely empted his pocket book; but it was
a month before his wife asked for fresh
supply @
One of Mrs. Halls first act was to buy
backing and brushes, and discharge. tho
boot black. For a week she brushed her
husbands boots, every morning, before
he discoved that the boot black had been
dismissed; then he accidentally caught her
in the act of Frightening his leather under
standings, very greatly TO his SURPRISE
After that, he shaved himself and blacked
his own boots without feeling himself, in
the least degraded thereby.
Five dollars quarter for tobacco and
cigars, and other nick-nackeries, Mr.. Hall
found to be rather limited income; but. as
he had agreed to meet his extra expenses
with this sum, be felt some pride in doing
so. In order to accomplish it however,