The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1879-02-06
JAsuARr H,LLs


slssdily increased from The hrps u Janu
afy, tnd bio proas were ~ fair as tbel
had ever bseu. Heretofore, hls aEpesse'
h.a kept 30 closely side by iids win hiI
T. Income, ~ 10 leave bic mind oppressed
wiih care, aud 10 sOms d0abt - 70 fatnr'
success bot daflnE IS-, All bad been &C
bfi,k IN matters Of trade, snd 50 essf u
mAlirrs ~ money, that bis mind whs ooi
fofmiy cheerful, sod sometimes elaied.
lie felt that, at last, be was entering The
way 70 prosperity; away be bad 20 long
been seeking earnestly 10 fiDd.
~ sb. year drew towards iis close, Mr..
Lsne experienced feeling Of seif-sa,is'
! faction unusual st such times A doubi
as 10 which would oVerbAlance the other,
bis expenses or bis profits, bad usually
made The last week OF the year one OF
greA, sobilely to Mr. Lane. 10 is-, Il
Was different. As the year wSned, he
bsd noue Of the old feelings, for he WAS
well satisfied thai be wonld have several
hundred dollars on the prod, side Of The
account, above and beyond Ali expenses,
somslbi0g that had not occurred ID for
mer times.
If have made both ends meet, will
be satisfied, was bis usual mental declara-
tion, When be proceeded TO make up bis
acoouut for the year. /, was different
now.
| II don't have i've or six hundred dol
/ lars over, shall be much mistaken. This
was The pleasant remark OF Mr.. Lane 10
himself, As he began the work Of as
certsinipg the result Of bis years busi-
ness All came out pretty much as be
expected. There was a liberal balance
In his favor OF about six hundred dollars,
after liberal margin had been allowed
for certain bad aud doubtful accounts.
Things begin TO look little brighter,
said Mr. Lane, IS be sat alone with hia
wife, on New Years eve. The younger
children were In bed, aud the Two oldest
daughters, Kate and Emily, we're out
spending the evening with a friend. This
was said after lskiug a cigar from his
mouth, aud letting the smoke curl lazily
above bis head, which was reclining on
the back OF cushioned rocking g-chair.
Fm glad to bear you say SO, replied
Ms. Lane. Aud she spoke from her
heart New Years eve had not always
been = cheerful time.
I've been looking over my affairs to-
day, continued the husband, and find my.
year, by at least ak hundred dollars.
That is encouraging.
feel il so. trust things are TO be
easier in future, and that we will get
little beforehand 10 the world. IL 10 time
for will soon be in years, and less able
to active attention to business.
l'm pleased on more than one account,
said Mrs. Lane, to hear that you have
done SO well this year, I've been good
deal worried to-day about bill that /
bad no idea would be half 80 large as 1t
is. II was sent In this morning.
Whose bill is tbstl asked Mr.. Lane,
with an apparent change of feeling.
Mr.. Mercer's bill for dry goods.
| didn't know there was bill there.
o yes. Don't you remember that you
tsld me to get whatever the family want
cd from him?
didn't mean to run up bill, though.
II was so understood by me. But that
makes little difference. II the money had
been paid down, the cash would not be |
on hand now.
How mnch is the bill?
pm most afraid to say.
How much!
One hundred and thirty dollars.
Why, Annal Bless my heartl How
Ia the world could yon run up bill like /
thaty
Pve bought bat very little for myself, !
replied The rebuked wife, in d subdued /
and choking voice. Nearly all has been
used for you aud the children.
A hundred aud thirty dollarsl Oh, T
dear dcar! desrl calculated Mr.. Lane, /
and beginning to rock himself violently /
So much Of my six hundred dollars profit /
scattered to the winds wonder how I.
many more bills you yill have coming in | 4
This WAS downright cruel; and 80 Mrs !
LaGe ielt il. She did not, however,
p1Hish him for the ungenerous remark /
with tears, for she was not q woman dis
posed on all occasions to give way TO this
weakness. Her reply was
None that the wants OF The family have
not required 10 be made.
But | wished yon to pay cash, Anna. /
You kHow that, last January, when We
we're almost smolhered with bills from
sH quarters, We made a resolution TO pay
cash for everything during the coming
year; aud thought this bad been done.
! know very well that such thing was
talked about, replied Mrs. Lane; aud, /
believe, acted upon for time. And
also know that you yourself told me 10 1
open an account at Mercer's ,in The spring
when asked you for money to purchase
summer clothing for the family
didn't mean to have IL 90 beyond /
that, said Mr. Lane, modifying bic tone.
Blu, what other bills are theref
There il bill at Cheeseman's for gro
ceries.
That can't be much, for have bought
Almosl everything in quAR.ities.
No, DOM sappOse 1t will amount TO
anything u consequence.
Any other biilsl