Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1872-04-19

, into my MIND this instant; after break
J ing up we will go to mothers. You
know she never wanted us to leave
J there. Itwon't cost us much over half
what it does now, taking rent into the
account. We will pay sister Annie
something to take care of little Eddie
and Lizzie through the day, and I will
!, 60 into your warehouse as chief clerk"
. "Betsy, you're crazy p
"Not bit of it, Aaron, but sensible
woman, as you will find before you're a
year older, If you'll let me have my way. /.
, [ don't like that Hobson, and never
did, as you know. / dor;t believe he's
a fair man. Let me take his place, and
you will make a clear three hundred
pounds year; and may be, as much
more"
I" can't think of it, Betsy. Let us
wait awhile
"You must think of it, and we won't
wait awhile" replied the resolute wife,
"What is right to be done is best done
quickly. Is there not safety in my
plan ?''
"Yes, think there is; but
"Then let us adopt it at once, and
throw all butts overheard, or" and she
looked at him little mischievously,
"perhaps you would rather have some
talk with Mr.. Lawrence frstT
"Hang Mr.. Lawrencer calculated
Aaron Little
"Very well; there being no help in
Mr.. Lawrence, we will go to work to
help ourselves. Selfhelp, I've heard it
said, is always the best help, and most
to be depended on. We may know
ourselves, and trust ourselves; and that
is great deal more than we can say
about other people. When shall we
have the sale ?"
"Not so fast, Betsey, not so fast. /
would be to make certain loss. Fur
niture sold at auction never realizes
above half its COST"
"It would be certain gain, Aaron,
if it saved you from bankruptcy, with
which, as I understand it, you are
threatened"
81 think" said Aaron, "we may get
on without that. | like the idea of
your coming into my warehouse and
taking Hobson's place. All the money
from retail sales passes through his
hands, and he has it in his power, if
not honest, to rob me seriously. I've
not felt altogether easy in regard to
him of late. Why, can hardly tell.
I've seen nothing wrong. But if you
will take his place, three hundred
pounds will be saved certainly"
"But if have my house" Mrs. Little
answered to this, show can 1 help you
at the warehouse? The first thlag in
order is to get the house off my hands"
"Don't you think that Annie could
be induced to come and live with us for
few months until we try this new ex-
periment?"
"But the money, Aaron; the money
this furniture will bring That's what
am looking after. You want money
now"
avery true"
"Then let us hang out the red flag.
Halfway measures may only ruin every
thing. | know that mother will not
let Annie leave home, so it's no use to
think OF it. The red fag-the red flag
Depend upon it, that's the first right
thing to be done. Five or six hundred
pounds in hand will make you feel like
another person-give you courage, con-
fidence and energy"
"You may be right, Betsy; but l
can't bear the thought of running out
that red flag, of which you talk so light
ly."
"Shall l say coward? Are you afraid
to do what common prudence tells you
is right?"
~ was afraid, Betsey; but am no
longer faint-hearted. With such
brave little wife as you to stand by my
side, need not fear the world"
In a week from that day the red flag
was hung out. When the auctioneer
made up his accounts, he had in hand
little over eight hundred pounds, for
which a check was filled out to the Or
der of Aaron Little. 1t came into his
hands just at the right moment, and
made him feel, to use his own words,
Gas easy as an old Shoe" One week
later, Mrs. Betsey Little took the place
| of Mr.. Hobson, as chief manager and
cash receiver in her husbands ware
| house. There were some few signs of
rebellion among the clerks and shop
girls at the beginning; but Mrs. Betsey
had quick, steady eye, and a self-re-
| liant manner that caused her presence
to be felt, and soon made everything
subservient to her will. 1t was re-
markable fact, that at the close of the
first week of her administration of af-
fairs, the cash receipts were over thirty
pounds in excess of the receipts of any
week within the previous three months.
"Have we done more business than
usual this week ?'' she asked of one
clerk and another; and the uniform an
swer was, "No."
"Then," said the lady to herself,
"there's been foul play here. No won
| der my husband was in trouble"
At the end of the next week the
sales came up to the same average, and
at the end of the third week were forty
pounds better than before Mrs. Little
undertook to manage the retail depart
ment. Whether there had been foul
play" or not, Aaron Little could never
fully determine; but he was in no
doubt as to one thing, and that was the
easy condition of the money market
after the lapse of half year.
For four or five months previous to
Mrs. Little's administration of affairs,
he was on the street nearly half his
time during business hours, engaged in
the work of money-raising now his
regular receipts had got in advance of
his payments, SO that his balance on the
morning of each day was usually in ex-
cess of the notes to be lifted OF course
| he could give more attention to bust
| ness, and of course business increased
and grew more profitable under the i'm
proved system. By the end of the year,
to use his own words, he was cali
right" Not SO neighbor of his, who,
| TO get more aapital. had taken Mr. Law