, 1872-05-09

AS' HS"" PkAoNAAS1y -
George saw the motion aud went on
You know I am paid monthly. and
1 thought that it wouN be- just as vel
to keep u monthly account at the store.
And Mr.. Skdd himself preferred that
plan."
II can zee very readily why Mr..
Skidd should prefer it, said the wife,
with significant smile. "In the first
place he knows yon are an industrious,
steady and honorable man, and what
ever you owe you viii surely pay. He
knows that"
| George was fattered, but he felt that
his wife had spoken no more than the
truth.
"And, pursued Hattie, eHe knows
one thing more he knows that you will
buy more on credit than you will for
cash."
George made a deprecatory motion,
but his wife continued
Mr.. Skidd knows. lie is old in the
business. Over his good customers
who open monthly accounts upon his
ledger be has decided advantages. He
can persuade them to buy what they
would not bny if they bad to pay cash
down; and. where they are to have
credit where the trader is to have the
extra labor and expense of entering and
posting each seperate article, and, in the
end, Of making full bill of items-the
buyer cannot wi b good conscience de-
mand reduction from asked prices"
George smiled and said he thought
his wife was mistaken. He was sure be
was doing well. 1t would be ineonven-
lent to pay for every article as he order
ed 1t. And, furthermore. it would Le
more convenient to settle his store bills
when his employers settled with him.
! Hattie did not press the matter. Size
had brought :he subject upon the tapis,
and she was willing to await the devel-
pment of events.
"By-thA-way, Mr.. Brown, do you not
want box Of these figs? They are
fresh, III warrant them, and by the box
I'll put them up cheap" So spoke Mr..
Skidd, the store keeper.
George knew that his wife was very
fond of figs and he loved them himself.
And he finally consented that a box
should be sent to him.
On another day Mr.. Skidd said
"Ah, Brown. my dear fellow, have
you tried this golden syrup ?''
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 1 send
you up a dozen of these Messina or
anges ?. A new cargo just in. You
won't get them SO cheap again. Only
tnIrty cents.
Only thirty cents ! And George knew
bow 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 stepped in and got Mr..
Skidd's bill.
You can take it and look it over"
said the trader with patronizing smile.
"You will find it oil 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 leaped up
into his mouth. He was astounded.-
He had thought to himself, as be had
come along, that Skidd's bill would be
about twelve or fifteen dollars. After
paving everything else he would have
twenty dollars left, which would satisfy
this last demand and leave something
over. He had just commenced house
keeping, and did not expect to save
much at first
But-mercy how his anticipations
were kn ocked in pieces as he looked at
this bill. He told Skidd he guessed he
would look 1t over, and on his way
homeward examined it; but he could
find nothing wrong nothing wrong in
]the items-but the sum total was poser
twenty-six dollars and forty-two cents!
For long time after lie had reached
home he tried to convince Hattie that
nothing was the matter with him; but
at length he plucked up courage and
drew forth Skidd's bill. He had expect
ed that his wife would be paralyzed. =
But, on the contrary, she only smiled
and said it was all right.
"All right ?" echoed George.
"All right, so far as Mr.. Skidd is con-
cerned," sa Hattie. You remember
what I told you once before; and now
let's sit down and eat supper. and then
we will look the matter over
And after supper they went at the
work. Hattie took the bill and piece
of blank paper, and followed the items
down with her pencil.
First" she said, is box of figs,
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