Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1855-11-09
an gntsrsstins storp.
THE SAVING BANK;
HOW TO BUY A HOUSE.

HOW TO BUY A HOUSE
By OLIVER OPTIC.
| tell you. my dear. it is utterly i'm
/ possible! Save three hundred dollars
a year out of my salary? You don'l
understand it, said Charles Converse,
to bis young wife.
Perhaps I do not, replied Mrs
Converse. but my opinion is very de.
cided. ssel 7e
Women don't understand these
,hings. You think my salary Of eight
hundred dollars year a fortune.
j No such thing. Charles.
But eight hundred dollars year,
let me tell you. won't buy all the
world. 81 s.ei
| had no idea that it would. yet. il
liz you only had the habit Of saving
what you spend for things that you
can do without. you would be able to
build house in few years.
Build house? -t s..,s
| Yes, build a house, Charles.
Well, that's a good one.
The young man laughed heartily
at the idea-too chimerical. too alb
surd to be harbored for moment.
How much do you really suppose il
cost US to live last year?
Why, eight hundred dollars, Of
course. 1t took all my salary--there
is none Of it left. A.is st
The young wife smiled mischiev.
ously as she took from her workable
drawer small account book.
You do not know that / kept an nc.
count Of all these things. did you?
No, how much was il? and Charles
was a little disturbed by the cool way
in which his wife proceeded to argue
the question,
Four hundred and ninety-two dol
lars. answered Mrs. Converse.
Oh. my dear. you have not got
half Of it down. s4e -
Yes | have--everything.
My tailor's bill was sixly-6ve dol
lars.
have it here. 'f y
Hats. boots and .,t-tt s %
have them all. Il 80
The deuce you have!
When you had any new thing, you
know always asked what you gave
for it. tt
know you did: but will bet five
dollars can name a dozen things thai
you have not got down.
Done! said the lady with laugh
as she took from her drawer tiy,
dollar bill. and placed it on the table
Charles Converse covered III,
money" 81
Capital idea for you to bet against
me with my money! said he. good hu
moredly.
If 1 loose / win do without tha
new barege am to have. rr
Nay. my dear, ! do not want you I,
do that.
But 60 on.
Pew rent, six dollars, said the hus'
band promptly. -
Here tits, answered she pointing tc
the entry in the book. Try again.
Season tickets on the railroad
twenty.
1 have il. tff W. ci t
Saving the wood. e,s >'
! Entered. Ias
Charles reflected a moment; the
case began to look desperate.
New lining for the cooking stove.
Here. two dollars.
|, Cleaning the clock.
One dollar-here IL Is.
Mr., Converse began TO look hope
Hess.
My taxes. ~ 9ataa
Well, / have not got that.
But that was the only thing he
could mention Of these necessary ex'
penses. that was not found TO be en-
tered on his wife's book. Still Mr.
Converse was not satisfied.
Your figures can't be correct. Ma
ry. said he.
What not?
My salary is all used up. and you
lcan account for only four hundred
and ninety.two dollars oft.
You must explain the balance.
II Why, Mary. have not beer
extravagant. It Is true. buy a grea
many little things in the course Of /
year. but they arc hardly worth th'
mention. s fn
| All! there's the mention. That is
where the money goes to you may de
pend upon it.
+ Nonsense! You women don't un
derstand these things.
OF course we don't.
Well, then, your figures show tina
you don't. Where has the three hun
| dred dollars gone to. then? ise
/ don't know, Charley. ] haven
the least idea. am sure have 20
all the items down that came within
my knowledge. l am positive tha
you have brought home no article o
any description that has not been en-
tered on the book mean articles o
food aud clothing, and things for th'
house.
Just look at it moment. Yo,
don't mean 10 say that have spen
three hundred dollars over and above
our necessary expenses? said Charley
little warmly.
! l don't mean to say anything abou
II. for ! do not know Anything abou
lit. e.
Now. l think Of il. there's my liz
insusance. have you got that down?
l have not. nl. ...lt
There is forty Of three hundred.
But It leaves two hundred and ak
| ty-eight dollars unaccounted for.
II would take great while :to col
lect money enough to build house
even il the whole Of this sum was saw