The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1872-06-08

by the way, Mr.. Brown, do you not
want box Of these figs 7 They are
fresh-Ill warrant them-aud by the
box III put them cheap" So spoke
Mr.. Skidd, the store keeper.
George know that his wife was yery
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:
All, Brown, my dear fellow, have
you tried this golden syrup 7"
George had not tried the syrup. The
best quality Of molasses had hitherto
answered him. But he was persuaded
to try it.
On another day:
Look here, Brown, shall send YOU
up dozen of these Messiua oranges 7
A 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. or
course he would have them.
And SO 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 iu aud got Mr.. Skiddis
bill
You can take it and look it over"
said the trader, with patronizing smile.
"You will find it all 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 leapod
up into his mouth. lie was astounded
He thought to himself, ns he come
along, that Skidd's bill would be about
twelve to fifteen dollars After paving
everything else he would have twenty
dollars left, which would satisfy his
last demand and leave something over.
lie had jnst commenced housokeep
ing and did not expect to save much at
first.
But, mercy how his nnticipations
were knocked in pieces as he looked at
his bill lie told Skidd he guessed he
would look it over; and on his way
home he examined it but he could
md nothing wrong-nothiug wrong in
the items-but the sum total was pos
er: twenty six dollars aud forty cents /!
For a long time after he had reached
home he tried to convince Hatte that
nothing was wrong with him but at
length he plucked up courage and drew
forth Skidd's bill He had expected
that his wife would be paralzed. But,
on the contrary, she only smiled, and
said it was all right.
"All right" echoed George.
"All right, SO far as Mr.. Skiid is
concerned, said Hattie. "You remem.
Der what | told you before, and now
let's sit down and eat supper, aud then
we will look the matter over"
And after supper they went at the
work, Hattie took the bill and piece
Of blank paper, aud followed the items
down with her pencil.
First" she said, ais box of fgs, at
fifteen cents a pound 1t was very
cheap no doubt; but the eight pounds |
came to dollar and twenty cents, Had
you been required to pay cash you would |
not have bought them You would at |
least have asked me if | liked them,
and | should have told you, no. Next |
We have n gallon of golden syrup, which
we did not need, aud for which you
would not have paid cash withoat con-
sulting me.
And SO he went on, and in the end
she had cut down the bill, by throwing
ou. articles which they had not abso |
lutely needed, to less than fifteen dol |
lars.
A dollar here had not seemed much
to George and dollar aud half there
aud thea ouly fifteen cents but there
had been twenty visits to the store
during the month, and the aggregate of |
these sums was considerable.
George saw the whole thing, and he
knew that his wife had been right from
the first.
Don't say word" he said. ~ sec
the mistake. But III have to work
around into the right track by degrees.
"llow SO, George ?"
"Why, | haven't money enough left
Of my months wages to quite pay this
bill SO | shall be utterly unable to
enter upon the cash principle at pres.
ent."
"There need be no difficulty in that
direction" said Hattie. 81 have not
spent quite all my little capital. | had
already fixed it for bit OF u nest egg
aud l don't know as it could be put to
a better use than the laying of a foun
dation for cash payments. At any ratio. |
George, let US try it for awhile"
George kissed his wife, aud said she
was blessing; and he promised that
he would follow her advice in the fu.
ture. lie took the money which she
had to give, aud held it as a loan, which |
he was to return at the earliest possible |
moment; and he felt an ambition, too
to sec how speedily he could do it,
And on Monday morning the new |
rule of life went into operation. George |
paid Mr.. Skidd's bill, and told him that |
hereafter he should pay cash for every. |
thing he bought. The store keeper
poo hood, aud said there was no need |
Of it,
Bless you, my boy, 1 had as lief |
trust you as not"
" l dot not doubt it, Mr. Skidd, but
l prefer not to be trusted. would
rather consume my own groceries than
to consume yours. A bill is an evil at
best, and don't choose to have evils
growing on my hands if l can help it,"