Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-12-29

money which you have on hand is not
yours"
Not mine 2" he exclaimed.
mo, 1t belongs 10 the storekeeper, and 10
the butchers, and 10 our landlord You know
they must be paid.
Don't you fret about them. know it
don't cost anywhere near twelve dollacs a
week to live for I have made an estimate.
There is wilkins, who works beside me at
the shop, he has four children, and only gets
the same wages | DO and yet he lays up two
or three dollars each week"
Yes" said Hannah, al know he does
| was in to see his wife the other day, and
she was telling me how they get along. Mr..
wilkins takes his basket twice week and
gets his meat and vegetables, and trades for
cash, and so gets everything TO the very best
advantage. So he does at the store. lie
lays in good quantity of these articles
which will keep, and buys butter, eggs,
apples and such things by the quantity when
the market is full, and they are cheap, and
he always buys enough to last his family
over the season Of scarcity, when such things
are high. His butter, for instance, he bought
for twenty-five cents per pound, frkin Of
it-and IL is much sweeter than that for
which you paid forty-eight cents yesterday
Forty-eight cents 90 repeated the young
man, in surprise.
" Yes. | asked Mr.. Waldron's man when
he brought IT up, and he said it had raised
| to forty-eight cents. Mr.. Wilkins got twenty
dozen OF eggs some time ago for twenty cents
dozen, and his wife packed them down, and
they keep well You viii have to pay Mr..
Waldron forty-fye cents for those he sent
up yesterday
| Charles Matthews was somewhat aston
ished at this view Of the case, but it could
not be helped now, and the subject was
I dropped. His gold chain had lost its charm.
| It did not look so well, even in his own eyes,
/ as the old black cord which he had worn
| before.
At length the end of the quarter came
around The first bill was tho rent which
amounted TO thirty-ene dollars. The next
was the butchers bill of thirty-six dollars.
| Charles was astonishcd to see how his meat
/ bill footed up But when he saw how many
steaks he had had at thirty cents pound,
the cause Of the wonder disappeared. Next
he paid the bakers bill, which was thirteen
dollars. When he came home in the even
ing he had paid all his bills except the gro
Gerry bill.
dMr. waldron sent his bill to-day" his
wife said, after supper.
" All, did he let me see it,"
Hannah brought it and Charles looked.
D
he came to look at the bottom Of the column
his face turned a shade pale 1t footed up
just sixty-fve dolars-an average Of five
dollars week.
" This is impossible l' he exclaimed, as he
galed upon it. Blu. he examined the differ
ent articles and he could remember when he
ordered them. Those things which cost him
only a dollar looked very innocent when
viewed alone, but in the aggregate they had
a very different look.
" How much shall we lay up this quarter,
Charles ?" kindly asked his wife, as she
came and leaned over his shoulder and
smoothed the hair from his brow.
" How much shall we lay up p he re-
peated " Not much. Get the slate and
let us reckon up" lie was resolved TO be
frank about the matter, aud let his wife
know all.
The slate was brought First, she put
down one hundred and ffty-six dollars as
the quarters salary. Then came the rent
aud the butcher and the baker.
Now YOU put down thirteen dollars for
; the chan-and twelve dollars for sundries-
that means cigars, concerts, and such things.
Now take all that from my quarters salary,
J and see how much remains"
She did so, and gave fifty-two dollars as
, the result.
, Fifty-two dollars !" uttered Charles, sit
! ting back in his chair, and we have not
6 bought one article OF clothing or OF furni-
i ture. Fifty-two dollars with which to pay
= sixty-fve. There are thirteen dollars short
L for this quarter, and meant to save at least
. thirty dollars"
5 Well, it's no use to mourn over it, said
b the wife, in cheerful tone, for she saw that
her husband felt badly. " Let us commence
| again. There is nothing like trying, you
know"
e For some moments Charles remained 81
S lent lie gazed first upon the bill he held
: in his hand then upon the floor. At last
g he spoke.
u Hannah see where the trouble is, and
q must freely admit that have been wrong
If had paid for everything as | bought 1t
= should have hit IL. You were right see
t it all now | have not estimated the value
:, of money as ought Let me once get W
l. again to where began, will do differently
d | must step down to the store this evening
% and pay the rest as soon as get it,
THAT matter is easily settled she re
At Piled, " for have money 10y me that had
If when | was married
10 lie protested most earnestly against tax
ing his wife's money but she insisted OF
I'd giving him the money. 1t was her Will, ant
ie he must submit So he went down anc
't paid the grocery, olli' and on ms way hon'
y be sold his gold cham ior thirteen dollars
lie felt happier now, and was ready 10 com
as mcnce the next quarter
d. On the next Monday morning the younl
III man went into the meat store TO SEND nom
iy piece OF beef for dinner
'e' How much VIII yon have asked Ia
butcher,
~ 30, three or iouI
iu Charles got so iar and then ne st1pPe'
~ lie had always been IN the habIt OF orderin
'li an indefinite quantity, and leaving the outehe
T- to cut il off at the highest hgure, and charg
the highest price; aud then he remembers
ON how much was usually wasted. =,
NJ. Let me have two pounds" he said. IL
at stopped and saw 1t weighed and then pal
We for it.
he When he went home at noon, he ioun
that his two pounds of beef was enough f'
le- good dinner. The next morning he WEI
by To the store. Mr.. Waldron had some ni'
'xt figs Just come in, which he showed. The
es. were only twenty-five cents pound For
he moment Charles hesitated, but as he remell
bered that he had got to pay for all he bougi
lee he concluded not to take them lie toun
that things We're not so enticing when 1t
SO qured cash to get them, as when paymel
,,n1I l,n pnet,,onel / IL maid for what