The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1872-07-06

hc hau bPoken 10 NlhSa-hOW hlrshly
aud ioolishly.
After all the price Of the gobcts is
not worth the i'll words have spoken.
And yet she might be more careful"
The enemy was arguing now "Times
are harder than they used to be. 1t
costs me a good deal more to live. Ey.
cry broken goblet counts"
by this time be was at the store, aud
under the pressure Of business of the
counting room, his troubles we're for.
gotten
At eleven o'clock he and Ben Law
son went out to get a glass of ale. Ben
paid the bill. Bou was the entry clerk.
and was jolly good fellow.
At three o'clock the duties of the
counting house we're closed, and Harry
and Ben went out for dinner. 1t was
llarrys turn to pay for dinner As
they entered the cafe they met a mutual
friend, aud he was invited to join them.
1t was very nice dinner, and they
washed it down with champagne. Harry
was brushing the crumbs from his lap
with napkin, when he hit one of the
delicately cut aud tinted glasses, and
knocked it of from the table.
Z" Put it in the BILL" said he to the
waiter. The event seemed TO trouble
him no more than might have resulted
from the dropping of pin.
The bill was brought-,ix dollars
and seventy five cents,
That's seventy five cents for the
champagne glass" suggested Lawson.
"Yes," said Harry.
"Egad," said Ben with laugh,
"uuppose fellows wife was to break
such thing at homo, wouldn't she get
a lecture GU carelessness.
"And, added Bart Sawyer, the friend
who was a married man, suppose one
of our wives was to ask for six dollars
to be expended just as this six dollars
have gone"
II fancy l see her getting it," re-
turned Ben.
And that ain't tho worst of it,"
pursued Bart, who was free enough in
the admission of his faults away from
home, how We do suap the poor wo.
men when they spend money anyway.
Yesterday found my wife with a new
bonnet on. Fifteen dollars thrown
away, | told her, and she had good
cry. And yet, to como right down to
the honest truth, | suppose spend
more for wine and cigars in the course
of year than my wife ever thinks of
spending for dress in the same length
OF time"
"Zounds r exclaimed Ben, with an
emphatic slap Of his hand upon his
knee, "you're right, Bart. Fact is, we
spend money for our amusement with.
out thinking, but when VIC come to pay
our wives bills, We count the cost" ,"
ave pay them very much as We pay
our taxes added Bart. What do
you think, Harry"
Harry Thurber had been rejecting
and when he looked up the usual smile
was goue from his face.
You are right" he said, this very
morning | made brute Of myself at
home over a broken goblet; and here |
have spent enough for this dinner to
pay for every glass that my wife ever
broke in her life.
But it won't do to tell her of it."
said Ben.
No. returned Harry, "but | think
it would not bo bad thing for us all
to shin the scene Of lault-fnding. Let
us keep our frowns and complaints to
keep company with our foolish expeu.
ditures, and save the sunshine of our
free hearts for home consumption. For
one, I'm bound to try it,"
Egad, and so will /" responded
Ben Lawson.
Count me in" added Bart.
Now mark, said Harry, impressive
ly, eve arc not to find fault with our
wives on account Of expenditure, until
we have found the limit Of our absolute
need for comfort and convenience. II
there is need of retrenchment VIC will
set the example before We preach. Arc
you agreed ?"
The other two answered in the affir.
native.
We will be checks upon one anoth.
or" said Bart. He that breaks faith
shall confess"
They agreed to this also.
The result was a most favorable one.
There were no three happier families
In the city from that time. There
were three homes into which the spirit
Of discord seldom entered. And, fur.
thcrmors, when the wives discovered
that their husbands were really and
maniully trying 10 lift their heads above
the pressure of unnecessary expenses,
they cheerfully seconded their efforts.
They did it of their own accord, and
they did it willingly. Aud thus, i'm.
perceptibly the very shoal aud quick
sand on which so much of domestic
peace had been wrecked, became the
grounds on which the hearts of husband
aud wife were united in a common
cause--a cause which had in view a
safer home, and better and happier life.
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