Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1855-03-21

he had worn before.
At length the end of the quarter cam
round. The first bill paid was the rent
which amounted to thirty-one dollars
The next was the butchers bill, whicl
came to thirty six dollars. Charles wa
astonlshed to see how the meat bill footed
up. But when he saw how many steak,
he had had at seventeen cents per pound
the cause of wonder was at an end. Mex
he paid the bakers bill, which was thir
teen dollars. When he came home in the
evening he had paid all his bills except
the grocery bill.
Mr.. Waldron sent in his bill to-day, ,
his wife said, after supper
Ah, did he? let me see It."
Hannah brought it, and CLarles looked
at it. He was astonished at its length
and when he came to look at the bottom
OF the column his face turned shade pale
1t footed up just sixty five dollars-an
average of five dollars per week
This is impossible |" he uttered, as he
gazed upon it But be examined the diff:
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 leaned over her husband s
shoulder, and parted the hair on his fore
head and smoothed it back.
:" How much shall l lay up ?" he repeat
ed. +" Not much. Get the slate and let
US reckon up" Charles was resolved to
be frank about the matter. and let his
wife know all
The slate was brought First Hannah
put down one hundred and ffty-six dol
lars as the quarters wages. Then came
the rent, and the butcher and the baker.
p" Now you may put down twelve dollars
for this chain-and twelve dollars for
sundries,-that means cigars, tobacco,
nuts, beer, soda, theatre tickets and such
like things Now take all that from nv
quarters wages, and see how much re
mains"
Hannah performed the sum, and gave
fifty two dollars as the result
g Fiftytwo dollars l' uttered Charles.
sinking back into his chair. "a and we have
not bought our articles of clothing nor of
to pay sixty-five. There is. thirteen dol
lars short this quarter, and had meant to
SAGE thirty, at least"
Well, it's no use to mourn over it."
said the wife, in 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 He gazed first upon the bill be
held IN his hand, then upon the figures
on the slate, and then upon the floor. At
last be spoke There was peculiar light
in his eyes, and flush upon his counten-
ance
Hannah, I see where the trouble is,
and | must freely admit that have been
wrong. If 1 had paid for everything as
[ bought it should not have been where
| now am in pecuniary matters You were
right [ see it all now. | have not esti-
mated the value of money as [ ought
Let me once get up again to where | be
gan, and / will do differently l must step
down 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.
81 have more than enough to make up
the amount of that bill 1t is money I
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 on that subject, 1t
was her will and he must submit So he
went down and paid up the grocery bill,
and on the way home he sold his gold
pier when he got the old black cord once
more about-his neck, and he had money
now to commence the quarter with.
On the next Monday morning the young
man went into the meat store to send home
a piece os beef for dinner.
How much will you have ?" asked the
butcher
so, three or four"
Charles got thus far, and then he stop
ped. He had always been in the habit of
ordering an indefinite quantity, and leav-
ing the butcher to cut it off at the highest
figure, and charge the highest price and
then he remembered how much was usu-
ally wanted.
LIEU me nave lWo pOuDOS, uo sdlu-
He stopped and saw it weighed, and then
paid for it.
When be went home at noon he found
that bis two pounds of beef had made
enough, and there was none to waste
The next morning he went to the store
Mr. Waldron had some nice igs just come
in, which be showed. They were only a
shilling a pound For a moment Charles
hesitated, but as he remembered that be
had got to pay for all he bought, he con
cluded not to take them. He found thai
things were not so enticing when it re
quired cash to get them as when the pay
ment could be postponed. He paid fol
what he bought and went his way and
thus things went on through the week
When it came Saturday night he knew
that all the money in his pocket was hi.
own, after deducting the rent, That eve
ming he went over to the market will
Wilkins, and bought as much meat ane
vegetables as he thought would last hin
through the week. He found that he hat
made saving of at least twenty per cent