The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1875-12-30


the neighbor.
six hundred dollars" replied Ellis.
sCan you afford to pay SO much 2"
"No.
'sThep, why do you par iii
Because i can't get house to suit
me for any less.
ssSuit you I" exclaimed the neighbor,
shaking his head. ssAh, my good friend!
I see where the tronble lies. It is what
| suits what is desired and not what can
be afforded that governs you in expendi-
ture. No man who lives by this rule can
hope for anything but the worry and hui
initiation of debt.
(which have to my heart rs content,"
said Ellis, bitterly. "And struggle as
] will, / cannot fres myself from IFS
coils" <f
"Don't say that. You may if you
will"
eff you will show me the way out of
! this dreadful state Of affairs, I will hold
you as my truest friend"
The neighbor was silent for some mo-
ments.
care you really in earnest r. he asked
at length.
"Never more so, in my life, replied
Ellis.
twill you lay before me full state
ment of your affairs r.
eyes"
Sand then follow strictly the line OF
action [ demonstrate to your reason as
the only one that will lead you out of this
labyrinth of trouble in which you are in
volved2" a
g. will.
"Gome to my house, this evening""
said the neighbor. sBring with you
statement, as near as you can make it out,
of all you owe, and the longest time you
can get for its full payment. We will
then look the matter squarely In the face,
and see what can be DONE"
The list of unsettled accounts brought
in by Mr.. Ellis was long and discour-
aging one, amounting In all to over
fifteen hundred dollars. ast
g ] am ashamed to make this exhibit
tion," he said, in q choking voice, and
with look of humiliation
The neighbor went over the list in
quiet, business way, ticking off various
items with his pencil. He then made
| list of these items, and, footing up the
amount, said: 'These are all things that
might have been done without, and you
see they have cost you over three hun
dred dollars"
| eyes, I see," answered Ellis, in
subdued voice. aas 79
Sand think it may be safely assum-
ed,'' said the neighbor, taking your
way of doing things, that you have let
as much more run through your fingers
in expenditures of various kinds not alb
solutely demanded for health or comfort
in your family. .
| Mr.. Ellis assented.
"Here, then, are between six and seven
hundred dollars in a single year nearly
half the amount of ell you owe. The
wonder is, if you have been going on in
thisloose way for ten years, that you are
not three times as much in debt as you
are. The remedy is plain. Don't you
see it,"
eff were even with the world, l see
how might not only keep out of debt,
but save something every year. But
what am I to do with this debt 2" asked
Ellis, gloomily.
"To keep on in the way you have been
going will not help to pay it off. p
"No; that is clear enough"
"You have been going in the wrong
way, Mr.. Ellis" continued the neighbor.
"If you keep on In that way, trouble,
worry. humiliation and final disaster are
sure to come. You must stop, turn
around, and go the other way. Every
step you take in this new way will lead
you toward pecuniary ease and comfort
of mind. Tt will be better with you in
three months from to-day, if you have
cut down your ordinary expenditures
which may be done-two hundred and
fifty dollars, than If you had not cut
them down at all. You will not only
have ightened the burden of debt just
SO much, but have laid the foundation
of new order of things that will lead
you to pleasant and prosperous flu
tulre.
Mr.. Ellis sat in silent thought for
long time. Then, looking up, he said,
with deep sigh: 81 shall not have a
dollar of ready money to begin with.
Everything can raise will have to be
exhausted on these bills, or i shall be
tornented out of my life. must pay
little here and little there put this
one off with promise, and that one
with frowning denial. Oh, dear, what
miserable life it is And I must still
keep the grocer's pass-book going, or
starve."
"Cash down! Unjust be cash down I"
exclaimed the neighbour. "There is no
other hope for you! |"
But where is the cash to come
from2"
Reserve enough from the payment
of bills to keep your table and pay your
servants wages. Take your wife fully
into your confidence. Lay your affairs
all open before her. Put the money
needed for expenses into her hands, and
ask her to make it go as far as possible.
Spend nothing yourself. In fact, don't
carry money about you. tits tempta-
ton.