Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1865-08-31
PRICE, THREE DOLLARS PER ANNUM.
NUMBER So.


suppcr-but still Mark was invincible,'
and as one and another gayly recount
ed the history OF the scene, lie silently
committed the, amount of expense to
his little book. Yet was not Mark
: cynical or unsocial. His refusals,
: though firm, were invariably good-na-
: turcd, and though he could not be
/ drawn abroad, yet he was unquestiong
ably open-handed at home. No house
had so warm welcome-nO dinner
table could be more bountiful or more
freely open for the behoof of all gentlt.,
men of the dining-out-order-no tea
table presented more unexceptionable
toast, and there was no evening
lounge more easy, home-like and cheer
ful, than on the sofas in the snug par
lors of Mark Meriden. They also
gave evening parties, where all was
| brilliant, tasteful and w-ell-ordered :.
and, in fine, notwithstanding his short
comlngs, Mark was set down as fine,
open-handed fellow.
At the end of the year, Mark cast
/ up the account iii this little book, and
was nightly astonished at it, for with
all his ideas of the power of Numbers,
he had no idea that the twos and ives
and tens and ones, which on greater
or smaller occasions, had found their
way into his columns, would amount
up to a sum so considerable. Marx
looked about him-the world was ge.-
ing weIl-his business machinery
moving in exact touch and time-his
house-whcre was there prcttier
one where place more replete with
every home-drawing comfort Had
he lost anything in pleasure the year
past? Mark thought not, and there
fore, as he walked homeward, he STEP
ped into the booksellers and ordered
some books of superb engravings for
Mrs. Meriden, and spoke to a garden
CT to send some elegant towering ex-
oticsj for which he had heard her ex-
press an admiration some evenings be-
fore.
That same evening came I'M Ben.
Sanford, as he expressed it, ain The
rery depths Of indigo ?" for young gen.
tlemen whose worldly matters invari-
ably so on wrong end foremost wilh
sometimes be found in this condition.
however exuberant may be their stock
of animal spirits.
Pray, Ben, what is the matter pr
said Mark, kindly, as the latter stretch
cd himself at length, in an arm chair,
groaning audibly.
"Oh bilious attack, Mark
shocmakers bills taiIors' bills all
OF them scut for New Years presents.
hang en- all - .....
Mark was silent for q few mo-
ments, ana Ben. continued, "Confound
it, Mark what's the sense of living if
fellow is to be so very poorg Here
you, Mark, born in the same town
with me, and younger than / am by
some two years-you have house as
snug as man need ask-a wife like
an angel--peace and plenty by the
bushel, and all comes of having q
good run ofluck in the money line y
and Ben. kicked his slippers against
the andiron most eneFgetieally.
What has become of Emily P-?'
asked Mark, alter pause.
/ Poor soul !" said Ben, "there she
is yet with all sweetness and patience,
waiting till such "a luckless scape-
grace as | can give her a home and
husband. wish to my soul, for her
sake, could afford to be married, and
have home of my own besides, to
tell the truth, | am tired of this ram
bling, scrambling, out-at-the-elbow.
slip-shod life.
Why don't you get married."
questioned Mark. r-.
why don't /? to be sure-use my
tailors' bills for fuel, and my board
bill for house rent, and my shoes bill
for bread and butter-hey? Would
you recommend "a poor girl to try me,
Mark-all things considered ?" said
Ben, bitterly. ...
Mark reflected awhile in silence,
and then drew out his little book, to
which we before alluded.
"Just look at this account, Ben.,"
said he f; % know you hate figures,
but just for once" Ben. glanced at it
acknowledgement when he read
over the two or three first items, but
his face heightened as he proceeded,
and Mark detected a sort Of whistle
of astonishment as he read the sum to-
| tai. mrr
| "Well, Mark !" he exclaimed,
"What a very old gentlemanly, con-
siderate trick is this of yours-to sit
behind your counter SO cody noting
down the cost and come to > Of all
our little frolics--really it is most edi-
| flying How much you must have en-
ioyed your superior discretion and
forethought !" and Ben. laughcd-but
not with his usual glee. "
may, you mistake said Mark.
L kept this account merely to see
what had been in the habit of spend
ing myself, and as you and have al
ways been hand-and-glove in every
thing, it answers equally for you. 1t
was only yesterday that | summed up
the account, and l assure you the re-
suit surprised myself and now, Ben,
/ the sum here set down, and as much
more as you please, is freely at your
disposal, to clear off old scores for the
year, provided you will accept with it
! this little book as q New Years gift,
and use il twelve months as have
done and at the end of that time if
you are not ready to introduce me to
Mrs Sanford, am MUCH mistaken"
Ben. grasped his friends hand-but
Just then the entrance of Mrs. Meriden
prevented his reply. Mark, however,
saw with satisfaction that he put the
book carefully in his vest pocket, and
buttoned up his coat with the air Of a
man who is buttoning up new reso-
luton.
When they parted for the night,
Mark said with smile, In case Of
bilious attacks, you know where to send
for medicine Ben. answered only
by tcrvent grasp of the hand, for