Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-01-24
Her Economy.

1heE ECOnOmys
From the ST. Louis Republican.
One Of those little lodges resorted to for
"rasing the wind" by members of that great
and increasing class who hang upon the edges
Of trampdom and respectfully but firmly decline
to work or pursue any honest calling is illus-
trated in the following incident, which actually
occurred in the suburbs of THIS city within q
fortnight A husband returning home at even
ing was met at the door by mis- wife, who, after
the usual salutations, said:
"Oh, George, have something to show you"
"What Is it?''
'Never mind, but come and see It,"
She preceded him into the cosy little parlor
and pointed triumphantly to white, woven
strip, about six inches in length living In the
place OF honor on the center table
"Look," she said; what do you suppose that
is, George dear2" and her voice assumed the
pleasant surprise.
"That," rejoined George, approaching the
table to inspect the article. that to me. Susan.
looks fearfully and wonderfully like q common
piece Of lamp wicking."
"Ha, ha; l knew you'd say that. You men
are SO stupid. 1t ia lamp wick, true, but not
q common one. It Is one Of the greatest inven-
tions Of the age. It Is an electric lamp-wick,
George. I know from the man from whom
bought It; and he was very nice.looking man,
about how it came to be invented, and how Pro-
lessor Somebody Of something spent years of
his life in experimenting and died just as he got
1t perfected. All you have to do is to Ill your
lamp with oil. put in the wick and Iightit. After
few days an incruststton forms on the outside.
crystalized electricity he called It, and the lamp
will burn six months without reHlling There's
one In the lamp now. Dou't you see it gives a
brighter iight3"
George stood stupeHed He looked at the
vii in tof
fully conscious 1t was master Of the situation:
at the burning lamp. which gave forth a bril-.
liant. steady light, and at Susan herself. in
whose eyes rested the unmistakable assurance
OF victory, and involuntarily calculated: MAY
be there's something IN it. How many of them
did you buy?"
"Only three, dear, at quarter apiece. Think
OF the saving, George. Why I could buy new
cloak next winter from the money that would
have been wasted In coal OIL"
George waited and his wife waited to see
what would come OF the Investment, when the
electrical crust had formed on the wick The
next night, sure enough, there was the lamp as
full as ever, and shedding as good light. On
the third and fourth evenings 1t was the same.
The wick was examined but showed no signs of
the process Of incrustation having begun. The
wife explained that it might be . week or ten
days before this happened. George scratched
when bright idea occurred to him. He called
the servant. Betty, do you always I'LL the par
lor lamp"
eyes. SIR"
Ibid you fill it Monday"
eyes, SIR"
tuesday," "Yes, SIR"
CWife. ffantically) Wednesday and Thurs
day?"
Eyes, man,"
There was q moment Of agonizing suspense,
and then the economical little lady sat down on
a chair in one corner Of the room and began
crying softly to herself It was not 80 much
the expense. It was plain to her now that one
couldn't believe In the horrid deceitful men.
When the enterprising agent calls on her now,
abe unchains the dog and sends for the nearest
policeman. Thus do the innocent suffer for the
guilty.