Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-05-17

for the third year swelled the aggregat
sum in the savings bank to $500.
Mr.. Newton, on the contrary, in spit
of his increased salary, was no better O
at the end of his third year than before
His expenses had increased by S10(
though he would have found it difficul
to tell in what way his comfort or haI
piness had been increased thereby.
In spite of his carelessness in regard
his own affairs, Mr.. Newton was an eX
cellent man in regard to his busin ess
and his services were valuable to hi
employers. They accordingly increas
ed his salary from time to time. till
reached 81 800. He had steadily pre-
served the custom of assigning one hal
to his wife, as heretofore, and this ha
become such habit that he neve
thought to inquire whether she found i
necessary to employ the whole or not.
Thus ten years rolled away. During
all this time Newton lived in this sam
hired house, for which he had paid al
annual rent of $3.50. Latterly. however
hebad become dissatisfied with it. 1t hat
passed into the hands of new land
lord, who was not disposed to keep
in the repair which he considered desir
able.
About this time block of eXcellen
houses was erected by capitalist, wht
designed to sell them Or let them as ht
might have an opportunity. They were
modern and much better arranged thar
the one in which Mr.. Newton now lived
and he felt a strong desire to move into
one of them. He mentioned it to his
wife one morning.
whats the rent ?" inquired she.
1.-TWO hundred and twenty-five for the
corner house; 5000 for either Of the 9TH
ers.U
1.-The corner house would be prefera.
bic, on account of the side windows"
Eyes, and they have large yard be-
| sides. 1 think we had better rent one
of them. I guess I'll engage one of them
to day; you know our year is out next
week."
"Please wait till to- morrow, before en-.
gaging one"
"FOr what reason ?'
II should like to examine the house. u
Very well, suppose tomorrow will
be sufficiently early"
ed on Squire Bent, the owner of the
be shown the corner house. Her re-
Newton was quite delighted with all the
arrangements, and expressed her salts
faction.
"Are these houses for sale or to let ?"
she inquired
Either" said the owner.
''The rent is, understand, two hun
dred and twenty-five dollars"
"Yes. / consider the corner house
worth at least INVENT five dollars more
than the rest"
"And what do you charge for the
house for cash purchaser ?" asked Mrs
Newton, with subdued eagerness.
"Four thousand dollars cash" was the
reply. land that is but small advance
ON the cost a"
"Very well, I will buy of you," added
Mrs: Newton, quietly.
What did | understand you to say ?'
asked the Squire, scarcely believing his
own ears.
81 repeat that I will buy this house at
your price, and pay the money within
week"
"Then the house is yours. But your
husband did not say anything ofhis in
tention, and in fact [ did not know"
"That he had money to invest, sup
pose you would say. Neither does he
know it, and must ask you not to tell
him for the present."
The next morning Mrs. Newton in
vted her husband to take walk, but
without specifying the direction. They
scon stood in front of the house in which
he desired to live.
"Wouldn't you like to go in ?' she
asked
Eyes. It's a pity we haven't got the
key"
81 have the KEY" said the wife, and
forthwith she walked up the steps and
proceeded to open the door.
"Wben did you get the key of f'Squire
Bent" asked her husband
yesterday, when I bought the
house, said his wife, quietly.
Mr. Newton gazed OH his wife in pro-
found astonishment.
What do you mean ?'
"Just what / say-the house is mine,
and what is mine is thine. So the house
is yours, Ezra"
Where, in the name goodness, did
you raise the money ?" asked her hus-
band, in amazement as great as ever.
II haven't been managing wife fer
ten years fo1 nothing" said Mrs. New
ton. smiling.
With some difficulty Mrs Newton
persuaded her husband that the price OF
the house was really the result of heT
savings. He felt, when he surveyed
the cummodious arrangements of the
house, that he had reason to be grateful
for the prudence of his managing wife.