The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1871-02-18

and they thought and planned for them
while bis thoughts and plans had gon
J no further than the present supply OF Doc
lily necessities, and consequently he ha
, obtained that and nothing more. Now
be was going to turn over new leai
! AM if his wife was of the game mind
} they would try hard TO place themselves il
better circumstances.
In the evening, after supper was over
and the days work done, as they sat en-
joying their leisure, George gave them ta'
subject Of bis thoughts.
"Now, wife," said he, I'VE must all try
you and Mary, too, and see what we. car
do; and now what shall be the tirst thing
in the programme 7"
Indeed, George, / do not know" re
piled Mrs. Bonner. eff you mean VIC
must try and save money, | cannot tell
where to begin. am sure we have moth
ing now that we can do without"
"You know said Mary, who felt en-
boldened to speak, a. her father had named
her as one Of the party to this new order Of
things, "yon have allowed me to drink tea,
and put as much sugar in it as like, and
| generally make it very sweet. l will
drink water and save the money that tea
and sugar costs"
Every well, my daughter" said Mr..
Bonner, "you have set Us very good ex-
ample, and will fellow it by dispensing
with my hslf-pint of beer that always
take in the evening Now, wife, what
will you do?'
Il think" replied Mrs. Bonner, ''that |
can do without my tea in the evening; but
| must have my coffee in the morning, for
| think could never get throug b my days
work without my coffee"
IL too" said John, "will 60 without
tea, at least until we get a home of our
own, and now let us see how much we can
save a week:
Beer, half pints at 8 cents, 35
Tea, / lb., at 81 per pound, 25
Sugar, 25
They commenced the very next day to
put their plan into execution, | at the
supper table they built several aerial cas-
ties Of the cold water which appeared upon
the table instead of the tea, and they soon
found that hope was a great promoter of
Mary felt very much elated |
since she had been thought old enough and
wise enough to be taken into her fathor's
counsel. With the trusting, buoyant spi-
it of youth sacrifices were easy to her, and
'he was continually planning how she
'ould help her parents. She had learned
o sew and knit, and she had already knit
tockings for her little brother and sister,
md aided her mother in making these gar
Oents.
-Four weeks after they had commenced
0 curtail their expenses, Mr.. Bonner
ounted the money, and found it amounted
o $3.50. AS he put it away in the draw
r be said "At this rate We will have
;43 20 at the end Of the year."
THAT sum-" said Mrs Bonner, ,"wsll be
nOre than we save ever bad at one time
efOrc"
i'Yes, replied Mr. Bonner, sadly, 'stutS
will 60 but little way towards buying
ONE. | am afraid it will take some years
efore we can have one at that rate"
Father" replied Mary, i will soon be
bic to earn something, too, and then we
an save more and increase our capital
.ster"
4" Hear the GIRL" said Mr.. Bonner,
.ughing, ''she has already begun to talk
bout capital. So my little daughter you
nink to see your father some day capi-
alist instead Of day laborer."
Eyes, father, l think shall, " replied
iary.
"Well. Mary, | begin to hope SO my
elf, though the prospect is slim enough
lst now. have little pleasure in store
DR. you. / have the money to buy that
ice warm dress which you need SO much,
nd as we can depend upon your Judgment
our mother and have decided to let you
hoose it yourself Tomorrow ySu can 60
0 the store and buy it.
"Oh, thank you, dear father, how good
on are," replied Mary, perfectly de-
ighted, for she was girl with a
rue girl nature, and loved new dress,
nd she felt quite proud because
ler parents trusted in her Judgment, and
Illowed her to please herself She dream
d that night of new dresses, sometimes she
rad on a beautiful blue silk dress, and then
{ would turn to a faded calico, then she
rad on a white satin and suddenly it
,hangod to red flannel, and her first
thought on waking was her new dress.
When she entered the store, she saw
ady looking at some children's stockings,
and she heard her remark, 81 wish could |
find some one who would knit stockings for |
my children"
Mary thought if l could do it, then l
might help father | will ask the lady if /
may. She modestly approached and said
''Do you want ts have some stockings knit
for your children 2"
Eyes, my little girl" replied the lady.
Do you know of any one who will knit
them for me p
Yes, ma am" replied Mary, 81 will. ~
"You," said Mrs. Markham, "you seem
hardly old enough to undertake such work. "
y knit item for my little brother and
sister, ma am.
Mrs. Markham enquired Of the mer
chant if he knew the girl. Yes, ma'am,
he replied, "she is the daug ghter Of George
Bonner, day laborer, and very honest,
industrious, steady man, and she is very
good girl"
Veil, my child" said Mrs. Markham,
you may knit one pair, and if they suit
me you can then knit more.".
She purchased the yarn, and gave it 70
Mary, with the size of the stocking she
wanted.
Mary employed all her leisure moments
u knitting, and in four weeks she had fur
nished three pair, for which Mrs. Mark
ham paid her one dollar and twenty cents
This, added to her fathers two months