The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-01-29
and soon in Southwestern Nebraska,
every quarter section will be occupied.
That Terrible Grocery Book.

CHOW, I'll just tell you what it is, no
man can save dollar when his wife
keeps grocery book"
The speaker was we'll known clothing
merchant, and the statement was made
during conversation on the cost Of liv-
ing.
Eyes, sir" he proceeded, "it is fact.
You can't always tell why, hut when you
hear man Of moderate means living
beyond his means, just ask him the ques-
ton; Does your wife keep grocery
book ? He will say Yes and there
you've got the reason"
"But," suggested the other participant
in the conversation, "may not poverty
compel him to resort to the credit sys-
TEN in the first instance"
"It may; but that has nothing to do
with the habit of keeping running ac-
count at the corner grocery. If man
makes any reasonable debt he can pay
it, and that ends it. Not so with the
other. 1t is a habit-a ruinous habit.
ANY man who keeps it up in times Of
hardship will not assert his independence
when his fortune changes. If he fails
to nip it in the bud, he will fill pau
per's grave"
"You have stated fact said his
friend, as they stood against the lamp
post, "now give reason. Why should
it cost a man any more for what he buys
on credit than for what he buys for
cash p
"Well, in the first place, the grocer
claims, rather assumes, the right to
charge more for what he sells in that
way. Then again he will buy, or rather
his wife will buy, great deal on credit
that she would not buy for cas-. Sup
pose / cite an instance of the effects of
the system. l deal with facts more than
reasons. Some time ago policeman was
reported to headquarters for bill of $75.
He could not pay, and did not even
know how the bill had been contracted.
He was in great distress about the mat
ter, the grocer having lost patience and
created great furore by reporting the
thing to the board and to the ca plain of
the district. The Officer stood in peril of
losing his commission. The captain,
however. knew him to be a good and
worthy man, and he took it upon him.
self to investigate the case. He called
the officer before him and demanded an
explanation. The latter had not read
the itemized bill and he could not tell
why the amount was so large. He told
the captain that he was in the habit Of
giving wages to his wife who always
contracted and paid the bills. She kept
a grocers book and paid the man at the
end of every month. The book was
produced and examined. 1t was found
that every time payment had been
made the Lii amounted to more than
there was money to pay. Well, sir, that
settled it with the captain. He'd been
there himself and he knew how 1t was.
He didn't blame the officer. He merely
looked upon it as boyish act of expert
ence. He told the officer to pay the bill
and burn up the book. With this he
ordered him to his beat and sent a fav-
orabe report to headquarters about it.
"The officer found on looking at the
book that his wife had been buying pies,
wine, cake, candy and no telling what
all. He paid the bill, stopped the leak,
and now he's got money III the bank. y
"Did you ever try the system, your
self p was asked.
eyes, my wife did; but | found out
that I'd be poor man all my days If |
did not put a stop to it, and so | did. L
lived meaner during that period than
ever before or afterward. | was always
in debt, too"
The man pulled out his wallet. 1t
was little blue silk wallet we'll filled
and bedecked with beads The wallet
is well known, for many time it has
been loosened to befriend the needy.
Its possessor is rich-as rich in lucre as
in experience. Hence no one may
doubt that he has profted by the adj
vice he gives to others.
eyes sir" he repeated, as he blew the
foam off his glass, "Oflicer BIS as good
man as any ON the force. Yet he came
within an ace Of losing his position, and
for what2 Because his wife kept a
grocer's book. st. Louis Republican.