Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1872-04-26
buy more on credit than you would for


but but his wife continued
"Mr Skidd knolos. He is old in the
business. Over his good customers, who
open monthly accounts upon his ledger,
he has decided advantages. He can per-
suade them to buy what they would not
buy if they had to pay the cash down;
and, where they are to have credit
where the trader is to have the extra la
Dor ano expense Of entering and post
ing each separate article, and, in the end
of making full bill of items-the buy
er cannot with good conscience demand
reducti from asked prices"
George smiled, and said he thought his
wife was mistaken. He was sure he was
loing we'll. 1t would be inconvenient to
pay for each little article as he ordered
it. And, furthermore, it would be handi-
er to settle his store bills when his en-
ployers settled with him.
Hattie did not press the matter. She
had brought the subject upon the tapis,
and she was willing to await the develop
ment of events.
by the way, Mr.. Brown, do you not
want box of these figs? They are
fresh,-Pll warrant them-and by the
box will put them cheap" So spoke
Mr.. Skidd, the storekeeper.
George knew that his wife was very
fond of figs; and he loved them himself.
And he finally consented that box
should be sent TO him.
On another day Mr. Skidd said
"Ah, Brown, my dear fellow, have
you tried this golden syrupH"
George had not tried the syrup. The
best quality of molasses had hitherto
answered him. But he was persuaded
to try it.
Ga another day
"Look here, Brown, shall l send you
up dozen of these Messina oranges? A
new cargo just in. You won't get 'em SO
cheap again. Only thirty cents"
Only thirty cents! And George knew
how fond Hattie was of oranges. OF
course he would have them.
And so the days passed on, and the
month came to an end. George Brown
was paid by his employers, and he set at
once about paying others. On his way
home he stopped in and got Mr.. Skidd's s
bill.
"You can take it and look it over, !"
said the trader, with a patronizing smile.
:" You will find il all right"
| George had intended to pay the bill
then and there; but when he saw the
long column of figures, and glanced his
eye at the sum total, his heart Ieaped up
into MS mouth. He was astounded. He
had thought to himself, as he had come
along, that Skidd's bill would be about
twelve 10 fifteen dollars. After paying
everything else he would have twenty
dollars leit, which would satisfy this last
demand, and leave something over. He
had Just commenced housekeeping, and
did not expect to have much at first.
But mercy how his anlicipations
we're Knocked in pieces as he looked al
this bill. He told Skidd he guessed be
would look it over; and on his way home
ward he examined it; but he could find
nothing wrong nothing wrong in the
items-but the sum total was a poser
teoenty sic dollars and torty-t,oo cents!
For long time after he had reached
home he tried to convince Hattie that
! nothing was the matter with him but al
length he puckered up courage, and drew
forth Skidd's bill. He had expected thai
his wife would be paralyzed. But, OF
the contrary, she only smiled, and SAID
it was ali right.
All right p echoed George.
All right, so far as Mr.. Skidd is con
| cerned," said Hattie. You remember
what told you once before, and nov
} let's sit down and eat supper, and ther
We will look the matter over"
: And after supper they went at the
} work. Hattie took the bill, and a piece
of blank paper, and followed the item;
, down with her pencil.
: First" she said. " is box of figs, al
fifteen cents pound. 1t was very cheap
no doubt; but the eight pounds came tc
a dollar and twenty cents. Had you
been required to pay cash you would moi
have bought them. You would, at least
, have asked me if liked them, and
should have told you, no. Next we have
a gallon of golden syrup, which we did
not need, and for which you would moi
have paid cash without consulting me-
And so she went on. and in the END
she had cut down the bill, by throwing
out articles which they had not absolute
} lY needed, to less than fifteen dollars.
A dollar here had not seemed much tC
George; and dollar and half there
and thenseventY-f cents, and then only
fifty cents; but then there had been
visifS tho otoro I.-..u. IL