The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1855-05-30

pound, the cause OF wonder was at 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 ex.
cept the grocery bill.
Mr.. Waldron sent in his Lill to day."
his wife said, after supper.
"Al, did he, let me sec it,"
Hannah brought it, and Charles looked
at 1t. lie was astonishcd at its length.
and when he came to look Mt the bottom
OF the c,lumn, his face turned shade pa
Ter. 1t footed up just sixty FIVE dollars
an average Of five dollars per week.
This is impossible" !" he added as he
gazed upon it. But he examined the Gif.
ferent articles, and he could remember
when he ordered 7them. Those things
which cost "only a dollar" looked very
innocent when viewed alone, but in the
aggregate they had Il different appear
| aucc.
"liow much shall you lay up this quar-.
ter, Charles Z" kindly asked his wife, As
she came and leanel over her husbands )
shoulder, and parted the hair on his fore,
head and smoothcd it back.
"inw much shall | lay up 2" he repeat
ed. "Not much. Get the slate and let
us recken up. Charles was resolved to
be frank about the matter, and let his wife
know all.
The slate was brought. First Iannal.
put down one hundred and fifty-six dol.
lars as the quarters wages. Then came
the rent, and the butcher, and the ba.
kcr.
"Now you may put down twelve dollars
for this chain, and twelve dollars for sun
dries-that means cigars, tobacco, nuts.
beer, soda, theatre tickets. and such like
things. Now take all that from nv quar-
ters wages, and see how much will re.
main"
Hannah performed the sum, and gave
htly two dollars as the result.
Fifty-two dollars !" uttered Charles,
sinking back into his chair, sand we have
not bought one article Of clothing nor of
furniture. Fifty.two dollars with which
to pay sixty five. There is thirteen short
this quarter, and had meant to save thir-
ty, at least"
"Well, it's no use to mourn over it,"
said the wife, in II cheerful tone, for she
saw that her husband felt badly. Lets
commence again. There's nothing like
trying, you know"
For some moments Charles remained
silent. lie gazed first upon the bill he
held in his hand, then upon the figures on
the slate, and then upon the floor At
last he spoke. There was peculiar light
in his eyes, and II flush upon his counte-
nance.
Hannah, ! see where the trouble is,
and | must freely admit that have been
wrong. II had paid for every thing as
boughtit, should not have been where
now am in pccuniary matters. You
were right. see it all now. | have not
estimated the value Of money rs ought.
Let me get up again to where began,
and | will do differently. |. must step
Gown to the store this evening and pay
Mr.. Waldron what have and the rest /
will pay him when am able"
THAT matter can be easily settled"
said Hannah, with bright happy look.
Il have more tian enough to make up that
amount Of the Lill. 1t is money / had
when We were married. Wait mo.
ment."
Charles protested most earnestly against
taking his wife'S money, but she would
listen to no argument Oh the subject. IL
was her will, and he mus. submit. So
he went down and paid up his grocery
bill, and on the way sold his Chain for
fourteen dollars. He felt happier when he
got the old black cord once more about
his neck, and he had money now TO com
mence tue quarter with.
On the next Monday morning the Young
man went into the meat store to send
home n piece Of beef for dinner.
"How much will you have Z" asked the
butcher.
10, three or four"
Charles got this far and then he stop.
ped. lie had always been in the habit
Of ordering an indefinate quantity, and
leaving the butcher TO cut il off at the
highest figure, and charge the highest
price, and then he remembered how much
was usually wasted.
"Let ms have two pounds he said.-
lie stopped and saw il weighed, and then
paid for it.
When he went home at noon, he found
that his two pounds Of beef had made O.
nough, and there was none to waste
The next morning he went to the store.
Mr.. Waldron had some nice figs Just come
in, which he showed. They were only one
shilling q pound. For moment Charles
hesitated, but as he remembered that he
had to pay for all he bought he concluded
not to take them. IIc found that things
we're not SO enticins when itrequired cash
to get them rs when the payment could
be postponed. He paid for what be bought
and went his way and thus things went
on through the week. Whenti II came
Saturday night, he knew that all the mo
ney in bis pocket was his own after de-
dacting the rent. That evening he went
over 30 the market with Wilkins, and
bought as fnu0li meat and vegetables Is
10 thought would Iast through the week.