The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1860-12-06

was hung out. When the auctioneer
made up his accounts, had in hand a
little over eighteen hundred dollars, for
which a check was filed out; to the
order of Aaron Little. 1t came into
his hands just at the right moment, and
made him feel, to use his own words,
"as easy as an old SHOE" One week
later, Mrs. Betsey Little took the place
of Mr.. Hobson, as chief manager and
cash receiver in her husbands store.
There were some few signs of rebellion
among the clerks and shop girls at the
beginning; but Mrs. Betsey had a quick,
steady eye, and self-reliant manner
that caused her presence felt, and soon
made everything subservient to her will.
1t was remarkable fact, that at the
close Of the first week of her admins
tration of affairs, the cash receipts were
over hundred and fifty dollars in ex-
cess of the receipts of any week within
the previous three months. a
Have we done more business than
usual, this week?'' she asked of one
clerk and another; and the answer was
emo"
"Then," said the lady to herself,
"there'e been foul play here. No.won-
der my husband was in trouble"
| At the end of next week, the sales
came up to the same average, and at the
end of the third week were two hun.
dred dollars better than before Mrs.
Little undertook to manage the retail
department. Whether there had been
''foul play" or not, Aaron Little could
never fully determine; but he was in
no doubt as to one thing, and that was
the easy condition of the money mar
ket, after the lapse of half year.
For four or FIVE months previous to
Mrs. Little's administration of affairs,
he was on. the street for nearly all his
time, during the business hours, en-.
gagged in the work of money-raising
now his regular receipts had got in ad
vance of his payments; so that his bal
ance on the morning of each day was
usually in excess of the notes to be lifted
Of course, he could give more attention
to business and of course business in
creased and grew more profitable under
the improved system. By the end Of
the year, to use his own words, he wai
sail right" Not so neighbor of his
who, to get more capital, had taker
Mr.. Lawrence as partner. Instead
of bringing in ten thousand dollars
that capitalist" was only able to put
down three thousand; and before the
end of the year had drawn out six OF
seven thousand, and he had given notes
of the firm for as much more in pay
ment of old obligations. A failure ot
the house followed as an inevitable re-
suit.
i When the fact of the failure, and the
cause which led to it, was known te
Mr.. Little he remarked with shrug
"I'm sorry for B, but he should
have told his wife,"
"Of what ?" asked the person te
whom he addressed the remark.
"Of his want of more capital, ant
intention to make Lawrence partner
"What good would that have done?'
cit might have saved him from ruin
as it did me-"
:" You are mysterious, Little"
"AmI? Well, in plain words: A
year ago l was hard up for money il
my business, and thought of taking il
Lawrence. l told my wife about it
She said, Don't do it, And did not
for Don't do it, was followed by sug
gestions as to his wife's extravaganza
that opened my eyes little. 1 told
her, at the same time of my embarrass
ments, and she set her bright little
J head to work, and showed me the way
{ to work out of them. Before this
r always had poor opinion of woman
wit in matters of business but now
t say to every man in trouble: Tel
} your wife,"