Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1858-01-01


little lips in very unamiable position.
simply, my dear, because, l can
not afford it. replied the philosophical
merchant.
How can Joe afford itr
i presume he knows his own bust
ness best
He has put over hundred dollars
into his house,
Ben whistled 'Tother side of Jor-
don,' and made no reply.
DO, Ben, buy some chairs
Cant afford it,
Yes you cam
NO
You can afford it a. we'll as Joe.'
perhaps l can
DO buy some.'
4 should be very glad to crafty you
but l can't take the money from the
business. A year hence, if the bust
ness has prospered with me, you shall
have them
"A year hence pouted the wife.
Unjust spend a hundred dollars in
advertising the next quarter
How foolish
Very foolish, my dear, but it must
be DONE
That's the way you throw your mo-
ney away-you don't catch Joe doing
auch n thinO no that
True, but though he has the advan-
tage ola corner store, l paid three
hundred dollars on my mortgage more
than he did,
Then you surely can afford the ia
BILE and chairs
Nay, my dear, l will not spend q
dollar for superhuities while l am in
debt
Mrs. Ben Weston felt very bad
about it, but her husband was firm, and
she was forced to content herself with
the plain furniture.
Mrs. Joe Weston enjoyed. her nice
parlor till tho novelty wore away, and
then she discovered that there were a
great many other things wanted to
make things look uniform. The two
windows must have drapery curtains
q pier-glass was needed, and some pic
lures were needed to relieve the walls.
Her husband, who had once exceeded
the limits Of his means, found no diff
Guilty in doing SO again, and the things
were bought.
But Joe had some scruples about it.
His notes began to be troublesome,
and every day he was in the street
borrowing money. His business, too,
had not met his expectations. Instead
Of increasing in ratio Of last years ex-
periance, it hardly held its own, and
the poor fellow began to have some Sc
rious misgivings about the future.
Before the year had half expire /, he
was obliged to introduce a rigid sys-
tenn of retrenchment into his family
and business affairs, in order to keep
his expenses within his income.
CHAPTER III.
Another year had passed away in
the business experience of the young
merchants. The books were balanced
and the result, in black and white,
stood before them.
Ben had followed up his system of
advertising through the year. He
had expended large sums, but he made
the outlay with judgment and discre-
ton.
The result had exceeded his most
sangu;ne expectations. His store was
crowded with customers; with genuine
bona fide customers; and with but a
small proportion Of gadders and fancy
shoppers. The papers had borne to
the best families in the city and coun-
try full descriptions Of his stock. His
name was as familiar as "household
words" in the dwellings Of the rich and
the poor, Of the farmer, mechanic and
the laborer.
Truly, the harvest was abundant ::
and Ben rubbed his hands with de-
light a. he cast his eyes over the fig
ures which conveyed to him the pleas
ing result Of his years operations. He
had the means Of not only clearing
himself of debt, but also Of crafty
ing his wife with the new furniture
she required, besides some little
surplus with which to increase his bus
mess.
The furniture was brought and set
up, every debt discharged, and the i'm
porters and jobbers we eager to give
him unlimited credit.
One day while he was running upon
this pleasant state Of things, Joe Wes-
ton entered the store. For some
months past the intercourse between
the young merchant had not been a.
cordial a. formerly. Joe's nice things
had rather set him up; some of the
upper ten had condescended to visit
him, and he attended the Almack par
ties with his wife. rr
Under this encouraging aspect hs
ventured to expend another hundred
dollars in addition to his furniture,
which his wife insisted was absolutely
necessary for their comfort and happi-
ness. The house had been too plainly
furnished for this progressive age, in
his estimation. She was behind some
Of her friends Who abe was sure, were
doing no better than her husband.
Joe WAS . little obstinate ct first :
but then there was something 20 deci-
dedly comfortable In Get q stuffed
chairs and . lounge. He was doing
we'll, and the expenditure vou]d not