The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1878-11-13

t and defined. 1t was the day after l
v had given her the paper, when said
to Mrs. Bland, "Has your budget
failed to reach you? 1t is one of the
e annoyances OF an out-ot-the-way place.
Mails are dilatory or come in patches"
e "What do you know about my
mail ?" asked Mrs. Bland, the little
! wrinkles roughing her forehead.
r "Why, Mrs. Bland, replied, " if
you do not receive many letters, at
least you have a famous collection of
newspapers coming to you every day
at least dozen.
GLOW do you know that ?"
1.-THE only grocery man in the
little town, who sells me fsh-hooks,
is the postmaster. l 60 there early
in the morning, before the mail is
sent to the hotel. The grocer gen.
orally runs the whole mail before me
into bushel basket prior to handing
me my occasional correspondence.
1 see Mrs. Agnes Bland on ever so
many journals. Have l the honor of
addressing lady correspondents
literary woman ?"
"Nonsense What an idea NV
husband sends the papers to me. 1t
is delicate attention on his part.
Time passes away in reading them
during his absence" 81
"Then there is Mr.. Bland" I
said to myself.
II expect Mr.. Bland will be here
in few days. Hope you will like
him. He is great fisherman. Now
/ notice you carry fishing pole to
the water-side every morning. My
husband has sent his fishing tackle
down, so if you want hooks or lines
I can spare you some. You come
here every season, do you not -
ono; this is the first time id my
life. Good morning Mrs. Bland, and
thanks for your offer"
"Good morning, sir; but excuse
me moment. Would you kindly
look at this bill of mine the Office
clerk has sent me? l am an idiot
about accounts. Here are some
items which, no doubt are correct,
with express charges on some trunks
and things paid for at the Office, and
Then the hand. Writing is So DAD. (
Would you, now, Just make the ad-
dition for me? Oh, / Amt afraid of
your looking at the bill. There are
no cherry cobblers on the account,
and one does not trust muslin dresses
to seaside washerwomen." Mrs.
Bland had hanging from her neck a
delicate chain, and among numerous
rafting appendages there was
dainty, golden pencil With as
pretty dlmpled white hand as !
ever saw, she bent over and offered
the pencil. The calculation was so
simple that l ran it over in my mind
without the use Of the pencil, and
gave the total. 1t differed a few
cents, the advantage being in Mrs.
BANDS favor.
cit is trifle in error, Mrs. Bland,
but the people are honest. The bill
!, should be $28.67, instead of $2S.65."
} {" never could remember the fig
) ures: pray set them down. It will
J give Mr.. Bland so much pleasure to
: know that my bill is exactly right.
: He is such a strict man Of business"
: "Willingly," / replied, and wrote
| at the foot of the bill "$28.67, Kor-
rect"
, Thanks" said Mrs. Bland.
"What a wonderful head you have
} for figures" She scrutinized the
f bill closely. "And what queer way
r of making sevens !"
! ooh, in the bank | am in, do lit
e tie else than add up figures for hours
a on stretch. There is nothing queer
:, about my sevens. l always cross
: my sevens. Then they do not
e look like ones. In a great many
: banking houses in New York that is
S the rule. Scientific calculators always
f use the crossed seven"
4 "Ah, indeed If you want to see
e ludicrous 8 or 5, look at mine-such
wormy twisting things. Look" and
Mrs. Bland drew the numerals.
! "They are quite ludicrous, indeed"
[ said. "There make your 3 this
, way, and don't bring the tail of Your
/ g." and / made the figures.
' Thanks, for the lesson. I must
/. go now and pay the bill, s2S.67, you
= say? ?" " -''' AN.h--i fo
, ., xxv.,, a. r. -,