The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-01-03
January Bills.

Mr. Archibald Lane. His business steadily
increased from the first Of January, and his
profits were as fair as they had ever been.
Heretofore his expenses had Fept SO ciosey
side by side with his income. as to leave his
mind oppressed With care, and in some doubt
as t. future success but during IS all had
been so brisk in matters OF trade, and so
easy in matters of money, that his mind was
uniformly cheerful, and sometimes elatei.
He felt that at last he was entering the Way
to prosperity, a way he bad long been seeking
earnestly to find.
As the year drew towards its close, Mr..
Lane experienced feeling of satisfaction
unnsual at such times. A doubt as to which
would ovefbllanc, tine other, his expenses or
his profits, had usually made the last week
of the year one of great sobllety to Mr.. Lane.
This year it was different. As the year
waueG he had none of the old fe. lings. for
he was well satisfied that he would have sew
eral hundred dollars on the profit side OF the
account. above and beyond all expenses,
something that had not occurred in former
times
eff have made both ends meet will be
satisfied was his usual mental declaration,
when be proceeded to make up his accounts
for the year. IL was different now.
III don't have five or SIX hundred dol
lars over, shall be much mistaken" This
was the pleasant remark of Mr.. Lane to him
self, as he began tie work of ascertaining the
result OF his years business
ALI came out pretty much as he had ex-
pected. There was . balance in his favor of
about six hundred dollars, after a liberal
margin had been allowed for certain had and
doubtful accounts.
Things begin to look little brighter "
said M. Lane, as he sat alone with his wife
on New Years eve. The younger children
were in bed, and the two oldest, Kate and
Emily. were out spending the evening, with
..,.1 NJ - -. -
from his mouth, and letting the smoke curl
lazy about bis bead, which was reclining on
the back OF a cushioned rocking-chair.
I'm glad TO hear you say So" replied
Mrs. Lane. And she spoke from her heart.
New Year eve had not always been cheer
full time.
81 We been looking over my affairs to-day"
continued the husband, ''and find myself
better off than ! was at this time last year by
at least six hundred dollars"
THAT is encouraging
II reel it so. trust things are to be easier
In future, and That we will get little before
hand in the world 1t is time; for will
soon be well along in years, and less able to
give active attention to business
Il am pleased on more than one account"
said Mrs Lane, ITO hear that YOU have done
so well this year. have been good deal
worried today about bill that 1 had no idea
would be hall as large as it is. 1t was sent
in this morning"
''Whose bill is that? % asked Mr.. Lane
with an apparent change of feeling.
"Mr. Melcer's bill fo- dry goods"
Il didnt know there was bill there"
~ yes. Don't you remember that you
told me TO get whatever the family wanted
from him ?''
81 didn't mean to run up BILL"
st was so understood by me. But that
makes little difference. Ii the money had
ben paid down the cash would not be on
hand now
Elbow much is the bill?'
II am most afraid to say.
Show much ?''
''Oue hundred and thirty dollars.''
"Wny, Anna! Bless my heart! How in
thA world could you run up bill like that?'
81 have bought very little tor myself re-
piled the rebuked wife in a subdued and
choking voice. 'Nearly all has been used Tor
you and the children"
"a hundred and thirty dollars oh dear!
dear! dear! calculated Mr.. Lane, throwing
his cigar into the grate, and beginning to
rock himself violently. $50 much of my six
hundred dollars profit scattered to the winds !!
wonder hoy many more bills you will have
coming I'M
This was downright cruel; and so Mrs. Lane
felt it. Sne did not, however, punish him for
the ungenerous remark with tears.tor she was
not a woman disposed on all occasions to give
way to this weakness. Her reply was:-
None that the wants OF the family have
not required to be madev'
but wish you to pay cash, Anna. You
knew that last January, when we were al
most smothured with bills from all quarters,
we made resolution to pay cash tor every
thing during the coming year; and thought
this had beeu done"
81 know very well that such a thing was
talk about" replied Mrs Lane, land, be-
lleve. acted upon for time. And I also
kno. that You yourself told me to open an
account at MERGERS, in he spring, when l
asked you fol- money to purchase summer
clothing for the tamilv.'
81 didn't mean it to go beyond that said
Mr.. Lane, 'dityng his tone. But what
other bills are there?"
''Tnere is bill at Cheeseman's for grocer
ier.'
That can't be much, for have bought ev-
erything i'm quantities
mo, don't suppose it will amonnt to any,
thing of consequence"
ANY other bills?'
No, none except the bread bill,''
II thought you paid casa for hread.''
I've never did that, Mr.. Lane. Tne baker
serves us daily, marking on his taliy-stck the
number OF loayes; and once in three or six
mouths sends in the bill, when, when it is
paid.'
How long has his bill been running?'
'Six months, believe.'
"And will be forty or fifty dollars"
mot halt of it," replied Mrs. Lane.
swell, what else is THEREOF
Nothing more, betieve.'
Il hope not. Hear are about two hum
dred dollars cut off at blow from
the supposed profits of the year. Confound
these bills! wish there was no such Thing
as credit
Mr.. Lane was, as matter of course, un-
happy from that moment. Had these bills
not existed, and the surplus of the year
shown the pleasan aggregate of four hun
dred dollars, he would have been quite as
happy as when he figured it up at six hun
dred. Blu; in Imagination. he had been bet-
ter off by two hundred dollars than the truth
now discovered HIM to be, and the loss was
felt as real. The remainder of the evening
passed gioomly enough. When Mr.. Lane
retired to bed he could not Sleep for thinking
OF the dry goods, grocery and bread bills.
While he thus lay awake, memory assisted
him to the knowledge of two or three other
little matters of the same kind There was
al unsettled iailcrs bill that might take twen
ty or thirty dollars to balance; and the boot
maker had something against him. Ten
bushels OF potatoes aud three barrels of ap-
pies that he had ordered sent home in Octo-
Der, were yet to be paid for. At least fifty
dollars more OF this years Profits vanished
all night of bills that came almost ia show
er around nim. On New Year II orning be
sat silent and moody at the breakfast tahe,
eating but little and looking no one in the
face. All were oppressed By his state of
mind, though none but his wife knew its ma
ture and the cause by which it was produced.
1t was ear when Mr. Lane went to his
place of business. on the morning of the first
OF January; not so early, however, but that
one or Two persons had preceded him and left
behind them visible tokens of the fact. On
his desk were couple of sealed notes. He
opened them With a vague pre7entment of
something dsagreeabe, aud he was not dis
ap 1oin.ed. The first contained a narrow slim
OF paper, with rinted head, and certain
written characters and figures below. which
plainly enough expressed the fact that he was
indebted to certain dealer 10 groceries In
the sum of seventy six dollars.
80 dearl' was the mental exclamation of
pain that followed the perusal of this bill.
That little piece of paper three or four