The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-02-25
fHE TIN SAVINGS BANK. A TALE FeR
uARD TIMES.
RI HoRArro ALeER, JR.

chdnlc IN gOOQ business. Al inc age
of twenty-six he had taken to himself
ms a wife Caroline Eustis, the daugh.
ter of neighbor, who had nothing to
bring him except her own personal
merits, which were many, and habits
of thrift, learned i'm an economical
household under the stern teaching Of
necessity. -
1t was we'll, perhsp that Charles
Lynford should obtain wife of this
character, since he himself found il
very difficult to save anything from
his income.
1t was not long before Caroline be.
came acquainted with her husbands
failing. She could not feel quite easy
i'm the knowledge that they were liv.
ing folly up to their income, foresee
ing that time would come wher
their family would grow more ex'
pensive, and perhaps her husbands
business, now flourishing, might be-
come less SO.
Accordingly one day she purchased
of a tin pcddler, who came to tho
door, little tin safe, such as children
frequently use, as savings bank. This
she placed conspicuously on the man
tel-piece, SO that her husband might
be sure to sc it on entering.
"IIallo, Carrie, what's that! he
asked curiously.
"Only little purchase made TO-
day." said his wife.
'But what is it meant forf he
asked again.
"Let me illustrate" said his wife;
playfully. "Have you ten-cent piece
about you?"
Charles drew dime from his waist
coat pocket. His wife, taking it from
his hand, dropped it into the box
through little slit Of the top.
Charles laughed.
$50 you have taken to boarding,
Carrie? My little wife become a
miserf
mo, only little prudent. But Sc
riously, Charles, that is what L want
you to do every night"
"What-drop dime into this new
tangled arrangement of yours"
Exactly"
"Well, well, that will be easy
enough. A dime is not great sum.
But may know what you are going
TO do with this newly commenced
hoard?"
LAY it by for a rainy day." answer
cd Caroline.
Charles laughed merrily.
"And what will dime a day amount
toy he inquired.
''In year it will amount" COM
menccd his wife seriously
30, never mind-spare me the cal
culition! 1t sounds to much like
business, and 1 have enough of that
during the day."
'.Bu: you don't object TO my plan =
Not i'm the least. | have no doubt
it is very prudent and commendablc,
but you know, Carrie, l never was
gifted with much prudence"
IL am quite aware Of that said his
wife, smiling.
This ended the conversation tor the
time.
The plan inaugurated by the young
wife was steadily carried out. She
was not one of those (of whom there
are SO many who enter upon a new
plan zealously, but soon tire oft. In
the present case she was thoroughly
satisfied of the wisdom of her bur-
dens, and resolved to carry it through.
Every morning she called upon her
husband for n dime, which was forth
with added to the accumulation.
Frequently he had not the exact
change, but would toss her quarter
instead. She would assure him laugh
ingly that this. would answer her pur-
pose equally as well.
More than once Charles would bali
ter her on the subject of her little
savings bank, but this she bore gaily.
But these were not the only accessions
the fund received. Her husband had
early arranged to make an ample al
lowance for dress Il say ample,
though | dare say some of my city
readers might not have considered it
so; but Caroline-who was in the
habit of making up her own dresses
provided herself with a good ward
robe at a much less expense than some
not so well versed i'm the science OF
managing could have done.
After considerable calculation she
came to the conclusion that out of her
allowance she should be able TO make
daily deposit equal to that which
she exacted from her husband. OF
this, however, she thought it best, OH
the whole, not TO inform Charles, en-
loving i'm anticipation the prospect OF
being able, at some time, to surprise
him with the unexpected amount OF
her savings.
At the close of every month the tin
box was emptied, and the content:
were transferred to {; savings bank o.
more pretensions, where interest
would be allowed. When sums de
posted here became large enough
Mrs. Lynford, who had considerable
business capacity, withdrew then
and invested i'm bank and othel
stocks, which would yield large pei
cent. OF her mode of management
her husband remained in complete
ignorance. Nor did he even express
any desire to be made acquainted
with his wife's management. He wa
an easy, careless fellow, spending a
he went, enjoying the present, ant
feeling no particular concern abou
the future.
At the end of eight years, during
which he had been unusually favored
by prosperity in business and unin
tcrrurtcd health, his books showed
that he had not exceeded his income
but that OH the other hand he ha(
saved absolutely nothing. Twenty
five cents alone stood to his credit.
"Running pretty close, isn't il
Carrie 2" he said laughingly. 81 taxi
credit TO myself for keeping Oh thu
right side of the line. But then | sup
pose YOU have saved up an immens'
sum-"
s.How much do you think?' asked
his wife.
80, perhaps hundred dollars,
said Charles Lynford carelessly
"though it would take a good many
dimes 10 do that
His wife smiled, but did not volun
teer to enlightcn him as to the cor
rcctness of his conjecture.
So things went on till at length
came the panic of lS51-a panic sc
0srcent that it will be remembered by
many readers OF this sketch. 1t will
be remembered how universally trade
and business of every kind were de-
pressed at that period-amone other:
the trade which occupied Charlie:
Lynford suffered.
One evening he came home looking