The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1880-11-30

for yourself; that i IN; and give me
your word that yoa will take no money
from the store =
aAll right III do il Just TO show you
that it is easy enough. Hereis the pocket
book" And he gave il into her hand
But I'll take Q quarter 6rst TO begin on r
"What do you want Of a'quafter p
"Cigars."
@Well, here are two ten cent pieces,
try to make that do. Did you ever reckon
up how much your cigars cost you in .
year, Let us see. You smoke at least
two day, at an average cost of ten cents
apiece, which amounts to one dollar and
forty cents week. Now, fifty-two times
one forty makes seventy-two dollars and
eighty cents year, 70 say nothing Of
those you give to your friends A hundred
dollars win scarcely cover your expenses
in that line"
GAS our old friend Abigail Stillman
says, Who'd Q thunk it. = said Mr.. Gray,
laughing; but he was surprised to fnd
the sum 30 large.
The next morning Mr.. Gray had gone
some distance from. the house before he
remembered that he had only twenty-five
cents.
"I'll risk it, said he to himself "Per-
haps I'll not want to buy anything. I'll
show Annie that man can do without
money"
Hello, Gray 70 cried voice, interrupt
ing his reflections. "What is the brown
study about ?" 1t was his old friend,
Frank Raymond.
The two men had not met since Mr..
Gray's marriage, and as Frank was to re-
main in town for week Mr.. Gray invited
him home. He lit cigar and handed its
mate to Frank al he did this. The two
conversed of old times until they reached
Mr.. Gray's place of business, when they
separated, Frank agreeing to be at the
Grays' at six o'clock. Annie was apprised
of his coming by note from her husband.
Going home that night, as was his in
variable custom, he ran into Benton's to
buy some cigars. Benton was surprised
to see him drop the dozen he had taken up.
"Are they not good ?" inquired the
dealer. eve think them our choicest"
"They are good. But on second thought
will not take any tonight"
Mr.. Gray had always purchased his ci-
gars as he used them but now he wished
he had box at home. However, he de-
cided TO ask his wife for some money and
run out and fill his case without his friends
knowledge Twenty-four hours had passed
and he had already begun to experience
feeling of shame, and disinclination to
ask for money. A thought OF Annie
crossed his mind. "Pshaw! she doesn't
have to treat friends to cigars" he NUT
tered.
Frank Raymond was already at his
house, and Annie had a tempting little
supper for them; and Annie was looking
her prettiest.
When supper was over he took Annie
aside and asked her for dollar, which
she gave him, grudgingly. Then he ex-
cused himself, for moment, and bought
some cigars. They were wretched affairs,
however, and filed the house with q vii
lainous odor, for he had to get them at a
new place, Benson's being too far of.
The next day the two friends started
out together, when Mr. Gray, with an air
Of having forgotten something, said, Ex-
cuse me minute"
"Tll go back with you, it you have
forgotten anything" said Mr.. Raymond.
Mr.. Gray clapped his hand on his pock-
ct. 81 thought had forgotten my pock.
et-book, but / haven't" he said. $50 it's
all right" and then he hurried on, his
cheeks tingling with shame at the deceit.
But he could not risk having his friend
60 back with him, and stand by while he
asked for money.
Mr.. Gray was lucky that day. He had
no calls for money, and he had half
dozen of those horrid cigars left, a
couple Of which he smoked on the street
after his friend left him. In fact, he con-
cluded to risk another day in the same
way. But on this day he realized the old
adage, " 1t never rains but it pours for
from being asked to change bill, to get
ting his coat ripped, and asking for credit
at his tailor's, the day was series of NOR
ti6cations.
Annie was unaware of all this. In fact,
she thought her husband was failing to re-
alize the situation; so, when at night, Mr..
Gray asked her for money to spend the
next day, she wickedly put HIM off with
some excuse, and ingeniously evaded the
request until he was forced to prefer it be-
fore his friend.
You want dollar or two! What do
you want with dollar or two?"
"There, Annie, don't bother fellow.
Pm in hurry"
But with grave deliberation, she drew
out a quarter, and laid it down, then an
other, and another, next two dimes.
Let me see-three Enthusiastically
five, ten is Observation-Disclosures,
and here 10 q three cent piece-ninety-
eight cents. Will that do f''
"Yes," and Mr.. Gray hustled thom
into his pocket, and hurried from the
room.
He was in hopes his friend would in
quire into the cause of the scene, when
he would tell him Of the compact and
how it originated. It would then pass 40
joke. But Mr.. Raymond did not make
any remark. Instead he thought to him
self:
@Good gracious What . grind she is
And / thought her 20 pretty. never
supposed that Albert would make such
meek husband. Catch me getting mar
ried, and having quarters doled ont to me
in. that way I"
He pitied his friends embarrassment,
but did not appear 70 notice it. Instead,
he chatted unConceRnedly Of old friends
and past times. Suddenly turning .
corner they met two mutual acqusint-
ances. Hand shakings and inquiries fol-
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