Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-09-26
A HOLE I'm THE POCKET.

l
and she being an industrious little woman, be-
sides doing her house-work, earned considera-
BILE in the course of year, by doing plain sew
ing. But still they did not seem to prosper as
did Ned Bowen and his wife, who commenced
house keeping near them about the same time,
under cimar circumstances. The reason why
and the way he made the discovery, We will
let him tell in his own words
My wife said to ne one evening" Mr..
Slack, wish to get some thread and needles
at the store, and want little change"
felt in my pocket examined my wallet
thoroughly, but could find nothing that would
pass for currency at the stere, and reported
the unpleasant fact to her.
Why" said she, " what has become of the
half.dollar gave you this morning, that |
got from Mrs. Jones for sewing? 2" (She had
always made me cashier of the frm.)
After another unsuccessful attempt to find
it, l said
Mrs. Slack, think there must be hole
in nay pocket for certainly | have not got it,
and | do not think of anything | have paid it
out for"
l will look at your pockets this evening""
said she mildly, " and VIII mend them if they
need it,"
1t was not long after this conversation that
| remembered having treated myself and three
friends to ice cream and oranges at a coufec-
toners shop, but concluded TO keep the discOV-
cry to myself.
" | could not find any hole in your pocket
last night" said my wife, the next morning, in
q gentle tone, and with look that my feel
ings prevented me from scanning closely and
all the reply felt willing to make was, Ah,
couldn't you 7"
A few days afterwards she called on me for
twenty-five cents she had lately deposited in
my sub treasury for safe keeping
Really Mrs. Slack" said |, thinking it
best to show bold front, there must be
some corner or seam in my pocket that is open"
though really | could not find one, any more
than | could the missing quarter.
If there is it is singular that ! did not find
it the other evening" she said in her usual
quiet way, bu! | will be sure to fiud it this
evening If there is any"
On the way to my work after dinner, while
passing the Arcade Saloon, the fate OF my
wlfeS quarter came distinctly to my mind 1t
had vanished 10 smoke 10 front of that institu-
ti0n i. E., it had paid for five finely favored
cigars which some of my village friends bad
helped me TO dispose of while discussing poll
ties there the previous evening
Mrs Slack had never told me whether she
found any hole in my pocket or not and |
did not feel disposed to push the investigation
on the subject any further.
Although | was seldom entirely out of mo-
ney, still it was unpleasantly scarce In fact
| spent more than | was aware OF, in small
items, from day to day, for the doOble purpose
inn Of Gt,l
er fellow" aud to gratify my appetite or fame
for things | could have done very well with
out
The result was that did without things
at home which my wages would have enabled
me to buy, and left some for charitable pur-
poses.
One day | was presented with a subscrip-
ton paper for the Orphan Asylum, which |
reluctantly banded back without signing, with
the remark that | really could not afford
it,
My wife smiled sadly, as she said to me in
au undertone
" Ned Bowen subscribed FIVE dollars"
" don't see how he can afford it," re-
piled, " as be does not get any better wages
or work more hours than | do"
A few days after the foregoing event, on
an invitation from Ned Bowen and his wife,
we spent an evening at their house, which we
found much better furnished than our own,
though there was no apparent attempt to
make any needless display offurniture.
The evening passed pleasantly away, but
could rot avoid some unpleasant feelings when
ever | contrasted their home with the appear
ance of our own.
81 wonder" l said to my wife, on our way
home if Bowen don't go in debt for some of
their furniture p
He does not" she replied, for his wife
told me that they do not owe dollar in the
world"
But how can they live as they are doing
on his wages, if he gives five dollars at time
for charitable purposes 2"
" think can tell you," said my wife, in a
heSitating manner.
" Well, do, if you please" replied, not
little curious to know what her ideas on the
subject were.
"Well, she continued, "ia the first place,
she never buys for herself any unnecessary
fuery, and takes good care that nothing is lost
or destroyed that comes into the house"
But" said l. interrupting her, 81 doubt
amazingly whether she is more careful in that
respect than my own model wife,"
In the second place" said she, he is as
careful in these respects as she is. He buys
no ice cream, oranges, cigars, &c, neither for
himself nor any of his pretended friends. In
short, my dear Mr.. Slack, be has no hole in
his pocket"
1t was the first word of suspicion my wife
ever uttered on the subject, and that fact, to-
gether with the conviction that she clearly saw
and so unexpectedly-but in so kind man.
ner told me the real cause of the difference be-
tween our home and that of Ned Bowen and
his wife, cut me to the quick-or rather,