The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1881-01-13

but gave you no money, without the why's
and WherefoTe's and Whither's being in
quired into; in short, treated you as you
do me?'
/ You exaggerate the case, Annie. Men
and women are differently situated ]
should think you would be glad to be
saved the trouble Of earning q livelihood
But, just consider the disadvantages Of
an empty purse. Put yourself in my
place. How would you like it,?
Why, if 1 had only to ask, first rates
Well, then, suppose you let me carry the
pocket book for a week"
But Annie, it isn't practicable. You
couldn't attend to business at the stOre.o
'Of course not. It is only your personal
| expenses I viii regulate. You come to me
for what money you wish to spend for
| yourself; that is all; and give ME your
word that you viii take no money from
the store.
AN right III do it, just to show you
| that it Is easy. enough. Here's the pocket
book And he gave it into her hand. But
I'll take aquarter, first, to begin Onn
| What do YOU want Of a quarter2f
Cigars
We'll here are two ten cent pieces, try to
make that do. Did you ever reckon up
how much your cigars cost you in the year =?
| Let US see. You smoke at least two a day,
/ at an average cost of ten cents apiece,
| which amounts to one dollar and forty cents
a week. Now, ffty-twO times one forty
makes seventy-tWO dollars and eighty cents
"a year, to say nothing of those you give
to your friends. A hundred dollars viii
! scarcely cover YOU. expenses in that line
AS our old friend Abigail Stillman says,
Who'd a-thunk it, said Mr.. Gray, laughing
but he was surprised to find the sum so
large.
The next morning Mr.. Gray had gone
some distance from the house before he re-
membered that he had only twenty-five
cents.
'Ill risk it said he to himself Perhaps
III not want to buy anything. I'll show
Annie that man can do without money
Hello, Grayp cried a voice, interrUpting
his reflections. What is the brain study
about? 1t was his old friend, Frank Ray
mond.
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 a cigar and handed its mate to
Frank, as 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 GT1Ys at SIX o'clock. Annie was
apprised Of his coming by a 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.
we think them our choicest
They are good. But on second thought
I will not take any tO-night'
Mr.. Gray had always purchased his
cigars as he used them; hutnOw hewished
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 a
feeling of shame, and disinclination to
ask for money. A thought of Annie cross
ed his mind. 'Pshaw! she doesn't have to
treat friends to cigars he muttered.
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 for a dollar, which she
gave him, grudgingly. Then he excused
himself for a moment, and bought some
cigars. They were wretched affairs, how
ever, and filled the house with n villainOus
OdOr, for he had to get them at anewplace,
BensOn's being too far off.
The next day, the two friends started
out together, when Mr. Gray, with an air
of having forgotten something, said, .Ex-
cuse me n minute.
TlI 90 back with you, if you have for
gotten anything, said Mr.. Raymond.
Mr.. Gray clapped his hand on his pocket.
I thought I had forgotten my pocket
book, but L haven't he said. SO its all
right and then he hurried on, his cheeks
dngling with shame at the deceit But he
could not risk having his friend go 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 dOz-
en- Of those hOrrid cigars left, a couple Of
which he smoked on the street after his
friend left him. In fact, he concluded to
risk another day in the same way. But on
this day herealized the Oldadage, 1t never
rains but it pours; for from being asked to
change a bill, to getting his coat ripped
and asking for credit at his tailor's, the
day was a series Of notifications.
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 1t be-
fore his friend.
You want q dollar or two! What do you
want with q dollar or two?
There, Annie, don't bother a fellow. I'm
in q hurry
But with grave deliberatiOn, she drew
out a quarter, and laid it down, then
another and another, next two dimes.
Let me see-thrce quarters seventy
five. ten is eighty -hve-ten-nlnety-hY
and here IS a three cent piece-nlnety-e
cents VIII that dO?'
Yes and Mr.. Gray hustled them into
his pocket, and hurried from the room.
Hewas in hopes his friend would inquire
into the cause Of the scene, when he would
tell him of the compact and how 1t Origi-
mated. 1t would then pass as joke. But
Mr.. RAYMOND did not make any remark.
Instead he thought to himself:
Good gracious! What a grind she is!
And 1 thought her so pretty. never sup
posed that Albert would make such q meek
husband. Catch me getting married, and
having quarters doled out to mo i'm that
wayg
Hepitied his friends embarrassment, but
did not appear to notice it. Instead, he
chatted uncoucenedly Of old friends and
past times. Suddenly turning a corner
they met two mutual acquaintance. Hand
shaLings and inquiries followed, and the
four had so much to say that ATr. Gray de-
cided to send a note to his partner, and
spend the forenoon with his friends.
The partyuow adjourned to a restaurant,
and Mr.. Raymond, aware of the exact
amount of hiS-Nr Gr1y's-funds ordered