The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-08-31
The Hole in The Pocket.

NN-NNNNNI tAHNAnNA . buh w HG
was q good mechanic, he could gener.
ally find employment in his native vii.
lage, and she being an industrious little
woman, besides doing her housework,
earned considerable In the course Of a
year, by doing plain sewing. But still
they did not seem 10 prosper as did
Ned Bowen and his wife, who com.
menced housekeeping near them, about
tho Same time, under similar circum-
stances, The reason why, and the way
he made the discovery, We will let him
tell in his own words
My wife said to me one evening,
"Mr. Slack, l wish to get some thread
and needles. at Tho store, and I want a
little change"
l felt in my pocket, examined my
wallet thoroughly but could find moth.
ing that would pass for currency at the
store, and reported the unpleasant fact
to her.
"Why," said she, "what has become
Of the half.dollar l gave you this morn.
ingi (She had always made me-
cashier Of the Arn.)
After another unsuccessful attempt to
find it, / said:
Mrs. Slack, think there must be a
hole in one OF my pants, for certainly l
hayo not got II, and do not think Of
anything / have paid It ont for"
~ will look at your pockets this
evening"" said ihe, mildly, "and will
mend them II thiy need it."
II was not long after this CONVERSE
ton that ! remembered having treated
myself md three friends 10 ice cream,
but concluded tokeep tue discovery to
myself.
"I couldn't ind any hole in your
pocket last night" said my wife, the
next morning, in gentle tone, and with
look that my feelings prevented me
from scanning closely; and all the reply
felt willing to make was, "Ah, couldn't
your"
A few days afterwards she called on
me for twenty-five cents she had lately
deposited in my sub.treasury for safe
keeping.
"ReSlly, Mrs, Slack, "said I, thinking
It best 70 show bold front, "there
must be come conner or seam in my
pocket that is open !" though really l
could not find one, any more than /
could the missing quarter.
"If there is, Ms singular that I did
not find 1t the other evening"" said she,
in her usual quisk way, "but l will be
sure TO find Il this evening il there Is
any"
On the way to my work after dinner,
while passing cigar store, the fate OF
my wife's quarter came distinctly TO
my mind. Il had vanished in smoke;
I. O., it had paid for FIVE finely favored
cigars, which some OF my village
friends had helped me to dispose Of,
while discuSsins politics there the
previous evening,
Mrs. Slack hadnever told me whether
she found any hole in my pocket or
not; and I did not feel disposed TO
push the investigation on the subject
any further at the time.
Although was seldom entirely out
Of change, still Il was frequently IN.
pleasantly scarce In fact, l spent
more than l vas aware Of, in small
items, from day TO day, and the result
was, that I did without things at home
which my wages would have enabled
me TO buy, and Left some for charitable
purposes.
One day I was presented with q sub.
scription paper, Tor the benefit OF IN
orphan asylum, which l reluctantly
handed back without signing, with the
remark, that I really could not afford
IT.
Ny wife smiled adly, as she said to
me, in an undertoHe:
Ned Bowen subscribed FIVE dol.
lars"
81 don't see hoV lie can afford it," l
replied, "as lie does not get any better
wages, or work moo hours, than I do"
A few days afterthe foregoing event,
on IN invitation from Ned Bowen and
his wife, We spent an evening at their
house, which We found much better
furnished than our own, though there
was no apparent attempt TO make any
needless display oil furniture.
The evening passed pleasantly away,
but l eould not avoid some unpleasant |
feelings whenever 1 conbasted their
home with the appearance Of our own.
u WONDER" said / to my wife, on
our way home, III Bowen doesn't go
in debt for some Of their furniture"
"He does not, she replied, "for his
wife told me they did not owe o dollar
in the world"
But how can they live as they arc
doing on his vagts, II he gives FIVE
dollars at q time for charitable pur-
poses"
~ think I can tell you" said my
wife, in hesitating manner.
well, do, II you please" replied,
not little curious to know what her
ideas on the subject were.
"Well, she continued, "in the first
place, she never buys for herself any
unnecessary 6neg, and takes good care
that nothing is lost or destroyed that
comes into the house"
"But," said !, iHterrupting her, az
doubt amazingly whether she is more
careful In that respect than my own
model wife,"
"In the second place." said she,
che is as careful in these respects as
she is. He buys 10 ice.cream, cigars,
etc, neither for himself nor any OF his
pretended friends. In short, my dear
Mr.. Slack, he las no hole in his
packet"
It was the FIRST word Of suspicion my
wife ever uttered on the subject, and
that fact, together with the conviction
that she clearly saw, and so unexpect-
eddy, but in SO kind n manner, told me
the real cause OF tho difference between
our home and thai of Ned Bowen and