Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1872-11-12


and by the box / viii put them
cheap" So spoke Mr.. Skidd the
store-keeper.
George knew that his wife was
very fond of figs, and he liked them
himself. And he finally consented
that box should be sent to him.
On another day Mr.. Skidd said !:
"Ah, Brown, my dear fellow,
have you tried this golden syrup p
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 l send
you up a dozen of these Messina
oranges? A new cargo just in
You won't get them so cheap again.
Only thirty cents"
Only thirty cents And George
knew how fond Hattie was of or
anges. 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 stop
ped in and got Mr.. Slxidd's bill.
"You can take it and look it
over," said the trader, with a pat
rcnizing smile. "You will find, it
! all right" ~ sss ssz
George had intended to pay the
bill then and there but when he
saw the long columns of figures,
and glanced his eye at the sum to-
tai, his heart leaped up into his
mouth. He was astonisLed. He
had thought TO himself, as he had
come along, that Skidd's bill would
be about twelve or fifteen dollars
After paying everything else he
would have twenty dollars left,
which would satisfy his last de-
mand and leave something over
lie had just commenced housekeep-
, ing, and did not expect to save
, much at first.
.But=mefcy ? how his anticipa
tions were knocked in pieces as bt
: looked at this bin. He told Sl1idd
he guessed he would, look it over
and oA his way home he examined
it; but he could find nothing
wrong<nothing wrong in the item
but the sum total was a poser
twenty-six dollars and forty-tws
cents !
For a long time, after he reached
home he tried to convince Hattie
that nothing was the matter will
4 him; but at lasts'h pluclIcd VI
courage, and drew forth Skidd''
bill. He had expected that hii
wife would be paralyzed. But, OF
the contrary, she only smiled, ant
said it was all right.
"All right ?" echoed George.
"All right, so far as Mr.. Skidd il
concerned" said Hattie. "You re-
member what l told you once be
+ fore, and now let's sit down and ca
supper, and then we will look the
matter over,
And after supper they went a
Fthe work. Hattie took the bill
and piece of blank paper, and fol
lowed the items down with hei
pencil.
"First,' she said, "is box Of figs
at fifteen cents pound. 1t is very
cheap, no doubt; bat the eight
pounds came to dollar and twenty
cents. Had you been required tc
pay cash, You would not Nhavt
bought them. You would, at least
have asked Inc if | liked them, and
l should haye told you no. Next
we have a gallon of golden syrup
which we did not need, and fol
which you would not have pait
cash without consulting me-"
And so she went on, and in tho
end she had cut down the bill, by
| throwing out articles which they
had not absolutely needed, to less
than fifteen dollars.
A dollar here had not seemed
much to George ; and dollar ant
a half there; and then seyenty-fv'
cents and then only fifty cents
but there had been twenty visits t.
the store during the month, an,
the aggregate of the trivial SUM
was considerable.
George saw the whole thing, anC
/ he knew that his wife had beer
r right from the first. H