The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1874-07-11
from wilson's Rehecter.l
RKUHEN'6 PENNY pHILO009HY.

It Is YOU manage to feed and clothe
your family as you do, and put money
in the Penny Bank besides; while !,
who have as good wages as you, and
fewer children, can barely make the
ends meet?"
Reuben Tasker, to whom this ques-
ton was addressed, by one of his fell
low-workmen, on a Saturday evening,
as they were trudging home together
from their work,-Reuben looked rath.
er askance at his friend, and seemed to
hesitate before he answered. He only
said, II think l could tell thee, Jack,
only"
"Only what? Come, out with it!
Hast got bank, or a mine, or fort
une left thee? am dying to know"
"Well, l ,ciN tell thee, Jack-I will
let you into my secret"
"A secret? All! l thought so. Out
with it, then"
"And yet not much of secret, after
all. It only consists in this-in taking
care of the pennies"
"What! Is that all?"
SAY, and good ALI too. Not one
in fifty knows the secret. For instance,
Jack, you don't"
"Howl l? Let's see how you make
that OUT"
"Now you have asked my secret, I'll
tell You all about it. But you must not
be offended if l speak plain. First, l
pay nothing for my drink"
Nothing? Then you don't pay your
shot, but sponge on your neighbors.'
"Jack, did you ever find me sponging
on your
"No, can't say that you ever have.r
"Nor no one else. | drink water,
which costs me nothing. Drunken days
have all their to-morrows, as the old
proverb says. spare myself sore
heads and shaky hands, and save my
pennies. Drinking water neither makes
a man i'll nor in debt, nor his wife a
widow. And that. Jack. let me tell
You, makes difference between you
aud me of good half crown week,
or about seven pounds year That
seven pounds will clothe myself and
children, while you are out at elbows,
and your children go barefoot"
"Come, Reuben, that's going too far
/ don't drink at that rate. may take
an odd halfpint now and then; but
half crown week! Pooh! pooh."
well, Jack, how much did 20"
spend On drink las. Saturday nigh,y
Out withit."
"Let me see: / had halfpint with
Ransom; think had another half.pint
with Davis, who is just going to Aus
tralia; and then | went to the club"
"Well, how many glasses had you
there?"
"How can l tell? | forget. But it's
all stuff and nonsense, Reuben; can
assure you, you're quite wrong"
"Oh! you can't tell-you don't know
what you spent. l believe you BIT
that's the way your pennies go, Jack
my lad. As poor richard says, "a man,
if he knows not how to save what he
gets, will keep his nose all his life to
the grindstone."
"And that's all your sccret?'
"Yes; take care Of the penny-that's
all. Every penny helps its neighbor;
and many little makes nickel as
the Scotch say. Pennies are the seeds
of guineas. Because ] save, have,
when you want. It's very simple,
Jack, isn't it?"
"Simple-oh yes; but there's nothing
in it."
Eyes! there's this in it--that it has
made You ask the question, how man.
age to keep my family so comfortably,
and put money in the Penny Bank be-
sides, while you, with the same wages
can barely make the ends meet. Mon
ey makes the mare go, and money is
made by putting pennies together. Be-
sides, work so hard for mine,-and
20 do you, Jack,-that I can't find in
ny heart to waste a penny on drink,
when can put it beside few other
1ard-earned pennies in the Penny Bank.
It's something for sore foot or rainy
lay. There is that in it, Jack; and
here is comfort in the thought, that
whatever may happen to me, needn't
20 to the workhouse. The saving of
he penny makes me feel a free man.