The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1855-03-29

bargain for this chain. Now guess what
paid for it."
I'm surc | can't guess
But try-guess something"
Perhaps ten dollars
I" Fen dollars!' echoed Charles, with
a sort of disappointed look. "What are
you thinking of Jack Cummings bought
this chain two months ago, and paid TWEEN
ty dollars for it. Why, just see how
heavy it is. Zig hteen carats fine. Jack
was hard up for money, and let me have
it for twelve"
1t is cheap, to be sure" returned
Hannah, but yet with not so much pleas.
urable surprise as her husband had anti.
, cipated. 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 spent very little lately. l
have been pretty saving"
'But you forgot one thing, Charles
Thesmoney which You have on hand is
not yours"
"Not mine 7"
'No. 1t belongs to the storekeeper, to
the butcher, and to our landlord. You
know they must be paid"
Don't fret about them | know it
don't cost me anywhere near twelve dol
lars week to live, for l have made an
estimate. There is Wilkins, who works
right by me in the shop, he has four chill
dren, and only gets the same wages that
do, and yet he lays up some three or
four dollars every week
Yes" said she, 81 know he does. I
was in to see his wife the other day, and
she was telling me how well they got a.
long, Mr.. wilkins takes his basket eve
~ Saturday evening and goes over to the
market and gets his week s supply of me at
and vegetables and trades for cash, so
that he gets everything at the best advan-
tage. So be does at the store. He always
lays in good quantity of those articles
which will keep, and buys them as cheap
as he can. Butter, eggs, cheese, apples,
and SO on, he buys when the market is
full, and when they are cheap, and be al
ways buys enough to last bis family over
the season of scarcity, when such things
are high. His butter, for instance, be
bought for eighteen cents pound-a
large frkin of it-and it is much sweeter
than that for which you paid twenty light
cents yesterday"
"Twenty-eight cents ?" repeated be in
surprise.
"Yes. I asked Mr. Walron's man
who brought it up, and he said it had risen
to twenty eight cents. Mr.. Wilkins got
fifty dosen eggs some time ago for twelve
cents a dozen, and his wife packed them
down, and they kept we'll You will
have to pay hirtythree cents for those
you sent me yesterday"
Charles was somewhat astonished at
this view of the case, but it could not be
helped now; and the subject was dropped.
His gold chain had lost its charm. It did
not look so well, even in his own eyes, as
had the simple black cord which he had
worn before
At length the end Of the quar- ter came
around The first bill was the rent,
which was thirty-two dollars. The next
was the butchers bill, which came to thir-
ty-six dollars. Charles was astonished to
see how the meat bill footed up; but when
be saw how many steaks be had had at
seventeen cents per pound, the cause of
the wonder was at an end. Next day he
paid the bakers bill, which was thirteen
dollars. When he came home in the even
ing he had paid all the bills except the
grocery bill.
"Mr. Waldron sent in his bill to-day"
said bis wife.
"Ah, did he let me see it.
Hannah broughtit, and Charles looked
at it. He was astonished at its length,
and his face turned shade pale. 1t foot
ed up just sixty five do!lars-an average
Of five dollars per week.
"Thi5 is impossible" he uttered, as he
sazed upon it. But be examined the dif-
ferent articles and he could remember
when he ordered them. Those things
which cost "only dollar looked very
innocent when viewed alone, but in the
aggregate they had different appearance.
"How much shall you lay up this quar-
ter, Charles!'' kindly asked the wife, as
she came and lcand over her husbands !!
shoulder, and parted the hair on his fore
head and smoothed it back.
Chow much shall lay up" he repeat.
ed; "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 she put
down one hundred and fifty-six dollars as
the quarters wages. Next the rent, aud
the butcher and baker
"Now you may put down twelve dollars
for this chain-and twelve dollars for
means cigars, tobacco, nuts,
theatre tickets, and such things. Now
take all that from my quarters wages,
and see how much of it remains
She performed the sum, and gave fifty
Two dollars as the result.
"Fifty-two dollarsw uttered Charles,
.,l hoo IL II