Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1862-07-08

ase' ioI YOU the mystery 2"
my affairs ?" N'O" VI
Il have eyes"
DO waste my money!"
les, u you have hot saved so much as
l nave during the last six months and
yes, II my eyes have given true report"
nat have your eyes reported 2"
a system OF waste, in trifles. that does
not acd anything substantial to your hap
p'ness and certainly lays the foundation
ior vast amount of disquietude, and al
most certain embarrassment in money af-
lars, and consequent hnmiIiations.
Hoffman shook his head. gravely answer
ing,
81 can't see it."
"Wculd you like 10 see it ?"
ooh certainly. if it exista."
"Wel, suppose we 90 down into the
matter of expenditure, item by item. and
make some use of the common rules of
arithmetic as We 20 along, Your salary.
70 start with, is six hundred dollars. and
you pay the same as do for boarding and
washing, that is four and half dollars per
week, which gives the sum IF two hundred
and thlrty-four dollars year. What do
your clothes cost ?"
"a hundred and fifty dollars will cover
eserythingw
"The6 you have two hundred AID six-
teen dollars left. What becomes Of that
large sum ?"
Hoffman DR. pped his eyes and went to
thinking. Yes, what had became of these
two hundred and sixteen dollars2 Here
was the whole thing in a nut shel.
Cigars" said Hamilton. How many
do you use In day?"
mo over three. But these are part of
considered expenses. ! am not going to do
without cigars"
Il am only getting down to the items"
answered the friend. 1--WE must hnd out
where the money goes. Three cigars day,
AMI. on an average, one to friend, which
makes sour."
Very well. say four"
AT six cents a piece"
YES"
Hamilton took slip Of paper, and made
few figures.
"Four cigars day. at six cents each,
costs twenty four cents. Three hundred
and sixty five by twenty four gives eighty
seven dollars and sixty cents. as the cost CT
your cigars FIR year"
20, no! That is impossible" returned
Hoffman, quickly.
There is the calculation Look at it for
yourself replied Hamilton, offering the
slip Of paper.
True as livew calculated the other,
in unftigned surprise. Il never dreamed
of such thing. Eighty>seven dollars
That will never do in the world. | must
cut this down"
"a simple matter of figures. l wonder
| that you had not thought of counting the
cost. Now do not smoke at all 1t is a
! bad habit. that Injuries the health, and
makes US disagreeatle to our friends, to
| say nothing of the expense. So you see
| how natural the result, that at the end of
the year | should have eighty seven dol
lars 10 hand. while you have pulled away
an equal sum in swoke. S: much for the
cigar account. | think YOU take game Of
billiards now and then"
Certainly d.. Billiards are innocent.
am very fond of the game, and must have
some recreation"
"Exncily 50. The question now is what
| do they COST"
Nothing to speak Of You can't make
| out case here"
I'VE shall see. How often DO you
play?"
1.-TWO or three times a week"
Say twice week"
Yes"
Every well. Let it be twice. A sbill.
ing a game must be paid for the uss of the
table ?"
(Which comes from the losers pocket.
l, generally, make it point to win"
But lose sometimes"
"Of course. The winning is rarely all
on one side"
One or two games a nigbt?"
Sometimes"
Suppose we put down an average loss
Of three games in week. Will that be
too high?"
Nc. Call it three games q week."
'Or, as to expense, three sbillings.-
Then, after the play, there comes glass
of a'e-or it may be oysters"
Usually"
Twill two shillings a week, taking one
week with another, pay for your ale and
oysters?"
Hoffman did not answer until he had
reflected fer a few moments. Then be
said:
Pm afraid neither two nor four shill-
ings will cover this item. We must set il
} down at six"
(Which gives for billiards, ale and oys-
tiers the sum of one dollar aud shilling
per week. Fifty-two by a dollar twelve and
half, and we have the sum of ffty>eight
dollars and fifty cents. Rather seriou:
item this, in the years expense, where the
income is only six hundred dollars!"
J Hoffman looked at his friend in be-
wiIdered kind Of way. This was astUund'
ing.
"How often 90 you go to the theatre and
opera:" Hamilton went on with his CUES
tons.
Sometimes once a week. Sometimes
twice or thrice, according to the attrac-
ton"
, "And you take lady now and then p
yes"
Particularly during the opera sea-
son ?"
) Eyes. Pm not so selfish as always tc
r indulge in these pleasures a!one."
! very we'll. Now fer the cost. Some
times the opera is one dollar. So it costs
two dollars when you take lady"
(Which is not very of'en."
: "Will fifty cents a week, averaging the
, year, meet this expensef"
, After thinking for some time, Hoffman
said yes, be thought that fifty cents week
would be fair appropriation.
(Which adds another item of twenty si2
: dollars year to your expenses"
But would you cut off everything 7" OBJ
, jected Hoffman. "Is man to have no re,
creations, no amusements 2"
THAT is another question" cOolly an
; swered Hamilton. Our present business
: is to ascertain what has become of the two
hundred and sixteen dollars which remain
} ed OF your salary after boarding and cloth
ing bills were paid. That is handsome
gold chain. What did it cost ?'
Eighteen dollars"
! Bought lately?"
"Within six months"
$50 much more accounted for"
"Is that diamond pin?"
, Hoffman colored little as he answer.
ed;