Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1856-02-22

And it his just occurred to me,
that they have cost more than four
teen dollars--porhaps twice that
sum-
Row can you make this out ?
II you nd given me ten dollars
tins morning, would have limited
my purchases to that sum, Of neces-
Slly. OF course, the vases would
not have been bought. As 1t IS, they
have cost, besides the fourteen dol
lars you have paid for them, the df-
terence between ten dollars and the
amount of my credit bill at Park
er's.
Rather a confused statement Of
the case Mary, aud rather forced
concluslon, replied Mr.. Jones.
Sull l'm ready enough to admit
that an error has occurred. ought
10 have gwen YOU the ten dollars you
wanted when had it IN my pocket
lll had done So, the aspect Of things
would have been changed. Instead
of possessing a pair Of handsome
vases, not absolutely needed for
home-comfort or happiness, and hav-
lng a debt of twenty-slx dollars at
Parker's, which will have to be paid
al end Of the year, we would both
have enjoyed the needful things you
bought unalloyed by the conscious
ness that draft had been drawn up
on the future which 1t might be no
easier to meet when due than at
present All nc Im afraid /
shall never learn wisdom, MARY
1t always grieved Mrs. Jones to
see her husband in trouble from any
cause, aud, now that she had disturb
ed the cheerful current OF his feel
ings, she instantly sought to restore
It's peaceful flow 90 she spoke
lightly of what had occurred, pras-
ed the vases, aud SAID they were ust
what she wanted.
| wilI be very economical, said
she, 'and 50 will YOU, dear. In "A
httle while we can save all the vases
cost, aud so have them without any
drawback
Very ready was Jacob Jones to
accept comfort, particularly from this
quarter. The words of his wife were
like the SUMS rays melting through a
cloud The husband was himself
again.
But, was he any the wiser for this
ltlle episode Not much, we are
sorry TO say. The shadow had pass
ed from his spirit TOO quickly TO leave
even memory of It's gloom behind.
On the very next day, he spent FIVE
dollars IN things superhuous; and
even while he was doing this, his
wife, from economical considerations,
WIS mu.ing over the proprleIy OF
making ner last season bonnet an
swer, with sume fresh trimming, IN
steal OF buying new Que.
And so matters went on until the
year closed, when there came a sum
mIng-up of the years accounts.
Money or credit, jacob ? Mrs.
Jones had SAID, IN answer TO the ex-
clamallou of her husband that money
was the bane Of hIs life; aud Mr.
Jones, thrown considerably abacN by
,he question, which came home up
on hlm with telling force, was in a
state Of mind nearly balanced be-
tween anger, confess Of error, and
amusement at the aptness of his
wile's interrogation.
Credit, Mary, credit exclaimed
Mr. Jones, with a forced emphasis
You have struck the nall on the
head. No-nol money, but credit (;
that is the bane of my lie Why
am | such u fool Z | run up ac-
counts with a sort of pleasure, as if
| were getting things for nothing,
but feel senslby poorer whenever |
pay out the ready money for need
ed arncle.
As Mr.. Jones closed this sentence,
The waIung-mald open the door and
handed in another letter. He broke
the seal with "A i,reboding of some
thing unpleasant. A long, narrow
piece of paper was revealed, with
some unmlsIakable words printed
at the head, among whlch were,
Bought of - aud below which
were almost inlermlnable lines of
writing aud figures. A hurried fall
IN OF the eyes To the loolIng up Of
the column of figures gave the un-
welcome result, 1t was the groccrs
bill, and The sum total one hundred
and lhrty-one dollars. HIS exclama-
ton of surprise fell with shifting
sound on the ears of his wife.
What is il?' she asked, almost
ialterlngly.
Green's account.
ooh His bill can't be very large;
for never sent the pass book when
| had the money TO buy what want
ed.
'Il is a hundred and tbirly-one
dollars
That seems impossible
Il presume it is all right But you
can look over yourself.
The bill was carefully scanned,
though without discovering any error
Of consequence. Two barrels of
flour, basket of wine and few
other items, counted up heavily.
Ia,nh , said Mrs Ion.s snenlking