Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1877-05-29
A Story for Housekeepers.

That soothes life's toughest blast!
A Story for Housekeepers.
serve cost?''
II don't know, Hannah"
"But you bought it this morning"
II know did, but I didn't ask the
price of it.''
Didn't you pay for it?"
"Why not?"
"Oh, because couldn't make change.
I have opened an account with Mr.. Wal
dron, and shall hereafter settle every
three months"
This conversation was carried on at
the tea table between Charles Mathews
and his wife. Mathews was a young
mechanic who had just commenced
housekeeping, and as he was making
excellent wages he could afford to live
pretty well. After he had made known
his determined arrangement to his wife
she remained for some time in silent
thought.
"Charley," she at length said, in a
mild, persuasive tone, II think it would
be better to pay for things when you
buy them. You get your wages every
Saturday night, and you could pay as
you go very easily"
II know could" replied Mr.. Math-
ews, with the air Of enc who had unan-
swerable arguments at command; shut
then it would not be so handy. You
see I shall save all the trouble of making
change, and shall not only save time,
but also avoid making mistakes."
Mistakes =, echoed Hannah, "How
can mistakes occur when you pay for
things as you get them?"
II will tell you. Sometimes it may
be inconvenient to pay for thing when
I get it. I may forget my money, or
may take iton trial-then if I pay for a
part, and not for all, some things may
get charged that 1 have paid for. No
Hannah, a settlement at the end of each
quarter will be most convenient all
around; am satisfied of that"
"Well, perhaps it may be as you say,'
replied the wife, with an earnest tone
and look, "and yet" with smile, 81
cannot see as you do"
"Why not?"
''On all accounts. In the first place
you will buy more than if you paid cash
liz
head, for I knew it. There are many
little luxuries, little extra trifles, thai
we do not need, but which you will b.
apt to buy if you do not pay the money
down. know something of this credi
thing. In the second place, if you pa,
goods cheaper. A trader will sell cheap
er when he can have the money in hi
hand than when he has to carry tn
amount on his ledger"
"But let me tell you, Hannah, MI
Waldron will not cheat. He is not tn
man to take advantage of good Gus
toner in that way"
"You misunderstood nae, Charles
don't you know that all traders can at
ford to sell cheaper when they get thei
nav in hand and do not have to carr,
the amount to their ledgers? They cal
afford to do so. Traders like to secur
cash customers. think you would fin,
it to your advantage to try the cash sys
tenn. Now, do net believe you woul
have bought this peach preserve if yo,
had to take the money out of your peck
ct to pay for it,"
"But l bought it to please you, and
thought you would be pleased"
II know you did," she replied, as sh
placed her hand affectionately on hi
shoulder. IT know you would do any
thing to please me, but for the SAX 9
helping you would forego all sucl
things. Then, after a few years, W
might own little cottage of our own
For several days Charles only sent u
from the store what was really needed
At length, as he went to the store on
morning on his way to work, he say
some splendid pickles in fancy Jars
He had ordered the articles he needed
and was leaving, when Mr.. Waldorf
spoke:
"Mr. Mathews, don't you want jar o
pickles? I carried my wife a jar las
evening, and she thinks them superio
to any she ever saw"
Now Charles knew that his wife ha,
plenty of plain picked cucumbers, som
that her mother had put down for hel
but Mr.. Waldron's wife had some q
these fancy ones, and why shouldn't
Hannah have a jar of them too?
And then he ordered jar of them
and as it was inconvenient to pay fo
them, ordered it charged.
"Mr. Mathews, you may rest assure
we shall be very happy to accommodate
yeu in anything"
Now it was flattering to young Math
ews's feeling to think that the trade
had such confidence in him and he lei
with exceedingly good opinion of him
self and his credit, and especially of til
trader.
Only dollar! Yes-only dollar O.
the traders ledger-that's of no accoun,
But dollar out of ones pocket-ths
was different. Charles would not hav
bought them had he been obliged to pa
the cash at the time.
"Ah, Mathews, look here, I hav
something to show you"
This was said by the trader the YER
next morning after the purchase of tn
pickles, and so Mr.. Waldron led on
hero to the back store and opened DO,
of oranges.
"There, Mathews amt they nice ?n
"They are NICE" replied Charles an,
SO they were.
II knowyour wife would like some @
them; I carried some home to my wife
and she wanted me to save her three O
four dozen of them at least"
Chow much do they cOst? ?"
"Let me see-I can send you up thre
dozen for a dollar. I got these orange
very cheap. Ou KNOW tnGy are retail
ing at five cents piece"
ayes. Well, you may send me thre
dozen, and please charge them"
II will, certainly. Anything else thi
morning."
IT belive not"
And SO Mathews went on. Thi
morning it would be dollar-to-mor
row perhaps five cents. It didn't seen
much. The young man kept just a
much money in his pocket as though b
hadn't bought them.
"Only dollar" he would say to him
self, "that isn't much out of the twelv
dollars week."
And it might not be, but the troubl
was the next dollar was called one dol
lar, and he would forget to add it to tn
former dollar and call it two dollars
with the next dollar and call it thre
dollars.
One evening Charles came home will
a new gold watch-chain.
where did you get that ?" inquired
Mrs. Mathews.
"Ah," replied the husband, with al
impressive shake of the head, II made
bargain on this chain. Now guess how
much I paid for it.'
HT'm SIRE noI1ld not rroec :,