Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-03-15
JUST CHARGE IT.

JUST CHARGE IT.
Charles, what did this peach pre-
serve costs?
ct am sure | don't know, Hannah"
But you bought it this morning
ct know I did, but [ didn't ask the
price of it,
Didn't you pay for it ?"
"No."
& Why not?"
ooh, because | couldn't make
change. I have opened an account with
Mr.. Waldron and shall hereafter settle
one e in three months"
The conversation was carried on at
the tea table between Charles Matthews
and his wife. Matthews was young
mechanic who had just commenced
housekeeping, and as he was making
excellent wages he could afford live
pretty WELL After he had made known
his determined agreement to his wife
she remained some time in silent
thought.
"Charles," she at length said, in a
mild, persuasive tone, 81 think it would
be better to pay for things as you take
them. You know you get your pay for
work every Saturday night, and you
could pay as you 60 very easily"
81 know I could" replied Mr.. Mat
thews, with an air of a man who had
unanswerable arguments at his COM
mand; "but then it would not be near
SO handy. You see, shall save all the
trouble of making change, and shall
not only save time, but also avoid MAX
ing mistakes"
Mistakes?' repeated Hannah.
!" How can mistaks occur when you pay
for things as you get them?"
will tell you. Sometimes it may
mot be convenient to pay for a thing
when I get it may forget my money,
or may only take it on triaIthen if
I pay for a part and not for all, some
things may get charged which Ipay for.
No, Hannah, settlement once quar-
ter will be the best and most conven-
lent all round, 1 am satisfied of it."
"Wel, perhaps it may" said the
wife, with an earnest tone and look, and
yet with smile, "but 1 cannot think
as you do
& But why not?"
"Why, on all accounts. In the first
place you will buy more than if you
paid cash. Now you needn't shake
your head, for l know it. There are
many little luxuries, little extras, which
we do not need but which you will be
apt to buy if you do not have to pay
the money down. I know something
of this credit system, and know that
it is not fair or good thing In the
second place, if you pay cash for every
thing you will get your goods cheaper
A trader will sell cheaper when he has
the money in his hand than when he
has to carry out the amount on his
ledger
But let me tell you, Hannah, that
Mr.. Waldron will not cheat. He is not
the man to take advantage in that
way"
"You misunderstood me, Charles;
do you not know that all traders can
af ord to sell cheaper when they have
the money in Their hands and do not
have to carry the amount to their
ledgers. They could afford to do so.
Traders like to secure cash customers.
| think you will find it for your advan-
tage to try the cash system. Now I do
not believe you would have bought this
peach preserve if you had to pay cash
for it,"
"But bought that to please you,
and [ thought you would be pleased"
"I know you did," she replied, as
she placed her hand affectionately
upon his shoulder. & know you would
do anything to please me; but for the
sake of helping you, I would forego all
such things. Then after a few years
of our own"
For several days Charles only sent up
from the store what they really need
ed. At length, as he went to the store
one morning he saw some splendid
pickles in fancy jars. He had ordered
the articles he needed, and was about
to leave when Mr.. Waldron spoke:
Mr. Matthews" said he, "don't you
want a jar of pickles? I carrid my
wife in a jar last evening, and she
thinks them superior to any she ever
saw.
Now Charles knew that his wife had
plenty of plain picked cucumbers,
some that her mother had put down for
her, but Mr.. Waldron's wife had some
Of these fancy ones, and why shouldn't
Hannah?
And so he ordered the jar, and as it
was inconvenient to pay for it, ordered
it charged.
Mr.. Matthews, anything you may
want you can order at any time, and
you may rest assured we shall be very
happy to accommodate you"
Now this was fattering to young
Matthews feelings, to think that the
trader had such confidence in him, and
he went away with an exceedingly good
opinion of himself and credit, and of
the storekeeper in particular.
Only one dollar! Yes-only one
dollar on the traders ledger-that's of
20 account But dollar right out of
ones pocke.-that was different.
Charles would not have bought them
had he been obliged to pay the cash at
the time.
"Ah, Matthews, look here. [ have
something nice to show YOU" This
was said by the trader to the young
man the very next morning after the
y,,,rchaSo of the Mobiles Al ca NJ