The Placer herald., 1872-02-24

she might be more careful the enemy was
arguing now. "Times are harder than they
used to be. 1t costs me good deal more
to live. Every broken goblet counts"
But by this time he was at the store, and
under the pressure of the business Of the
counting-room his trouble was forgotten.
At eleven o'clock he and Ben Lawson
went out and got glass of ale. Ben paid
the bill. Ben was the entry clerk, and was
a jolly good fellow.
AT three o'clock the duties Of the counting
house were closed, and Harry and Ben wen,
out for dinner. 1t was Harry's turn to pay
for dinner. AS they entered the cafe they
met mutual friend and Harry invited him
to join them.
1t was very nice dinner aud they washed
it down with champagne. Harry was brush
ing the crumbs from his lap with a napkin,
when he hit one of the deicately cut and
tinted glasses and knocked it from the table.
"Put it in the bill, he said to the waiter.
The event seemed to trouble him no more
than might have resulted from the dropping
of a pin.
The bill was brought--six dollars and
seventy-ive cents.
"Thats seventy-fve cents for the cham
pagne glass" suggested Ben.
eyes, answered Harry.
"Egad,' said Ben, with laugh, "sup-
pose fellows wife was to break such a
thing at home, wouldn't she get a lecture on
caretulnessp'
"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 has gone p
81 fancy see her getting it!' returned
Ben.
"And that aint the worst Of it," pursued
Bart, who was free enough in the admission
of bis faults away from home, chow we dc
snap the poor women up for spending money
any way. Yesterday found my wife witt
new bonnet on. Fifteen dollars throwl
away told her; and she had good cry
And yet, 10 come right down to the homes
truth, | suppose spend more for wine anc
cigars in the course of the year than my
wife ever thinks of spending for dress IN the
same length of time"
"Zounds" exclaimed Ben, with an en-
phatic slap of his hand upon his knee, "you
are right, Bart. Fact is, we spend money
for our own amusements without thinking
but when we come to pay our wives bills
we count the cost"
"We pay them very much as we pay ou
taxes" added Bart. "What do you think
Harry ?"
Hairy Thurber had been rejecting; ant
when he looked up the usual smile was gont
from his face,
"You are right" he said. "Ths very
morning | made a brute of myself at HON,
over broken goblet; and here spent enougl
for this dinner to pay for all the glass thai
Clara ever broke in her life"
"But it won't do to tell her of it," sale
Ben.
"No," retorted Harry, "but I think il
would not be bad idea for us all to shift
the scene of fault finding. Let us keep oul
frowns and complaints to bear company with
our own foolish expenditures, and save the
sunshine of our free hearts for home con-
sumption. For one, I'm bound to try it."
"Egad! and SO will l." responded Ben
Lawson.
"Count me in," added Bart.
"Now mark" said Harry, impressively
eve are not to find fault with our wives Oh
account of expenditure until we have found
occasion to reduce our own expenses within
the limits of our absolute needs for comfort
and convenience. If there Is need of re-
trenchment, we will set the example before
we preach. Are you agreed ?"
And the other two answered eyes"
"We will be checks upon one another,
said Bart, Gle that breaks faith shall con-
fess."
And they agreed to this, also.
And the result was most favorable one.
There were three happier families in the city
from that time. There were three homes
into which the spirit of discord seldom found
entrance. And, furthermore, when the
wives discovered that their husbands were
really and manfully trying to lift their heads
above the pressure of unnecessary expense,
they cheerfully seconded the effort. They
did it of their own accord, and they did il
right willingly. And TINS, imperceptibly
the very shoal and quicksand upon which sc
much Of domestic peace had been wrecked
became the ground upon which the hearts OF
husband and wife were united in a common
cause--a cause which had in view a safer