Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1872-02-08

| What ahi toohlhS aiteT. on want
money now"
"Very true"
"Tben let us hang ont the red flag.
Halfway measures may only rnir
everything. know that mother viii
not let Annie leave homo, so it's nc
use to think of it. The red flag
Aaron-the red flag! Depend upor
it, that's the first right thing to be
done. Five or six hundred pounds ir
hand will make you feel like another
person--give you courage, confidence
ard energy"
"You may be right, Betsy but
can't bear the thought of running ou
that red flag, of which you talk SC
lightly"
"Shall I say coward !? Are you
afraid to do what common prudence
tells you is right?"
"1 nds afraid, Betsy but am no
longer faint.hearted. With sach a
brave little wife as you to stand by
my side, I need not tear the world"
In week from that day tho red
flag was hung out. When the auc,
tioneer made up his accounts, he had
in hand little over eight hundred
pounds, for which check was filed
out to tho order Of Aaron Little. II
came into his hands just ut the right
moment, and made him feel, TO use
his own words, cas- easy as an old
shoe" One week later, Betsy Little
took the place of Mr.. Hobson, ss chief
manager and cash receiver in her hus.
bands warehouse. There was some
few signs Of rebellion among the clerks
and shop girls at the beginning; but
Mrs. Betsy had quick, steady eye,
and se!freliant manner, that caused
her presence to be felt, and soon
made everything subscrviept to her
will. 1t was remarkable fact, that
at the close Of the first week of her
administrator of affairs, the cash re.
ceipts were over thirty pounds in ex-
cess of the receipts of any week with.
in the previous three months.
"Have we done more business than
usual this week ?" she asked of one
clerk and another, and the uniform
answer was No"
Then," said the lady to herself,
there's been foul play here. No
wonder my husband was in trouble" "
At the end Of the next week the
sales came up to the average, and al
the end of the third week were forty
pounds better than before Mrs. Little
undertook to manage the retail de,
partment. Whether there had been
foul play" or not, Aaron Little
could never fully determine but he
was in no doubt as to ono 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 of bis
time, during business hours, engaged
in the work Of money raising; now
hi. regualar receipts bad got in ad.
vance of his payments, 50 that his
balance ON the morning Of each day
was usually in excess of the notes to
be lifted. Ofcourse business increas.
ed and grew more profitable under
the improved system. BY the end Of
the year, to use his own words, he
was :" all right" Not SO ncighbor
Of his who to get more capital, had
taken Mr.. Lawrence as a partner. In.
stead Of bringing ten thousand
pounds, that Capitalist was only
ablo TO put down three thousand /;
and before the end of the year he had
drawn out six or seaven thousand,
and had given notes Of the firm for as
much more in payment Of old obliga-
tions. A failure ofthe house followed
as an inevitable result.
When the fact Of the failure, and
the cause which led to it, because
known to Mr.. Little, he remarked
with shrug
"I'm sorry for b. but he should
have told his wife,
"Of what!'' asked the person to
whom he addressed the remark.
"Of his want Of more capital' and
Intention to make partner Of Law.
renee"
"What good would that have
done ?"
"It might have saved him from
ruin, as it did me-"
"You are mysterious, Little"
"Am /? Well' in plain words, a
year ago was hard up for money in
my business and thought Of taken in
Lawrence. ] told my wife about it.
She said, Don't do it, And didn't ;
for her Don't do il was followed by
suggestions as to his wife's extraya.
gance that opened my eyes little.
/ told her, at the same time, Of my
embarrassments, and she set hen
bright little head to work and show.
ed me the way to work out of them
Before this ! had always had poor
opinion of woman's wit in matters 0,
business but now l say TO every
man in trotble--' tell your wife ~
English Magaztne.