Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-12-02
expenditure.would not seriously embarrass

able. Besides, it looked a. though hcr
husband was prospering in his business.
1t was so very nice that the young wife
could not bear the idea of having the par
lor shut up, so that no one could see il till
the furniture had grown rusty, consequont.
ly she made up her mind that they must
have a party. re..,sl .fr
Their friends had parties; why shouldn't
they 1t looked stingy not to have one.
Mrs. Weston was an elegant debater. and
she gained the day In this matter. IL IL
true the party was not q very extravagant
affair; but it cost Joe $50. ,.t, Il -.
In the meantime Benjamin had paid quite
as much for advertising as his friend had
Tor new furniture and the party. Joseph
laughed at him. and finally came 10 be-
lleve that he was insane. and would GER
tainly come to ruin another year.
Mrs. Ben Weston, too, felt decidedly
unpleasant about the improvements which
had been going on in her sisters house.
why can't we have rosewood table
and set of stuffed chairs, Benjamin ?'
asked she, pouting her pretty lips into
very unamiable position. 9'811iaA s'ii
"Simply, my dear. because can not
afford it," replied the philosophical ner-
chant.
"How can Joe afford it ?"
81 presume he knows his own business
best" fila ini le nI8{sFs
He has put over hundred dollars Into
his house,
Ben whistled "Tother of Jordan, /" and
made no reply. II n7fS saF
"Do, Ben, buy some new chairs.n slal
Cant afford it, str II mod sy-t-
Yes, you can" .e...,,- ....
"No, can't"
You can afford 1t as well as Joe. 9n'
perhaps l can.' ia 'w spasi
''Do buy some." '.nax y..p
Il should be very glad to crafty Won,
but can not take the money from my
business. A year hence, il business pros
pers with me, you shall have them. -'sisi
"A year hence, "pouted the wife. sv
II must spend hundred dollars in sd-
vortlsing the next quarter"
How foolish! 7" '' lA8''7ts ~ q
done." i'.-'' - --'--'','''
That's the way you throw your money
away. You don't catch Joe to do such Q
thing as that" 'fr7sTT-
"Irue; but though he has the advau-
tage OF having corner store. Il paid
three hundred dollars more on me mort
gage note than he did,"
Then you can afford the table and
chairs" iE- - -aI
May. my dear, will not spend a dol
lar for super fluities while am in debs.n,
Mrs. Ben Watson felt very badly about
1t, her husband was firm, and she was
forced to content herself with plain furni-
ture. lilo ~. -~1-i
Mrs. Joe Weston enjoyed her nice par-
lor TILL the novelty wore away, and ihen
she discovered that there were I great
many other articles wanted to make things
look uniform. The two windows must
have drapery curtains. q pier glass was
needed. and some pictures were, wanted
to relieve the walls. Her husband, who
had once exceeded the limits OF his means.
found no great difficulty In doing 90 again,
and the things were boughts roSs5a
But Joe had some scruples about it,,
His notes began to be troublesome, and
every day he was in the street Borrowing
money. His business, too, had not meet
his expectations. aoEa sd .aQe
Instead of increasing in the ratio Of the
first years experience, it hardly held lis
own. and the poor fellow began to have
serious misgivings about the futurs. MS
Before the year had half expired, he
was obliged to introduce rigid systsm of
retrenchment into his family and business
affairs, in order to keep his expenses with
in his means. 4t9g g9rf
CHAPTER III. .oriroe At
Another year had passed away in ythe
business experience of the Young mar
chants. The books had been balanced,
and the results stood in black and White
before them. WV ksNA fFu4
Ben had followed up his system of ad-
vertising through the year. He had ex-
pended large sums, but made the outlay
with judgment and discretion. a.
The result exceeded his most san0uine
expectations. His store was continually
crowded with customers; with genuine
bona tide customers. and with hut : small
proportion OF gadders and fancy shoppers.
The newspapers had borne 10 the best
families In the city and country fun de-
scriptiOns oi his stock. His name vssas
familiar as household words in the
dwellings Of the rich and poor, of the
farmer. the mechanic and the laborer.
Truly. the harvest was abundant, and
Ben rubbed his hands with delight a. he
cast his eye over the figures which en-
veyed to him the pleasing results Of his
years operations. He had the means not
only of clearing himself of debt, but also
OF gratifying his wife by giving her ali
the new furniture she required, beside' a
handsome surplus with which tosiporssse
his business.
The new furniture was bought And act
up; every debt was discharged. and the
importers and jobbers were eager 10 rive
him unlimited credit. -, "a, a. -,
One day while he was ruminatin9 on
this pleasant state Of things, Jos weston
entered the store. For some rloaths past
the intercourse between the yoang nasr-
chants had not been ss cordial % iornsr-
ly. Joe's nice things had rather set him
up; some Of the upper ten had condc-
scended to visit him; and he attended the
"Almack' parties with his wife, 1ago
He was getting ahead as fast ip hinovn
estimation. and cherished q supreme con-
tempt for the slow motion OF his friend.
But. when, in the middle ofstie ye51e "a
found himself running doa& hin, su1,iIe-
covered that Bsn,sr sspes 80 eqovdpd
with shoppers. while his own Was smnty.