Middletown transcript., 1872-06-15


new cargo just in. You won't get them
so cheap again. Only thirty cents"
Only thirty cents! Aud George knew
how fond Hattie was Of oranges. OF
course he would have them
And so days passed on, and the month
came to au cud. George Brown vas paid
by his employers and he set at once about
paying others. On his way home he stop.
ped in aud got Mr. Skidd's bill.
+" You can take it and look it over"
said the trader. with a pa,ronizing smile.
+" You will find it ull right"
George had intended to pay the bill
then aud there but when he saw the
long column of figures. and glanced his
eye at the sum total. his heart lcnpcd up
into his mouth. lie was asiounded. He
thought 10 himself rs he came along, that
Skidd's bill would be abcu, twelve TO e.
teen dollars. After paying everything
else he would have twenty dollars left.
which would satisfy his last demand aud
leave something over.
lie had just commenced. housekeeping q
aud did not expect to save much at first
But, mercy. how his an,icipa,ions were
knocked in pieces as he looked at his bill
lie told Skidd he guessed he would look
it over aud on his way he examined IL;
but he could find nothing wrong nothing
wrong in the items--but the sum total
was poser twsniy-six dollars and forty
cents.
For long time after he had reached
home he tried to convince Hattie that
nothing was wrong with him; but at
length he pluckcd up courage and drew
forth Skidds bill. lie had expected that
his wiio would be paraizcd. But. on the
contrary, she only smiled, and said it was
all right.
All right. echoed George.
All right. 30 far ~ Mr. SkiJl il con.
ccrned," said Hattie {" You remember
what | told You before, ani now let's sit
down aud eat supper, and then we will
look the matter over
Aud after upper they went at the
work. Hattie took the hill ani piece
Of blpuk paper, aud followed the items
down with her pencil.
Fitst she said is box Of figs, nj
fifteen cents a pound. |, WIS very cheap
no doubt bu, the eight pounds came to
dollar aud twerty cents Had you been
required to pay cash you would not have
bought them. You would at least have
asked me II liked them, anl should
have told YOU, no. Next W. have u gal.
Ion Of golden syrup, which W. did not
need, aud for which you would not have
paid cash without consulting me.
Aud 80 she went on. aud in the cUl she
had Gu, down the bill. by throwing ont
articles which thcy had not absolutely
needed. TO less than fifteen dollars
\ dollar here had not seemed much to
George and dollar anl a half there
and then only fifteen cents bat there had
been twenty visits to the store daring the
month, and the aggregate of these sums
was considerable.
George saw the whole thing, snl he
knew that his wife had been right from
the lirst.
Don't say word" he said Il see
the mistake But III have to work around
into the righ, track by degrees
" How -. George T.
"Why, haven't money enough left o'
my months wages TO quite pay this bill
50 shall be utterly unable to enter upon
the cash principle a, present"
direction" said Hattie. Il have mol
spent quite all my little capital had
already fixed it for bi, of mes, egg
aud don't know IA i, could be pp, to .
better use than the laying Of foundation
for cash payments. A, any rate, Georg.
let us try it for awhile"
George kissed his wife. and said she
was n blessing; aud he promised that h,
would follow her advice in the future
He to,k tie money which she had to give
and held il as a loan. which he was to re
turn a, the earliest possible moment; and
he felt an ambi.ion 40, to see how speedi
~ he could do 1t.
And on Monday morning the new rub
Of life went into operation. Gcorgc paid
Mr.. Skidd's bill, aud told hi.., that here
alier lie should pay cash for eve, .vthiug h,
bought. The store keeper pooh pooi. Il, and
said there vas no uced Of it,
" Bless you. my boy. | had as lief trus
you ns not"
II do not doubt il. Mr. Skidd. but
prefer not to be trusted. would rather
consume my own groceries than to con-
sun,e yours. a bill is On evil at best,
and don't choose to have evils growing
on my hands II can help it,"
Mr. Skidd saw very plainly that his
customers vision was clear. and lie eaid
no more.
Ga the evening Of that very Monday
Mr.. Skidd exhibited to George some extra
nice preserves, and the young mans firs,
impulse was TO order pot Of them; bu,
the taking cut Of his wallet aud the break.
ing Of n ive-dollar bill. was palpable
reminder; and he concluded he coul &c,
along without them. Said he to himself
"These seemingly trivial sums. II
| save them will, at the end Of tho month.
add up a. greatly In my favor a. they have
heretofore added up against me-"
And he found ii 40. And he found one